G.R.A.C.E

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Biodiversity Assessment

The conservation importance of an area is typically determined through an assessment of its biodiversity, achieved through recording the species presence, species distribution, condition and /or abundance of key species. Where a good baseline exists, a biodiversity assessment can concentrate on the latter, looking at species densities and abundance in different ecosystems, or comparisons with other areas of Belize or the region. In this instance, however, where little or no baseline data exists, the primary biodiversity assessment requirement is for data on species presence and distributions, to provide a baseline for future work on abundance.

 

The vegetation component of the current biological assessment of the Peccary Hills area focused largely upon the collection of validated data on vegetation types, from transects, ground-truthing point checks, aerial reconnaissance and photography, to determine the actual vegetation types their location, and extent, and to generate an updated ecosystem map for the area. Predominant and / or characteristic species of flora, and relative abundances associated with each habitat were identified and listed where possible.

 

Preliminary site visits to each of the main habitat types were used to ground-truth existing ecosystem mapping (Meerman & Sabido, 2001 & 2004), identify principal discrepancies, and develop preliminary lists of predominant plant species for each ecosystem. Resultant data was then used to re-evaluate the existing ecosystem map, and identify the locations for point stops where further ground-truthing would be required

 

Point stops were conducted within each of the identified ecosystems, and across identified ecoclines, noting habitat structure, predominant species, relative abundance, and drainage characteristics. Point stops, recording the same data as in the line transects, were conducted to provide additional and broader coverage within the survey time available

 

The major vertebrate groups were surveyed using a variety of techniques – Lenny Gentle conducted a series of transects and point surveys to initiate a bird species list for the area, and data was also gathered from field studies in the adjacent Runaway Creek private reserve. Fish were surveyed through a series of both diurnal and nocturnal point surveys in a variety of water systems, whilst mammals were recorded from opportunistic sightings, from signs of their presence (tracks and faeces), and from nocturnal surveys. Reliable local reports were also noted, as were past survey results (primarily Meerman, 1996, Horwich and Lyon, 1991(?) and McAnanay and Thomas, 2003).  Amphibians were surveyed along transects, and reptiles were surveyed largely opportunistically during ecosystem ground-truthing.