A Model for Predicting Daily Peak Visitation and Implications for Recreation Management and Water Quality: Evidence from Two Rivers in Puerto Rico

Visitor use surveys and water quality data indicates that high visitor use levels of two rivers in Puerto Rico does not appear to adversely affect several water quality parameters. Optimum visitor use to maximize visitor defined satisfaction is a more constraining limit on visitor use than water quality. Our multiple regression analysis suggests that visitor use of about 150 visitors per day yields the highest level of visitor reported satisfaction, a level that does not appear to affect turbidity of the river. This high level of visitor use may be related to the gregarious nature of Puerto Ricans and their tolerance for crowding on this densely populated island. The daily peak visitation model indicates that regulating the number of parking spaces may be the most effective way to keep visitor use within the social carrying capacity.     

Analysis of bumblebee visitation sequences within single bouts: implication of the overstrike effect on short-term memory

Pollinators whose foraging habitats consist of several plant types (species or morph) may continue to choose the plant type last visited because information about the type of plant last visited dominates over all other memory contents, in particular of short-term memory. In this study, I extracted this overstrike effect on the plant choices of pollinators by analyzing patterns of visitation sequences within a single round-trip between the hive and foraging patch (bout). First, I simulated the visitation sequences within single bouts with a model to show how factors, including the bees plant-type preferences, the arrangement of plants and the effect of overstrike on short-term memory, affect visitation sequences. Here, bees are assumed to forage in a patch consisting of two plant types (H and L). The model predicts that only the effect of overstrike on short-term memory causes assorted visitation sequences according to plant type (within-bout flower constancy). That is, if the overstrike-effect on short-term memory is the primary determinant of plant choice, then bees will fly to a type-L plant after visiting a type-L plant even if they predominantly visit type-H plants and vice versa. Next, I investigated individual bumblebees visitation sequences at a patch of artificial inflorescences with a set-up similar to that assumed in the model. Two types of inflorescences were arranged on a Cartesian grid. Assorted visitation sequences according to inflorescence type were observed, depending on the distances among inflorescences. This result supports the hypotheses that bees fly to the same plant type as that last visited because short-term memory is displaced (overstruck) with information about the most recently visited plant type.Communicated by M. Giurfa     

Norm Stability in Jirisan National Park: Effects of Time,Existing Conditions,and Background Characteristics

Norm stability is an important issue to consider in using the normative approach as a component of resource management decision making. This study examines three major questions related to norm stability: (1) Do norms change over time? (2) Do existing conditions affect norms? (3) Do background characteristics and visitation patterns affect norms? Data used in this study were collected at a campground in the Jirisan National Park (JNP) of Korea in 1993, 1994, and 2003. A total of 396 subjects were used for the study (120 for 1993, 106 for 1994, and 170 for 2003). Changes in the standards for “quiet time” and “seeing others littering” were statistically significant, but there was no change in the standard for “number of other tents.” There was little change in norm agreement or norm prevalence. Existing conditions were strongly correlated with standards for number of other tents but results were mixed for the other two indicators. Users’ demographic characteristics and visitation patterns were not generally related to norms. Findings of the study are discussed.     

Area protection in Antarctica: How can conservation and scientific research goals be managed compatibly?

The footprint of human activities within Antarctica is increasing, making it essential to consider whether current conservation/protection of environmental and scientific values is adequate. The Antarctic protected area network has developed largely without any clear strategy, despite scientific attempts to promote protection of representative habitats. Many Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) Management Plans do not state clearly if conservation or science is the priority objective. This is problematic as science and conservation may have conflicting management requirements, i.e. visitation may benefit science, but harm conservation values. We examined recent estimated mean annual levels of visitation to ASPAs. On average, ASPAs protecting scientific research interests were visited twice as often as ASPAs conserving Antarctic habitat and biological communities. However, ASPAs protecting both science and conserving habitat were visited three times as often as ASPAs conserving habitat alone. Examination of visitation data showed that the proportion of visitors entering ASPAs for science, environmental management and/or education and tourism purposes, did not reflect the primary reason for designation, i.e. for science and/or conservation. One third of APSAs designated since the Environmental Protocol entered into force (1998) did not describe clearly the main reason for designation. Policy makers should consider (i) for all Management Plans stating unambiguously the reason an area has ASPA designation, e.g. either to protect habitat/environmental values or scientific research, in accordance with adopted guidance, (ii) designating new protected areas where visitation is kept to an absolute minimum to ensure the long-term conservation of Antarctic species and habitats without local human impacts (possibly located far from areas of human activity), and (iii) encouraging the use of zoning in ASPAs to help facilitate the current and future requirements of different scientific disciplines.