Providing Habitat for Native Mammals through Understory Enhancement in Forestry Plantations

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) expects forestry plantations to contribute to biodiversity conservation. A well‐developed understory in forestry plantations might serve as a surrogate habitat for native species and mitigate the negative effect of plantations on species richness. We experimentally tested this hypothesis by removing the understory in Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) plantations in central Chile and assessing changes in species richness and abundance of medium‐sized mammals. Frequency of occurrence of mammals, including kodkods (Leopardus guigna), culpeo foxes (Pseudalopex culpaeus), lesser grisons (Conepatus chinga), and Southern pudu deer (Pudu puda), was low in forest stands with little to no understory relative to stands with well‐developed undergrowth vegetation. After removing the understory, their frequency of occurrence decreased significantly, whereas in control stands, where understory was not removed, their frequency did not change. This result strongly supports the idea that facilitating the development of undergrowth vegetation may turn forestry stands into secondary habitats as opposed to their containing no habitat for native mammals. This forestry practice could contribute to conservation of biological diversity as it pertains to CBD targets. Proporcionando Hábitat para Mamíferos Nativos Mediante el Mejoramiento del Sotobosque en Plantaciones Forestales     

Practical Recommendations to Help Students Bridge the Research–Implementation Gap and Promote Conservation

Seasoned conservation researchers often struggle to bridge the research–implementation gap and promote the translation of their work into meaningful conservation actions. Graduate students face the same problems and must contend with obstacles such as limited opportunities for relevant interdisciplinary training and a lack of institutional support for application of research results. However, students also have a crucial set of opportunities (e.g., access to academic resources outside their degree programs and opportunities to design research projects promoting collaboration with stakeholders) at their disposal to address these problems. On the basis of results of breakout discussions at a symposium on the human dimensions of the ocean, a review of the literature, and our own experiences, we devised recommendations on how graduate students can create resources within their academic institutions, institutionalize resources, and engage with stakeholders to promote real‐world conservation outcomes. Within their academic institutions, graduate students should foster links to practitioners and promote knowledge and skill sharing among students. To institutionalize resources, students should cultivate student leaders and faculty sponsors, systematically document their program activities, and engage in strategic planning to promote the sustainability of their efforts. While conducting research, students should create connections to and engage actively with stakeholders in their relevant study areas and disseminate research results both to stakeholders and the broader public. Our recommendations can serve as a template for graduate students wishing to bridge the research–implementation gap, both during their current studies and in their future careers as conservation researchers and practitioners. Recomendaciones Prácticas para Ayudar a Estudiantes a Vencer la Brecha entre Investigación e Implementación y Promover la Conservación     

The impact of self-appraisals on reactions to feedback from others: the role of self-enhancement and self-consistency concerns

This study examined the usefulness of self-appraisal (SA) as a technique designed to enhance the motivational and developmental impact of feedback from others. Drawing from research on self-enhancement and self-consistency motives, it was hypothesized that individuals would agree with and incorporate feedback that is consistent with their SA, whereas they would be more satisfied and perform better if feedback is more favorable than their SA. A field study was conducted with 122 MBA students as participants. On average, students were 25 years old and had 1.8 years of work experience. Seventy per cent of students were male and 82 per cent were white. The findings supported all of the hypotheses except the hypothesis concerning satisfaction. Implications for improving the impact of performance appraisal feedback are discussed.