AUA Cleanup and Tree Planting for Yerevan Community Work Weekend

image001

YEREVAN–AUA students, faculty and staff came together on Sunday, March 24 to clean up the university campus and plant trees as part of an annual community work weekend promoter by the Yerevan mayor’s office. The cleanup at AUA was organized by the AUA Eco Club and theAcopian Center for the Environment. The trees were donated by the Armenia Tree Project.

Participating this year were: AUA President Bruce Boghosian, Vice President of Operations Ashot Ghazaryan, Provost Dennis Leavens, Director of Administration Anahit Ordyan, Director of the AGBU Papazian Library Satenik Avagyan, Director of Admissions Arina Zohrabian, Student Services Coordinator Garine Palandjian, Director of ICTS Berj Gatrjyan, as well as many AUA professors, staff, and students.

Special thanks to AUA MBA student Levon Demirchyan, who provided these photographs.

image003

AUA is an Eco-Friendly Campus

image001

Thanks to a collaboration between the American University of Armenia (AUA) Eco Club, the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, and the University administration, AUA is happy to announce the installation of the first ever on-campus bicycle racks.

The racks were installed in early May 2013 in response to demands by the university community and to encourage eco-friendly transportation. Deciding on a location and design was a joint effort between students and AUA ACE. Students surveyed the perimeter of the building and recommended the most convenient and safe location. As there are no ready-made bicycle racks or companies that regularly make such racks in Armenia, the students reviewed international design standards regarding the height and distance of the racks.  Alen Amirkhanian, director of the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, comments that “the effort is small but it shows an effective model of student activism to improve life on campus and, hopefully, the community at large. The receptiveness of the administration played a critical role. They supported the effort fully and procured the racks per our design recommendations.”

Amirkhanian believes that the movement toward using bicycles as a mode of transport in Yerevan shows signs of promise. “Although accommodations for bicycle transportation in Yerevan are currently limited, we need to start taking the important initial steps, like installing bike racks. We also need to start thinking about dedicated bike lanes and racks on buses.” He believes that that the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment can play a constructive role in encouraging eco-friendly transportation through research, pilot projects, and community outreach.

The design and the installation of the bike racks was the first part of the “AUA Bicycle and Recycle” initiative, aiming to make AUA a more eco-friendly campus. The next focus in the initiative will be the implementation of a campus-wide recycling program.

High School Outreach

image001

Students at Khosrov Reserve, taking coordinates for Bearded Vulture nest.

YEREVAN–For the past year, the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment has been working with students from the “Mkhitar Sebastatsi” Educational Complex in Yerevan, organizing ecological and ornithological clubs for the student to participate in a 10-week ecology and 20-week ornithology courses. Through these clubs, Siranush Tumanyan, the Acopian Center’s Education Outreach Specialist, has worked with almost 50 students (45 high-school and 5 middle-school).

image003

Siranush Tumanyan photographed in the US with an American Turkey Vulture

Taught by Tumanyan, these courses have introduced a new way of teaching these topics. “One of our objectives was to improve the methodology of teaching biology and ecology at schools. I believe we have succeeded. While students participate voluntarily, our retention rates have been very high,” says Tumanyan. “Another sign of success is that other teachers at Mkhitar Sebastatsi are now adopting the same teaching methodology.”

As part of the courses, students go on field trips across the country, visiting key sites such as the Khosrov Preserve, Sevan National Park, Byurakan Forest, Armash Fish Pond, and more.

Each student has a blog where they publish articles they write based on these field trips and classes. “What you see in these blogs are budding scientists and researchers,” says Alen Amirkhanian, Interim Director of the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment. “They are a delight to read. They are informative, insightful, and concise.”

Examples of these student blogs include ones by Avetis HarutunyanQristina Atoyan, and Sona Arsenyan.

Ms. Tumanyan has also worked with some students to translate and create e-books on the topics of ecology and ornithology. The first book, an e-book prepared by the 12-year old Erik Sahakyan, is about bird behavior and is intended for younger audiences. Copies of Mr. Sahakyan’s e-book can be viewed and downloaded from here.

A group of 10 students are now preparing a coloring book about wintering birds in Yerevan. Part of the group is working on preparing the text while the others are drawing the illustrations. This, also, is intended for younger audiences.

The AUA Acopian Center is expanding this outreach program to other schools in Yerevan. In the past month, work has started with Ayb High School, with 15 students selected by Ayb to participate in this program. “This expansion fits with our objectives of community outreach,” says Amirkhanian. “We hope that over the coming year we will be able to secure the resources to include 2 more schools.”

For more information, please write to [email protected].

image005
12 participants from high school identify and count birds in the botanical gardens.

 image007
  15 participants from the high school join with experts from the Zoological institute for international Euro-birdwatching Day in October 2012.

 

Sustainable Energy Projects at AUA Cut Costs, Reduce Carbon Footprint in Armenia

Duration:

image027Earlier this month, the American University of Armenia announced new solar water heating measures that will further reduce the institution’s carbon footprint.

The solar panels on the roof of AUA’s main building have been integrated into the facility’s domestic hot water system. As a result, about 70% of the hot water from any faucet in the building will now be heated through the use of solar energy.

The solar thermal collectors, installed between 1999-2002, have been used thus far to cool the air inside the small auditorium of the main building by a sophisticated process known as desiccant cooling. In addition to this, the panels will now be used produce hot water supply for use in the main building.

During sunny days, the solar thermal collectors produce up to 3 tons of hot water to provide for two days of water consumption in the main building.

The AUA main building also has 72 photovoltaic panels (total of 5 kW capacity) that allows AUA to produce electricity in its main building to meet the needs of the aforementioned Solar HVAC system, as well as emergency/server backup needs. Any excess generation of electricity is also sent to the national electricity grid.

A series of other measures to increase energy efficiency at the university are currently under development.

AUA Study: Mining in Armenia Creates Poverty, Income Inequality

Duration: 2004-2010

image001

Mine workers at the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum processing plant in Kajaran handling toxic heavy metals without breathing protection or protective gloves.  Photo by Nazik Armenakyan

Mining contributed to economic growth in Armenia between 2004-2010 while simultaneously creating income inequality and poverty. This is according to a recent study by the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment conducted in cooperation with the AUA College of Business and Economics.

image003

The hands of a mine worker at the molybdenum processing center at the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Plant in Kajaran. Photo by Anahit Hayrapetyan. That same man change his baby’s diaper later in the day. Photo by Nazik Armenakyan

The study’s principal researcher and author, Dr. Aleksandr Grigoryan, looks at regional-level data and reports that mining does have some positive impact on the growth of the economy.

“This supports the claim often repeated by proponents of mining that it is needed for Armenia’s economic growth,” says Dr. Grigoryan, an assistant professor of economics at AUA.

Mining and Income Inequality

Dr. Grigoryan’s analysis, however, also shows that mining contributes to higher poverty and greater income inequality. “Our analysis shows that the mining sector is likely to increase income inequality and deepen poverty in the regions of Armenia in which it operates,” states Grigoryan.

This runs counter to claims by mining proponents that the sector creates jobs that will have medium- to long-term development impact on the regions and the country.

These conflicting realities can be explained by a number of factors prevalent in Armenia’s economy, according to Grigoryan.

“Mining has been growing as a share of the Armenian economy for several years now but with the economic crisis and increase in world metal prices, mining took on a more significant role in our GDP growth,” he explains, noting that this trend is expected to continue if no other sector of the economy picks up steam.

Mining and Poverty

An increase in poverty is another observed effect of mining, a relationship that Dr. Grigoryan says needs to be studied further.

Other research on the impact of mining conducted by the AUA School of Public Health and AUA Acopian Center reports some residents claiming that property owners are forced to sell their properties at very low prices. Such occurrences, if they have taken place, would deprive villagers of an asset critical to wealth creation, according to Dr. Grigoryan.

Moreover, workers in the mining or mineral processing industries are not provided health insurance, a fact that may burden families with health costs or lower productivity.

image005

A young man in a hospital bed with his wife. He has a stomach ulcer and believes it’s from working at the mine. Photo by Nazik Armenakyan.

The Role of Policy

“If we are to make mining a key sector in the Armenian economy, we also have to develop the right socio-economic policies where the immediate communities and the country benefits maximally,” says Alen Amirkhanian, director of the AUA Acopian Center.

Mining and extractive industries have played a significant role in ensuring long-term and equitable growth for several countries, particularly Norway, Australia, and Botswana. “These countries have successfully used mining to raise the standard of living for a vast majority of their populations because they devised and implemented good public policy,” stresses Amirkhanian, who organized an international conference last November on the topic.

Without proper policies designed to regulate and leverage mining, Armenia will continue on a path that follows mining models that enrich a few while depriving larger numbers of current and future generations of opportunities to benefit from their patrimony, states Amirkhanian.

According to the Armenian Statistical Service, in 2011, Armenia’s mining industry employed 15,500 workers or about 1% of the country’s total employment and contributed to about 3% of the its GDP.

AUA is organizing another international scientific conference on “Emerging Issues in Environmental and Occupational Health.”  The conference, set for April 22-23, will bring leading experts from around the world to Yerevan to explore the impact of mining and construction in transition economies such as Armenia. The research they present will provide solutions to the occupational and environmental health problems facing workers, communities and children and help craft public policy to address these issues.

image007

Cow drinking water from at the Artsvanik tailing pond from the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum mine in Kajaran. Photo by Nazik Armenakyan

The photos included are from the “Investigative Photojournalism for Human Rights and Clear Environment” project, made possible through the assistance of the Open Society Foundations- Armenia. The project was implemented by Socioscope NGO.

 

ReGardening of Eden

Duration:

image001The concept came about through a concerned collaboration between the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment and Armenia Tree Project.

The goal is to restore the village of Margahovit, Lori marz, to its former beauty. The project will comprise three main elements: (i) the establishment of a local park, (ii) creation of a sustainable trash collection and recycling program and, perhaps most importantly, (iii) the education of local children and adult residents in the significance of environmental stewardship. Then, as the trees grow, the flowers bloom, and the birds return to the garden, trainings on bird watching and the appreciation of nature will also follow.

For more information please visit the website: http://www.regardeningofeden.org/

 

 

Saving Armenian Gull

Duration: 

Birds of Armenia Project (AUA)
Lake Sevan 1999

Armenian Gull breeds in lakes Sevan and Arpi in Armenia. At Lake Sevan it breeds in “Gull islands” which, as a result of constant water  level lowering in the lake, joined the coast by the end of 1990-s, thus turning into a peninsula and  has become open to predators and domestic cattle. Predators such as foxes and stray dogs caused much harm to Gulls by eating their eggs and nestlings. As for domestic animals, they trampled down the eggs wandering around the island.

The island became open to tourists who frightened the birds and raised panic among them. That harmful circumstance, as it may seem at first sight, had the most fatal consequences: eggs were getting too cold during the first period of nesting and in the period of mass hatching the frightened birds were leaving their nests. The parents in the useless search of their nestlings were pecking the other lost nestlings to death.

image001
image003
The only way to rescue the Armenian Gull was to turn its nesting into an island again. For that purpose, it was necessary to remove the isthmus, digging a channel between the island and the coast. Unfortunately, the corresponding departments didn’t take active part in it for certain reasons, though they were well aware of the urgent need of isolation of the nesting place.

Thus, on 14 May, 1999, the project workers, equipping themselves with corresponding techniques, conducted land-utilizing works by digging 18 meters wide breach and 0.8-2.3 meters deep strait.

In the same year we organized a pilot monitoring of the nesting place of the Armenian Gull in “Gull islands” which testified that our efforts were not vain. The eggs and nestlings were saved! As a result, the generation of Armenian Gull was conserved.

image005

Making of the channel

Each year before the beginning of nesting season we visit the island and measure the depth and width of the strait in order to step in again in case of need.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

 

 

Competition “At my bird feeder”/”Birds in my backyard”, Winter-Spring Season

Duration: 2003-present

Acopian Center for the Environment
In cooperation with various NGOs and state bodies

Introduction

image001Today, most of the faced environmental problems are the result of lack of environmental education. It is very important to start environmental education in the school period, with this appropriate attitude will be developed at an early age. However, as we know, children like to play, but not to learn. Accordingly, the education should be designed as a game, and not like a lesson. For such type of interactive education, the watching of the birds is of high advantage such as competition, joy and safe and a way of close interaction with nature. In winter, as many birds come to the cities, towns and villages with the hope to find some food, it is easy to close distance for watching them by attracting their attention with food. Bird feeders are preferable to be made by children because of two purposes: education of children and feeding of the birds, and participation and help of the parents in the process. It will be also an indirect support to develop positive attitude to birds, which is very important and actual nowadays in panic conditions concerning to threat of avian influenza.

Background

image005In December of 2003 “Birds of Armenia” project together with Ecoclub “Ani” of Saint Akob Curch in Gyumri have started winter competition titled “At my bird feeder…” Children from different schools of Gyumri made feeders and placed them in the backyards and parks. Then, they painted pictures of birds in winter, wrote stories about birds and sent them to us together with the photos of feeders they made. Judges chose the best paintings and stories and the winners of the competition got prices (binoculars, books about birds, etc). Presentation of the results took place on the International Bird Day, which we made the mid of April of 2004 in the Central Park of Gyumri. More than 200 children with their parents and friends joined us during the event, so that the next year we enlarged the borders of the competition and involved Yerevan, Vanadzor, Stepanavan and Gyumri. We closely cooperated with our partners who helped us to organize the competition: EcoClub “Ani” in Gyumri, Yerak NGO in Vanadzor, and LTEIC NGO in Stepanavan.  We also put new nomination “The best observation” in the competition. In this time more than 2000 people joined us and we conducted International Bird Day Celebration in all four cities. One of the competitors made exclusive feeder, and received official governmental patent license for 15 years. From 2006 to 2007 environmental oriented Peace Corp volunteers also were involved in the project. They were the representatives of “Birds In My Backyard” competition, each in their own villages or towns. Starting from 2006 more then 48 volunteers were involved in the project from different parts of Armenia.

image003From the period of 2008-2009 we started to cooperate with governance offices in different regions and with “National Center for Educational Technologies” a state non trade organization, therefore we involved more children, as they were supporting in spreading information.

Based on the experience we have, we can say that really enjoy participating in such kind of activities involving their parents in feeder making process, which is more important as a part of indirect adult education.

Goals and objectives

We would like to enlarge the competition and involve some more sites where Peace Corp volunteers are operating and not only environmental oriented Peace Corp volunteers but all of them. The main goal is to involve as many children as possible in the competition and make their participation active. For this purpose we suggest the following:

Methods

We will conduct two-three seminars with our partners to discuss the difficulties and solutions of previous actions and train them for this year.

With the help of our partners, we will distribute the announcement about competition as well as appropriate instructions (how to make feeders, what kind of food birds prefer, etc.) among the schools in all the towns and cities where Peace Corp volunteers are operating.

Also a radio interviews were also broadcast where the children themselves told about the competition and the stories of how they helped the birds during the cold winter months.

With the help of our partners, we will collect competition works and the Judges will choose the best ones. In the middle of the winter after Christmas we remind all partners and schools about importance of feeding birds.

In the beginning of April, we will conduct Celebration of International Bird Day, where the winners will be announced and the prices will be handed to them.

 image007 image009

Results and the measurement

Increased number of competition works and their increasing quality will serve as an estimation of their participation activity. The bird-feeder-watchers’ activity will be measured by the number of received bird photos at feeders. During the time provided more then 4000 schoolchildren from 360 schools participated in the competition. What is worth mentioning is that the teachers and the parents of the children also took active part in the feeder making process.

Awarding ceremony

image011 image013 image015

Awarding of the most active PC volunteer

image017

Pictures of winners 2008

image019image021image023

Amirkhanyan Ani

Balagyozyan RafikOveyan Mariam

Photos of winners 2009

image025image027image029
Stepanyan ArmanMaghakyan KarenGrigoryan Mikayel

In 2008-2009 in the frames of the competition schools in their initiative organized various events in  schools and  parks of Yerevan. Children took part in a performance singing songs about birds, and described in a unique way the specifications of different birds. Some schools put the feeders in the yard of the school and some took it to the Lovers` Park.

School events

image031image033image035
 In the yard of the schoolPlay in the schoolIn Park

Winners of 2008-2009 were taken to Armenian Tree Project for educational purpose.

Celebration of winners 2009

image037image039image041
Awarding ceremonyOn the way to ATPATP nursery

Schoolchildren were very excited by visiting the nursery and having a small descriptive lecture about   plants and tree species growing there, and also they had a discussion on the environmental issues of Armenia and in general.

Group photo

image043

Winners together

Bird Identification Training Course

Duration: 2004-present
Acopian Center for the Environment

The course is teaching how to identify different bird species and how to observe them in nature. The course is aimed at all levels starting from a beginner and consists of PowerPoint presentations teaching basics of identification of various bird groups and families, plumage variations by age and seasons. It also includes several field trips, with provided optical equipment. At the end of the course, the best students get an Armenian book “A Field Guide to Birds of Armenia”.

Course for Beginners

This course consists of 30 lessons where the students learn identification of more than 100 bird species in breeding plumages. The duration of each lesson is 1 hour from Sep to May with meetings scheduled once per week. During the course we have 3 field trips to Lake Sevan, Lori district and Aragats mountain where we can observe bird species, studied during the lectures.

Description of the course

Each lesson consists of the description of several species by painting and training part, when students try to identify known birds by photos, which are following each other after 15 sec. During the course, students learn Identification of different Ducks, Raptors, Woodpeckers, Passerines etc. (see below) image002image004

After passing the test students receive appropriate certificates.

image005image007

Advanced Course

The advanced course consisted of 30 lessons where students learn how to identify more bird species as well as the known birds in different plumages. In total, they learned to identify more than 200 species. The duration of each lesson was 1 hour from Sep 18 to May 30 with meetings scheduled once per week. During the course, we had 3 field trips to Armash fish-farming ponds, Noravank gorge and Dilijan forest where we could observe such bird species, as Herons, Falcons, Finches, etc.

History

2004

Bird Identification Training Course was initiated in 2004 with 1 group of students that consisted of 15 people. The experiment was very successful and we decided to continue it in autumn of 2005. We posted announcements in different high schools and universities of Yerevan.

2005

 image009In 2005, over 90 people joined the Beginning Course as first-year students. They were divided into 4 different groups, where the classes were held in three languages: Armenian, English and Russian.

 

image011In total, we had 3 field excursions to the Sevan, Aragats mountain, and Lori regions.

We had three field excursions to SevanLake where we observed some water birds.

2006-2009

Over 160 students

All courses were carried out in three languages (Armenian, English, Russian) and conducted for local as well as foreign students. The courses were held in a friendly and enthusiastic atmosphere irrespectively of the students’ age, which varies from 12 to 68 y.o.

 

 

Field Training for the Students of Natural History Department of Quantum College in Aghavnadzor

Duration: 

Birds of Armenia project
Quantum college

Each year Quntum Qollege of Armenia organizes a military-patriotic camp for its students. In the year of 2004, a Natural Scientific branch was also launched in the camp where several students had a biological training.

The branch was created by a group of students with the support of the Quntum director Robert Vardanyan, and the supervisor of the Natural Sciences branch Levon Asatryan with direct participation and coordination of the employees of the Birds of Armenia Project. During the second quarter of 2004 seminars and regular weekly training on Avifauna of the Caucasus and particularly of Armenia were held. At the end of the year, we organized and carried out a biological practice for the elder students (those studying in the 8th and 9th grades). A decision was made to research the birds in Aghavnadzor. For this purpose, a field trip to Tsakhkunyats ridge was organized under the supervision of BOA project senior scientist Karen Aghababyan and a child/teenage tourism tutor of BOA Vladimir Shamenkov.

image001image003

image005The trip lasted for seven days during which the weather was mainly cloudy and rainy although it was also sunny for some short period of times. Right before the trip, the students had training preparing them for the practical work. The participants were introduced to the biologist field equipment, learned how to use binoculars and a telescope and were taught bird identification skills.

During the first day, we passed across the ridge went out from a broad-leaved forest into a subalpine meadow and settled the first camp in the higher border of the birch grove. The next day we moved to another place for the camp since the first one was not really convenient. We found here a nest of a Great Tit (Parus major), built in a pipe of the pavilion where there were 5 rather grown up nestlings.

 

In the result of the trip, 103 species of birds were identified 3 of which were identified in that region for the first time. It is the Pernis apivorus, Otus scops, which was found by its voice  Emberiza melanocephala.

image007image009image011

Winter Bird Count

Duration: 2005-present

Acopian Center for the Environment (ACE)
Participants: ACE staff and invited volunteers

The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment in cooperation with volunteers and enthusiasts from different fields, organized winter bird count in Yerevan Botanical garden.

Botanical garden is one of the largest green territories in Yerevan city with half-wild oases. There are several notable species of birds breeding there, such as Levant Sparrowhawk, Hobby, Long-eared Owl, Syrian Woodpecker, Golden Oriole, Common Nightingale, Greenfinch etc. Food availability compels winter bird species to come down and stay in the garden during the winter.

image001image003image005

The main aim of the count is to monitor:

image007image009

We have been organizing annual winter bird count in Botanical garden starting from 2005. It lasts for about three months from the end of November till the end of December, and is conducted ones a week. Every count day in early morning we pass the same route with 1km length, during this we record all encountered bird species, their number, the approximate distance between the bird and observer, angle, height and their behavior. After passing the main count route we explore other parts of the territory for the species, which have been possibly missed earlier.

After several years it will be possible to analyze some details depending on winter birds in Yerevan and analyze the effectiveness of linear count in comparison with diffusion watch and count.

This count gives us an opportunity to record strictly wintering bird species such us Redwing, Fieldfare, Common Goldcrest, European Siskin, etc.

Participation in winter bird count is a good experience for beginners: “Bird Identification Training”’ (ACE) students, student-zoologists and enthusiasts, who are interested in birds. This gives them an opportunity to study linear bird count technique and to improve bird identification skills. Every year about 8-12 young people join our winter bird counts.

image011image013

List of recorded bird species in Botanical garden

(2005 – 2009)

  1. Eurasian Sparrowhawk
  2. Common Buzzard
  3. Common Kestrel
  4. Common Woodpigeon
  5. Rock Dove
  6. Syrian Woodpecker
  7. Middle Spotted Woodpecker
  8. European Green Woodpecker
  9. Dunnock
  10. European Robin
  11. Redwing
  12. Mistle Thrush
  13. Fieldfare
  14. Common Blackbird
  15. Common Goldcrest
  16. Blue Tit
  17. Great Tit
  18. Eurasian Jay
  19. Common Magpie
  20. Western Jackdaw
  21. Rook
  22. Hooded Crow
  23. Common Raven
  24. House Sparrow
  25. Eurasian Tree Sparrow
  26. Common Chaffinch
  27. European Greenfinch
  28. European Goldfinch
  29. European Siskin
  30. Brambling
  31. Common Linnet
  32. Hawfinch
  33. Yellowhammer
  34. Rock Bunting

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monitoring of Raptors in the Forest of Aragats Mountain

Duration: 2005-2006 

Acopian Center for the Environment
Yerevan State University

In 2005 we have started a pilot survey of raptors at the forest area of AragatsMountain. We would like to find out possibilities of long term monitoring of raptor species. One of the main objectives of the project was the practical independent research education of the students of YerevanStateUniversity and PedagogicalUniversity. All the work of the field year of 1995 was performed by the BA last year students Maro Kochinyan and Hayk Harutyunyan. They were assisted by a couple of younger students and several volunteers of the “Birds of Armenia” project. The research was done under the direct supervision of senior scientific researcher Karen Aghababyan. In the course of the research 6 long term field trips were held in the research region.

image001
Forest area of Aragats mountain

The forest area of Aragats is rather small but includes nearly all diurnal forest raptor species found in Armenia.

Particularly we found the following species:

 

Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus – 1*
Black Kite Milvus migrans – 1
Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus – 1
Common Buzzard Buteo buteo – 4
Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina – 1
Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus – 1
Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus – 2
Goshawk Accipiter gentilis – 1

 

*quantity is given in pairs

Nestlings of Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo)

image003

Photos of “Raptors of Aragats” project

image005image007
Nest of Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina        Eggs of Lesser Spotted Eagle  Aquila pomarina
image009image011
Nest of Common Buzzard Buteo buteo Eggs of Common Buzzard Buteo buteo
image013image015
Nest tree of Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus                                  Egg of Short-toed Eagle, Circaetus gallicus

 

Below is the copy of article published in Russian Conservation News No.39 Summer 2005

image017 image019

Monitoring of Long-legged Buzzard’s Population in Armenia

Duration: 2006-2008

Acopian Center for the Environment
Yerevan State University
State Pedagogical University

Birds of prey are excellent environmental indicators and flagship species for natural-resource conservation. Increasing of Armenian agriculture and other blanches of industry can have a negative impact to environment. To track the possible influence of industry to our nature we would like to start monitoring of subpopulations of model species in some regions of Armenia.

As a species to be monitored we have chosen Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) because it is most common rodent-eating bird that breeds in whole Armenia.

It will include mapping of nests, and survey of reproductive success. In 2006 we will conduct a pilot survey to see how many nests we can find.

Then in 2007 and later on we will investigate their feeding, reproductive success and analyze collected data on GIS Arc View.

The project will include education of local inhabitants about importance of rodent-eating raptors for agriculture and nature ecosystems.

The surveys were conducted by students, who have completed BITC courses in AcopianCenter for the Environment.

image001
Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus, outskirts of Gusana village, Shirak region of Armenia, Sep 9 2005.

image003
Distribution map of the Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus in Armenia

Results:

The Long-legged Buzzard (hereinafter LLB, Buteo rufinus) in Armenia was studied during 2006-2008 in frames of general bird survey trips and special trips aimed searching of the LLB nests. The study area covers some districts in central part of Armenia. The distances between the nests (nearest neighbour distance) vary in different regions of Armenia: in Vedi district the mean distance is 1.98±0,19km (n=10) while in Vayots Dzor region the mean distance is 3.04±0.3km (n=5); t=3.14, p=0.008. The difference in density seems correlated with steepness of surrounding area, since the Vedi district is generally more flat, than the Vayots Dzor region, which indicates that probably LLB prefer habitats with less steepness of slopes. Most probably it depends on hunting technique of LLB, which catches the prey on the ground dropping down from 5-10m. The other limiting factor is cliff availability, since in Armenia LLB breeds only on cliffs. Although LLB does not show dependence on the height of the cliffs and can place the nest on the height from 2 to 30m, it does not breed on trees, like in some parts of its area in Siberia.

The concluding results of the studies will be presented as an article on the International Raptor Conference in autumn 2009 in Switzerland.

image004
In the frames of the study a GIS shape file was developed, covering all cliffs and rocky massifs of the entire territory of Armenia.

 

 


Relevant publication
:

Some habitat preferences of Long-legged Buzzard (Buteo rufinus) in Armenia
Hovanisyan, T., Janoyan, G., Schaefer, M., Aghababyan, K.

 

Endemic Wheats of Armenia Project

Duration: 2008

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAArmenia, although a small country, is very rich in wild relatives of cultivars, including the ancestors and donors of such important cultivated plants as bread cereals. The study of wild species of wheat, barley, goat grass, rye and others of the cereal crops represents a large practical interest. Progenitors of cultivars are often carriers of valuable attributes and features, such as high drought and frost resistance, the ability to grow on relatively poor soils, and resistance to pests and disease. That is why wild relatives are valuable material for the selection of new varieties of cultivated plants.

In addition to this, purely in practical terms, the study of wild relatives of cereal crops are of particular help in understanding the path by which many thousands of years ago the creation of the modern cultivated grasses from wild cereal crops took place, and in giving a more precise definition to the regions where the agricultural civilization arose. From that viewpoint, the study of the history of domestic bread cereals helps to shed light not only on the history of agriculture but on the history of humans in a broad sense.

Conserving the rich gene pool of wild relatives of wheat cultivars in Armenia is an urgent concern, as more and more land is disturbed by growing economic activity, land privatization, and other factors. Therefore, it is extremely important to evaluate the different Armenian populations of wheat and other cereals and to conserve this valuable material. This can be achieved through periodic population monitoring, conservation in situ, and through the collection of seed material for preservation ex-situ.

Previously, botanists have conducted numerous comprehensive studies of cereal crops, and also led archaeobotanical excavations which shed light on the relatively early stages of the domestication of grasses. This current project will facilitate more comprehensive studies of the populations of wild cereal crops through the use of modern cytogenetic and molecular biology methods.

image001image003image005

Maps

ACE (Acopian Center for the Environment, Tom Lyman & Meike Schaefer)
ECODIT (Environmental Consulting Agency, Kurt Sanderson)

The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment produced the maps for the USAID Armenia Biodiversity Analysis Update Report compiled by ECODIT in December 2008. The following maps were produced and submitted to the Biodiversity Analysis Team Leader:

image005image007
– Country map with administrative areas
– Map of forest reserves
– Map of climate, rainfall and soils
– Map of ecological landscapes
– Map of mineral resources
– Map of water resources (incl. Ramsar sites)
– Map of protected areas
– Map of deforestation rates
– Map of geological features
– Map of vegetation zones
– Map of mining sites
image009image011

The Effect of Pesticides on the Populations of Peregrine Falcon in Meghri District of Southern Armenia

Duration: 2008

Acopian Center for the Environment (ACE)
Participants: ACE staff and volunteers
Meghri forestry administration

The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment with the support of Peregrine Fund and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in 2008 have conducted  a survey of Peregrine Falco in Meghri district.

image001image003
Red field – study areaPeregrine nest sites

Objectives:

image006

Peregrine Falcon оn the nesting cliff

 

Results:

Two long term field trips were organized to the Meghri region, during March and May 2008.

We visited six known nest sites and three assumed ones.

For all of the observed breeding territories various parameters were recorded, such as GPS data, habitat description, elevation a.s.l., slope and aspect, and the height above the ground for the nests, behavior of breeding birds, nestlings and fledglings, food resource, Peregrine competition with other raptors. A number of birds, nests and biotope photos were taken.

image008 image010
Peregrine Falcon nesting cliffs in the semidesert and forest areas

From all the six known Peregrine nests in Meghri region only one successful pair with two fledglings were found, one site was occupied with two adults, but there were no young, and another site with only one adult bird. All other sites were unoccupied.

Analyzing these data and comparing it with previous ones the decline of Peregrine population in Meghri region becomes obvious. We assume that the main reason for the decline is the poisoning, such as sedimentary reservoirs of the copper, molybdenum and gold mines; use of pesticides for agriculture; forest management in frames of pest control.

During the whole project we worked with the local people from Meghri forestry administration and local enthusiasts. This co-operation helped us to do the data collection more effectively and to explain some details about poisoning and poaching.

Two articles on Peregrine Falcon research results are in process of  publication.

image011image013
Peregrine Falcon Meghri forestry administration

Table 1. Peregrine Falco in Meghri region, breeding pairs

 

Lehvaz FPLGVZ1Meghri FPMGR1Agarak FPAGR1 FPAGR2Gravi Dzor FPGRV1Burtinqar FPBRT1 FPBRT2 Nyuvadi AXNVD1
19963 nestling
FPAGR1
19974 nestling
FPAGR1
1998empty3 nestling3 nestling
FPAGR2
1999
2000empty4 nestling4 nestling
FPAGR2
3 juv.
2001empty3 nestling2 ad2 ad
20022 nestling2 ad
20032 ad2 ad2 ad2 ad
20042 ad2 ad2 ad
2005

2006
20074 nestling

20081 ad
0 nestling
2 nestlingemptyempty2 ad 0 nestlingempty
20092 ad 0 nestling3 nestlingemptyvoice of ad

During the Peregrine Falcon survey we also collected data about Bearded Vulture and Eurasian Griffon nests and breeding success. Comparing data on Griffon with previous ones, increase in breeding pairs and fledglings has been found in some colonies. Also one new colony was found. Bearded Vulture population remained stable.

image015image017

Adult Griffon on the nest

Griffon Vulture

image019

image021

 Bearded Vulture

 Bearded Vulture nest

Monitoring Dissolved Oxygen in the Hrazdan River

Duration: 2007-2008

Acopian Center for the Environment
Washington University

image001The Hrazdan River is the primary waterway in Armenia and country’s second largest river.  While the Hrazdan receives effluent from various agricultural, commercial, industrial, and residential sources, it is most significantly impacted by the discharge of Yerevan’s almost entirely untreated wastewater.  The effects of this poorly treated wastewater are evident through a variety of water quality indicators, most notably through drastic drops in dissolved oxygen (DO) levels downstream of the city.

The aim of this study was to quantify the effect Yerevan’s wastewater discharge have on health of the Hrazdan River by monitoring dissolved oxygen levels in an 18-km stretch that began two kilometers upstream of the wastewater outfalls.

Water quality sampling was conducted from March to August 2008.  DO levels consistently dropped to below 5% of the saturated dissolved oxygen level (the maximum oxygen content achievable at the given temperature and pressure) and to levels well below those permitting a healthy aquatic ecosystem.  DO levels achieved partial re-aeration within the first 10 kilometers after the wastewater outfall, but they depreciated again, likely due to continued biological oxygen demand from agricultural runoff.  The 16 kilometers downstream of the wastewater outfalls in the study area were not sufficient for the river to achieve full re-aeration.

image007image004

Additional water quality, hydrologic, biological, atmospheric, and observational data was also collected during the course of this study and may later be used to generate a predictive model of the DO content of the river under different scenarios.

Invasive Species in Native and Non-native Ranges

Duration: 2007-2008  

Armenia, ECRC/AUA
USA, University of Montana, University of California
Argentina, Universidad Nacional de La Pamba
Turkey, Adnan Menderes University
Georgia, Institute of Botany
Romania, Institute Of Biological Research
Hungary, Insttute of Ecology and Botany

General view of the experimental field in Armenia

General view of the experimental field in Armenia

Studying germination in the native and non-native range of a species can provide unique insights into processes of range expansion and adaptation; however, traits related to germination have rarely been compared between native and nonnative populations. In a series of common garden experiments, we explored whether differences in the seasonality of precipitation, specifically, summer drought vs summer rain, and the amount and variation of annual and seasonal precipitation affect the germination responses of populations of an annual ruderal plant, Centaurea solstitialis, from its native range and from two non-native regions with different climates. We found that seeds from all native populations, irrespective of the precipitation seasonality of the region in which they occurred, and non-native populations from regions with dry summers displayed similarly high germination proportions and rates. In contrast, genotypes from the non-native region with predominantly summer rain exhibited much lower germination fractions and rates and ecology. Organisms transported by humans to regions where they are not native (exotics) commonly face novel selective forces, which given enough genetic variation, may trigger novel evolutionary responses. The worldwide distribution of this species encompasses environments with contrasting precipitation regimes within both native and non-native ranges. Specifically, some of the regions where C. solstitialis grows are characterized by a Mediterranean-type climate with wet winters and dry summers, whereas other regions have a precipitation regime in which most of the precipitation falls during the summer, and winters are substantially drier. In all regions, the species germinates primarily in autumn (Sheley and Larson 1994, Hierro et al. 2006, L. Khetsuriani, L. Janoian and K. Andonian unpubl.); thus, winter conditions may affect its survival. Here, by conducting a series of common garden experiments in a growth chamber, we investigated whether contrasting differences in the seasonality of precipitation and changes in surrogates for environmental quality (e.g. precipitation totals) and risk (e.g. inter-annual variation in precipitation) affect germination responses of C. solstitialis populations occurring across its native range and in two climatically distinct non-native regions.

To investigate the potential effects of seasonality of precipitation on C. solstitialis germination, we conducted three successive seed collections from populations occurring in regions exepte France, Crete and Armenia, where seeds were pooled within populations. Mean cumulative germination percentages (91 SE) of pappus and non-pappus seeds of C. solstitialis populations plotted against the coefficient of variation of winter precipitation and the probability of occurring a good winter.

Pappus seeds maintained a strong association with variation in winter precipitation (r__0.91, pB0.001), but this relationship did not hold for nonpappus seeds (r__0.36, p_0.172). In addition, germination of both pappus and non-pappus seeds were no longer correlated with the probability of good winters (r_0.44, p_0.117 and r_0.11, p_0.387, respectively). Without Argentina, the association between germination proportions of pappus seeds and variation in annual precipitation improved slightly (r__0.70, p_0.017), whereas the correlation of these proportions with the probability of good years remained non-significant (r_0.39, p_0.150). Finally, as before, germination fractions of non-pappus seeds were not correlated with any of the measures of annual risk, and germination percentages of both seed morphs were not associated with any of the measures describing environmental quality (p_0.250 in all cases).

image003image005

Clines in these studies corresponded to variation in general climatic patterns, such as changes in climate between northern and southern latitudes (Maron et al. 2004, 2007) or between coastal versus inland environments . In contrast to these results, our comparisons based on general climatic patterns (i.e. summer drought vs summer rain) did not detect parallel clines in germination traits for populations from native and non-native ranges, as all native populations, irrespective of the climate in which they occurred, and non-native populations from the region with a summer-drought climate displayed similarly high germination proportions and rates; whereas non-native genotypes from the region with a summer rain regime exhibited much lower germination fractions and rates. On the other hand, our comparisons based on precipitation variables, which are commonly used as surrogates for environmental quality and risk, showed that for the most abundant seed morph, seeds with a pappus, germination responses of populations in both native and non-native ranges correlated strongly with ‘risk’ experienced during the winter. Specifically, and as predicted by bethedging theory, germination fractions of pappus seeds were lower in native and non-native populations experiencing greater inter-annual variation in winter precipitation (Fig. 4). For non-pappus seeds, however, this correlation was greatly influenced by non-native genotypes from central Argentina, which are from the region with the highest variation in winter precipitation of all the studied regions and exhibited the lowest proportions of germinating seeds in all our experiments (Fig. 2_4); after removing central Argentina from analyses, there was no association between germination fractions of non-pappus seeds and winter precipitation variation. Similarly, germination fractions of both pappus and non-pappus seeds correlated with probability of occurrence of good winters only in the presence of Argentinean variables. Overall, these findings suggest that rather than general climatic patterns, the degree of risk experienced at early developmental stages could exert an important control over the germination strategy of C. solstitialis populations in both native and non-native ranges. In addition, they reveal the largely unique nature among studied populations of seed germination in nonnative genotypes from central Argentina. Germination fractions of pappus seeds were also correlated with variation in annual precipitation, suggesting that overall annual risk could also play a role in the germination behavior of C. solstitialis populations. Indeed, populations experiencing comparable variation in winter precipitation in the native and non-native range tended to display similar germination fractions for this seed type . In contrast, for non-pappus seeds the link between degree of dormancy and level of winter risk does not hold when outlier Argentinean variables are removed from analyses, providing weaker support for bet-hedging across C. solstitialis populations.

Several mechanisms could be responsible for the genetic differentiation in germination traits of Californian versus Argentinean populations, including coincidental introductions, genetic drift, and natural selection operating on phenotypes formed by either a novel combination of genes  or pre-adapted genotypes (i.e. the sorting-out hypothesis _ Mu¨ller-Scha¨rer and Steinger 2004; see Leger and ice 2007 for a comprehensive discussion on these mechanisms). Outcrossing plants partition most of their genetic diversity within, rather than among, populations, which increases the probability of possessing high genetic variation upon introduction because even a few immigrants can carry much of the species’ genetic variation.

 

Full article available in  Oikos 118: 529_538, 2009

doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2009.17283.x,

# 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation # 2009 Oikos

Subject Editor: Pia Mutikainen. Accepted 31 October 2008

“Germination responses of an invasive species in native and non-native ranges”

Jose´ L. Hierro, O¨zkan Eren, Liana Khetsuriani, Alecu Diaconu, Katalin To¨ro¨ k, Daniel Montesinos,

Krikor Andonian, David Kikodze, Levan Janoian, Diego Villarreal, Marı´a E. Estanga-Mollica and Ragan M. Callaway

Winter Feeding of Water Birds on Yerevan Lake

Duration: 2002-present 

ACE (American University of Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia)
Yerevan city municipality

Winter is the most unfavorable period for birds, especially for water birds. Low temperatures, difficult access to food, and short duration of daylight hours serve as the basic negative factors in this period for the vital activity of birds.  In addition to natural difficulties, ducks in Armenia also bear anthropogenic influences – among them the construction of on-shore reservoirs, hunting, and poaching out of the hunting season.

A large number of wild ducks gather on YerevanLake. According to the winter water bird counting done by specialists on LakeSevan and Ararat valley, comparatively fewer wild ducks are left in these places, because they are constantly troubled by fishing boats on LakeSevan and they are harassed and shot by hunters and poachers in Ararat valley. Fortunately, on YerevanLake these types of disturbance are absent. Nevertheless, ducks still have to fly from YerevanLake to the water reservoirs of Ararat valley in search of food and there they often fall by hunters’ bullets.

Starting from 2002, we have conducted annual winter feeding for water birds in order to keep the ducks on YerevanLake

image001image003

We use special dry mixtures composed of mixed fodder of barley and oats as well as crumbled dry bread and bread products. We put the bird feeding manger approximately in the middle of the lake and feed the birds once per week. We take sacks of forage on a boat to the floating manger. In addition we survey the bird species composition and count the number of birds on the lake.

We are particularly pleased that school children join us to help us with our feeding procedure. The children, during the feeding activity, also work with trained ornithologists to learn to identify and to appreciate birds in their natural setting.

image005image007

A special pleasant surprise came in 2008 when we received an initiation for a joint-duck-feeding project on YerevanLake with YerevanCity Hall. This has been the first case when we did not seek help from the administrative structures but the administration itself suggested working together.  The City Hall provided financial support for obtaining the forage and transporting it to YerevanLake.  Their support demonstrates that communities can work together in the difficult task of nature protection.