Earthwatch has pleasure in announcing the winner of the second £6000 Aviva/ Earthwatch Award for Climate Change Research. The Award will be given to Dr. Peggy Rismiller at the Earthwatch Balloon Debate on Thursday 17th October. The Award recognises Dr. Rismiller's ongoing work with the echidnas and goannas of Kangaroo Island, Australia.
Echidnas are among the strangest animals on earth; they lay eggs like reptiles, but protect their young in marsupial-like pouches; they also appear to slow their heartbeat and breathing at will. Echidnas belong to the oldest mammal group having survived 120 million years of global upheaval with very little evolutionary change. They are very adaptable and yet they have disappeared from portions of their natural ranges. Despite their resilience, echidnas and goannas continue to decline as external human impacts affect their habitat, which in turn influences local climate changes.
Dr. Rismiller has been studying these unique creatures for fourteen years. Working with teams of Earthwatch volunteers, she has been monitoring the activities of these two key species in near-pristine habitats and in areas subjected to extensive land clearance. Removing vegetation changes microclimates and the climate, with huge implications for humans and wildlife. Echidnas and goannas are key indicators of the health of Australian ecosystems and Dr. Rismiller has found that by re-establishing habitats we can encourage essential shelter and food for wildlife and yield positive results for the macroclimate of an entire area.
The grant from Aviva will be used to purchase equipment such as geophones, amplifiers and digital thermometers; this will enable Peggy and her researchers to identify, catalogue and monitor native invertebrates which are the primary food sources for echidnas and goannas and assess the microclimates in altered and unaltered habitats. Until now it has been difficult to document the progress of land restoration. The grant will enable Dr. Rismiller to better understand the relationship between climate change, habitat and the survival of native species. With this data, she will be able to prove the case for re-vegetation and safeguard one of the world's oldest surviving mammals.
Dr. Peggy Rismiller said: "I am delighted to have won this Award because it recognises the value of habitats as vital resources for planetary survival and acknowledges the significance of human impact on climate change. It will enable us to secure a better understanding of the big picture (habitat) through the echidna, a living, working model of sustainability. The Climate Change Award will allow us to explore and demonstrate the positive influences we can have for the future."
Selection of the winning project was made by the Earthwatch affiliates in Europe, Australia, Japan and the US and by Aviva in London. Applicants had to state how the additional funding would enable their projects to further existing research, how the research relates to climate change and how the research undertaken will have practical conservation impact.
Anthony Sampson, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Aviva said: "Flooding around the world over the past 12 months provides a rude reminder of the intensifying challenges that face us this century as a result of climate change. As an insurer we have a natural interest in the subject and gladly support this Award for Climate Change Research, which helps to further illuminate our understanding of all aspects of climate change. Earthwatch adopts a vigorous, innovative approach to the promotion of sound and valuable science and Aviva is happy to support it in its quest."
Director of Science at Earthwatch Institute (Europe), Pamela Mackney commented: "Research has shown that the global average surface temperature has increased over the 20th century by about 0.6 percent and you need only to catalogue the number of droughts and floods in Africa and Asia respectively to realise that weather-related disasters have become increasingly common and serious. Climate change is no longer a theory but a real issue. However, scientists are still only just beginning to understand climate change and further research is needed. Earthwatch aims to help fulfil that need by providing support to scientists working in this research area, but, as a charity, it does not always have the resources to offer additional funding. This is why the funding provided by Aviva is so important. It enables Earthwatch scientists to expand on their research ideas so that they may continue to shed light on this important issue. "
Earthwatch Institute is an international nonprofit organization which supports scientific field research worldwide by offering members of the public unique opportunities to work alongside leading field scientists and researchers. The Institute's mission is to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment.