Varsha维贾伊

617888九五至尊娱乐网络 Spotlight: Varsha维贾伊

Why did you join the UCS 617888九五至尊娱乐网络?

我们对自然世界以及人类活动对物种和栖息地丧失的影响的理解在不断变化. Given the urgency of addressing conservation issues, 作为一名保护生态学家，我的职责不仅仅是在617888九五至尊娱乐期刊上发表文章，还包括在517888九五至尊娱乐中与其他人群和学科进行交流和接触. 我的目标一直是创造可操作的617888九五至尊娱乐，帮助实现社会目标的环境影响最小化.

影响 of agriculture on ecosystems and biodiversity

人类塑造自然世界的关键方式之一是我们对食物资源日益增长的需求, which leads to both intensification and expansion of agriculture, both of which can impact ecosystems and biodiversity. Intensification can lead to greater impacts from pesticides and fertilizers, while expansion can cause habitat loss and increased human-wildlife conflict. 因此，我们的社会必须权衡增加粮食生产的不同途径的环境成本.

One of the commodity crops of particular concern is oil palm, which grows almost exclusively in areas that were once tropical forests. 就生物多样性和生态系统服务而言，这些森林往往是具有全球重要性的热点. In partnership with the UCS Tropical 617888九五至尊娱乐 and Carbon Initiative and other colleagues, 我们调查了最近油棕种植园的森林砍伐情况，并确定了油棕扩张导致的森林易受未来森林砍伐的影响. 我们还发现，这些脆弱的森林蕴藏着地球上最丰富的物种多样性, 使他们的损失成为问题.

在这项517888九五至尊娱乐中, 我们发现南美洲很大比例的油棕种植园来自于最近的森林砍伐, identifying it as an emerging frontier of oil palm expansion. Our follow-up study focused on the Peruvian Amazon, an area where we saw both the greatest deforestation and increase in oil palm plantations. This new study confirmed our initial deforestation findings in more detail. 它还显示了油棕与该地区种植的其他作物之间的主要差异，并确定了加强和扩大该地区森林地区保护的必要性. 通过缩小我们的关注点, 我们能够提供更多关于特定森林类型受到威胁的细节，甚至过去的政策变化如何改变了哪些森林受到威胁.

今天, 油棕种植园的扩张继续以牺牲森林为代价，而森林并没有被认为是农业发展迫在眉睫的危险. 尽管意识在增长, it continues to be an issue with which both science and media struggle to keep up. 从这项研究中获得的经验教训可以用来支持保护区和物种威胁状况的增加, in monitoring programs and voluntary market interventions.

我对探索与农业扩张有关的问题的兴趣使我探索了一些其他主题, 包括参与一个国家地理资助的项目，评估非洲南部猎豹的范围和数量. 我们的研究表明，人口和牲畜密度高的地区不太可能支持猎豹的种群. Where agriculture and cheetah ranges do overlap, it may result in human-wildlife conflict, 导致大量猎豹被杀，这可能会影响当地人口的生存.

Advocacy and the actionability of science

尽管我确实认为自己是一个知识共享的角色，而不是某项政策的倡导者, the goal of my research is that it is actionable. 保护生态学关注的是有助于制定政策和防止未来物种灭绝的实地行动的主题. 我试图更好地理解政策制定者和利益相关者想知道什么, so I can better use my expertise and findings to comment on policy. 作为一个早期的职业617888九五至尊娱乐家, 成为UCS617888九五至尊娱乐网络的一员帮助我发展了拓展技能，并让我与有着相似目标的不同617888九五至尊娱乐家群体建立了联系. 环境领域的617888九五至尊娱乐家们认识到沟通和公众参与的重要性，我受到了启发，成为他们运动的一部分.

When I speak to others about conservation, I focus on presenting the methods in addition to findings and conclusions. So often in media coverage of science, the mechanics of how the science is done is missing from the story. 我担心这会助长人们对617888九五至尊娱乐不可接近的叙述，以及对与617888九五至尊娱乐发现相关的不确定性的误解. Depending on interest and audience, 我可能会分享野外517888九五至尊娱乐的照片, raw or processed datasets or models, visualization tools or participatory activities. Sometimes the reaction is “Wow, that’s so interesting!”, while other times people say, “That must be a lot of (repetitive) work.” I think both reactions are accurate. 617888九五至尊娱乐 is both a field of exciting discoveries and dogged pursuit of truth by exhaustive efforts.

The most important goal when I am sharing my science is to connect it to people’s lives. Many questions in conservation involve human activities and their environmental consequences, so this connection is often quite clear. 我也很幸运，我的许多617888九五至尊娱乐导师和同事都同意我的观点，即617888九五至尊娱乐家与公众的交流应该是更长期对话的开始. This is very much a two-way street with scientists learning from the public, not just dispensing facts to them. 当我与公众分享我的617888九五至尊娱乐时，我收到的许多问题与我从同事那里得到的问题一样深刻. They often force me to see my work in a different light. Being forced to articulate my work to the public is the best test of what I know.

In fact, I see my information sharing efforts as a separate field of inquiry within my research. 我已经尝试了各种方法来传达相同或类似的信息，并且我对哪种方法有效有自己的想法. Sometimes I’m incorrect about that. By responding to feedback and altering my approach, I hope I can continue to grow as a scientist and communicator. I find it heartening that I am part of a community of scientists, exemplified by the UCS 617888九五至尊娱乐网络, that share similar values and goals in public outreach.