Vol 7, No 1 (2023) International Journal of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves
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Item Youth participation in UNESCO biosphere reserves: A scoping review(VIU Press, 2023-06) Truyers, Yano; Abelshausen, BiekeSocial-ecological systems have steadily evolved from expert-led management towards community involvement. In line with the upcoming engagement of youth as a separate stakeholder group within the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program, this scoping literature review provides an overview of studies currently existing in regard to youth within UNESCO biosphere reserves. By using a sequential and qualitative selection procedure, an analysis is made of the involvement of youth within UNESCO biosphere reserves. Hereby theoretical backgrounds and methodological approaches are clustered, and recommendations for future inquiry are made. Seven articles were selected for full-text in-depth analysis. In line with specific youth definitions and delineations found within the selected articles, most studies do not include high levels of participation in biosphere reserve research or praxis. Results show that it is considered essential to create a structured multi-method research plan adopting an adaptive research approach throughout the process of data collection and integrate a system theory approach to include all relevant contextual factors. The literature review concludes that there exists a research gap of youth within the UNESCO biosphere reserves framework. Thus, the recommendation is made for the explicit inclusion of the essential aspect of youth as explicitly stated and separate entities within future biosphere reserve research.Item Updates to the EuroMab Literature Database 2023(VIU Press, 2023-06) Gledhill, MarkThe International Journal of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves Literature Database has been significantly updated in 2022. This article details the changes that occurred to the database during March 2022 to December 2022.Item Biosphere reserves and conservation of subterranean aquatic ecosystems in Brazil(VIU Press, 2023-06) Trajano, EleonoraSubterranean systems and aquifers are functional units of karst, constituting habitat units for the aquatic fauna. These are open systems, under the influence of external factors controlling the internal processes. Major well-studied Brazilian karst areas, situated in diverse biosphere reserves, are briefly described with focus on total diversity (troglobites + troglophiles + trogloxenes) and diversity of troglobites, encompassing taxonomic, phylogenetic and genetic/morphological diversity. Different combinations of evolutionary and ecological processes are observed, producing unique diversity patterns. Consequently, the recognition of the importance of karst areas and their priority for conservation and management must be based on multiple criteria applied in a case-by-case analysis. Good practices for conservation and management of subterranean waters start with studies based on robust, scientifically sound criteria. The focus must be the subterranean systems, not caves per se, including the influence areas (recharge areas, the areas receiving their output, etc.), and results must be tested for sampling sufficiency. Biosphere reserves are a first step to ensure protection of subterranean waters and their ecosystems. At regional/local scale, their insertion in Conservation Units is an efficient tool for preservation if properly designed and managed.Item Flash flood drivers, devastations and directions in UNESCO biosphere reserves: Evidence from a systemic map(VIU Press, 2023-06) Eze, Emmanuel; Siegmund, AlexanderThis paper answers a key primary question: "what evidence exists on the drivers, devastations and directions of flash floods in biosphere reserves?"