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The ability of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos (NMPZ) in Greece to protect an important sea turtle rookery will ultimately depend on the level of local support and involvement that it receives. Therefore, it is essential for environmental educators to generate among local inhabitants, starting at early ages, positive attitudes concerning the NMPZ. The authors designed a conservation educational module, with 15 activities, to affect knowledge and attitudes of elementary school students. The authors used a quasi-experimental design for summative evaluation with a pretest-posttest control and experimental group to measure the effects on 4 dependent variables: (a) knowledge, (b) understanding and concern, (c) locus of control, and (d) verbal commitment. The survey instrument comprised 32 items that the authors divided into 4 subscales that measured the dependent variables. In total, 332 elementary school students--162 girls and 170 boys, 11-13 years of age--from 21 classes and 15 schools participated. The results indicated a significant effect on knowledge (low pretest scores), but not on attitudes (high pretest scores). However, posttest correlations in the experimental group indicated that as knowledge level increased, students' (a) locus of control and (b) understanding and concern for the sea turtle issue became more defensible. The study thus provides a model for environmental educators to design conservation education modules to foster positive attitudes in managing endangered species in protected areas. (Contains 1 figure and 3 tables.)

Utilizes a 32-item survey instrument to measure knowledge and attitudes of 5th and 6th grade students regarding sea turtle conservation on Zakynthos, Greece. Results indicate low knowledge scores and high scores for attitudes, but an overall positive correlation between knowledge and attitudes. Knowledge, understanding and/or concern, and locus of control significantly correlated with grade level. (Contains 69 references.) (Author/NB)

1. Halting biodiversity loss, a major environmental challenge, relies on the understanding of species richness patterns. The assessment of species richness is often hampered by limited taxonomic knowledge and the general dearth of trained systematists. Research has shown that we can predict the number of species in a community by the number of higher order taxonomic units present. Here, we test whether we need to know all the genera, families or orders in order to do so. Further, the number of common species in a region is a good predictor of total richness and we test if this predictability translates to using higher taxa. 2. We used data from 240 sites from the Natura 2000 network of protected areas in Greece, including 5148 plant species and subspecies, which are grouped in 1113 genera 174 families and 56 orders. We correlated species richness with the number of common genera, families or orders present. The analysis was repeated using the number of the most speciose higher orders instead of the most common. 3. We found that we do not need to know all higher order taxa present, in order to predict species richness. If we know how many out of the 30 most common orders are present, we can reliably predict the number of species. Similar results were obtained if we know how many of the 60 most common families or 200 most common genera are present. 4. Equally good results were obtained using the same numbers of the most speciose higher orders. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our analysis demonstrates that species richness can be predicted from the number of common or more speciose genera, families and orders present. These predictions hold without complete sampling of these higher taxa. The implication is that we need only limited systematic knowledge, resources and effort in order to predict species richness. Assuming these findings hold in other taxonomic groups and in other regions, we argue that the uncertainty introduced by limited knowledge of the systematics ... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We examined the influence of visitors'' profile, information sources, environmental dispositions, and visit evaluation on visitors'' willingness to pay (WTP) for the National Marine Park of Zakynthos. Regarding WTP amounts pledged, parameters of visit evaluation were the most significant predictors. The estimated annual revenue that could be gained could cover the operating costs of the Protected Area Management Body. Visitor and visit characteristics were not significant determinants of visitor responses to the payment principle question, while they explained a relatively small amount of variation in the WTP amount multiple regression model. Nationality was not a significant predictor of WTP. All the same, Greek visitors showed more signs of pro-environmental attitudes than foreign ones. Non-use values dominated over use values and higher WTP amounts were associated with bequest value. An alternative classification of the valuation system alleged to justify WTP is proposed, where option value could be arranged together with use value components, under the assumption that future use could still be regarded as another form of use value. Moreover, existence and bequest values could be approached separately, under the hypothesis that the former is expected to be associated with relatively lower WTP amounts pledged, while the latter is expected to lead to relatively higher WTP amounts. Our study adds to the complexity and context dependency of WTP determinants. Park managers are suggested to organize environmental education programs that could decrease visitors'' consensus estimation error and act as a feedback through word-of-mouth information gained by friends and relatives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] We assess the importance of patches of different quality in bear's movement pattern. [•] Habitat suitability and graph based movement models were combined. [•] Less suitable patches are critical for facilitating movement and connectivity. [•] Studies on movement should consider the importance of the intervening matrix. [•] Unexpected conservation priorities could be raised by combining different models. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]