The Pacific Islands Conservation Research Association (PICRA) is a U.S. federally recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. PICRA has a mission of advancing knowledge about insular Pacific species, populations, and ecosystems through unbiased scientific investigations. Research focuses on improving knowledge about islands and the
conservation issues
This is an alphabetical list of environmental issues, harmful aspects of human activity on the biophysical environment. They are loosely divided into causes, effects and mitigation, noting that effects are interconnected and can cause new effects ...
that insular fauna face. Results from PICRA’s work are intended for use in the development of applied and theoretical solutions to conservation problems.
PICRA was formed when several conservation
biologist
A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual Cell (biology), cell, a multicellular organism, or a Community (ecology), community of Biological inter ...
s and scientists felt that Pacific island conservation issues could benefit greatly from additional research. PICRA scientists have addressed basic biological research documenting the distribution, behavior, interactions, and population dynamics of species in Pacific Oceania. Additional focus has been placed on studying multi-species interactions and the evolution of islands species.
Recent PICRA projects addressed endangered species in the central and south Pacific basins. PICRA supported projects studying
coral reef
A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups.
Co ...
fish
Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...
and
endangered
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...
Micronesia
Micronesia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, consisting of about 2,000 small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It has a close shared cultural history with three other island regions: the Philippines to the west, Polynesia to the east, and ...
n
Kingfishers (''
Todiramphus cinnamominus'') in the Federated States of Micronesia.
See also
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Biodiversity
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
*
Ecology
Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...
*
Natural environment
The natural environment or natural world encompasses all life, living and non-living things occurring nature, naturally, meaning in this case not Artificiality, artificial. The term is most often applied to the Earth or some parts of Earth. Th ...
External links
Pacific Islands Conservation Research Association
Nature conservation organizations based in the United States
Environment of Oceania
Science and technology in Oceania