Shifting Baseline Syndrome
Abstract
Shifting base syndrome is one of the most critical aspects of the conservation and maintenance of the environment. However, very few researchers have proven whether it originated or if it’s the case that it exists. Besides, with the massive degradation of the environment at both local and international levels, studying the baselines shifting syndrome is a very critical aspect in environmental studies (Soga and Gaston, 2018). At the same time, because of the unavailability of information regarding environmental factors that influence shifting baseline syndrome. This is just a drop in the ocean; the baseline syndrome is a psychological aspect that has recently been published as a fundamental item in dealing with global issues concerning the environment.
However, many scientists and researchers are left having no prior knowledge of nature, consequences and the implications of the shifting baseline syndrome. This framework is very crucial in understanding the quality of the environment amongst the contributing factors of environmental degradation (Soga and Gaston, 2018). In this perspective, our research paper was aimed at exploring case studies of an EIA process based on its implications like the environment. We, therefore, give an overview of three case studies to understand this scenario. These and other negative consequences reveal the significance of reversing the shifting baseline syndrome in minimizing environmental degradation.
Introduction
Shifting baseline syndrome abbreviated as SBS is one of the significant complexities in environmental studies that refers to the massive and changing patterns of biological systems. This has raised concerns over the destruction of marine life in many seas and water lakes. The term shifting baseline syndrome was first applied in the year 1993 by Friedman. It was involved in the improvement of the lives of marine animals since environmental degradation was paramount. At the same time, it was aimed at establishing a baseline for the conservation of marine life (Steen and Jachowski, 2013). The term baseline syndrome has many implications, but as we pass down the generations, people have continuously forgotten to push this agenda basing their experience. This aspect of biological diversity is shifting with time intervals, and this calls for serious scientific research. However, in past studies, scientists have assumed that changes in natural systems simply infer that shifting syndrome baseline mainly occurs in human beings when they tend to improve their daily lives.
Furthermore, the critical name shifting syndrome is often confusing in many scientific-based research case studies. This is because the baseline evidence and human perception on matters about environmental degradation are tightly and positively correlated. On the other hand, the terms shifting baseline syndrome is commonly used to refer to the social dimension (Hassan et al., 2015). To add to this, a big crisis arises in the sense that there is a lack of enough theoretical and empirical evidence explaining the SBS and its occurrence. Friedman (1995) identified that generations perceive matters on environmental degradation as a minor issue. This was mainly amongst young children. Friedman also determined that the attitude amongst children played a significant role in recognition of the essential properties of a clean environment. However, the researcher did not test theory further implying that literature on SBS requires maximum attention to realize the importance of the ecological and biological systems in any given criteria.
Latest Evidence on Shifting Baseline Syndrome for Our Case Study
Evidence from recent researches has established diaries of the life of all-inclusive animals that live in the sea. An excellent example of the case study is in California. Friedman (2006) critically reviewed the current condition of animals in the deep gulfs of the seas in California. The data obtained revealed that there was a massive decrement in the biodiversity in the respective seas. This further suggested that the biodiversity and ecological dimensions did not have an impact on the SBS of ordinary human beings. The study also indicated that the massive shifting in amnesia had been passed down on the upcoming generations successfully (Hassan et al., 2015). Worth noting is that the data obtained was basically on the different types of species of fish in the gulfs and their respective life spans. The data was collected from fishers, who took part in their regular fishing duties along the seas. Later on, the information was used to identify there was a close relationship between biodiversity and the age of the sea animals.
Additionally, the study continued to establish if there exists a relationship between communication and perceptions amongst the children of the fishermen as the generations passed on from the data on the demographics and economic activities of the fishers (Marmaya & Mahbub, 2018). The results indicated that misinformation, negligence, and lack of information on the past ecosystems was a crucial issue in the SBS. Also, it revealed that amongst many children, lack of personal amnesia and knowledge on how sea animals are important in their lives was an essential idea in the environmental dimensions and specifically biological diversity. Thus the implication here is that critical scientific research is also needed to improve the results of these empirical researches.
Baseline Syndrome and Biological Diversity
The SBS is a complex issue that has over time become a complex issue in accounting for the reason as to why biodiversity in environmental conservation is a critical issue in the case of young people and elderly individuals as well. This is because the survival of the sea animals will always depend on whether the environment remains clean or not. At the same time, recent researches have closely linked the ageing population with forgetting to pass on some critical biological diversity issues (Hassan et al., 2015). This condition is termed as a memory disorder known as illusion whereby older adults tend to forget some questions about diversity very quickly. For us to familiarize with the issue of SBS, the table below will help us identify the critical issues in the case study that are in line with the EIA process. Also, the data has to be consistent and trace its origin with a personal perception of the idea of environmental conservation and caring for the life of sea animals.
Moreover, data on environmental changes concerning age and condition of the sea animals are relevant. Amongst the young individuals, evidence-based on reporting of amnesia tend to be particularly cumbersome to obtain. However, in the study carried out by Friedman was very crucial since it has helped us identify the highlighted case studies that have to identify the baseline syndrome indicators (Christensen, Kørnøv and Nielsen, 2005). For the fishers in the California gulfs, we could tend to accept the fact that the case study of the young anglers tends to have no prior knowledge basing their idea on the crucial matters about the environment. Psychologists have developed models that are very crucial in establishing clear frameworks for building clean environments and protecting marine life. Also, in this perspective, we derive three factors that are necessary for one to understand how shifting baseline occurs primarily when it comes to the EIA process. The following conditions are required for any given benchmark shifting to occur;
A well-established biological and ecological equilibrium must be maintained.
Age of the study subjects must be familiar with the generational knowledge about the biological system.
If any experience in age is not available to determine the baseline factors, the past conditions of the study subjects are accounted for.
Many SBS systems are beneficial because they present an opportunity to create goals that are appropriate to target the measures set by the EIA process. The process follows a step by step to come up with a solution for a problem that has coupled the environmental degradation. First, identifying the project and defining the necessary information for the case study is needed (Hassan et al., 2015). Next, monitoring the environment and general scope of the given situation is the immediate step for this system that allows consistency. Next is looking at the available alternatives that can be substituted if the baseline syndrome had critical issues. At the same time, the baseline factors must be explained clearly before the research objectives for the case study. Finally, impact assessment and the prediction for the EIA is the last step.
Case Study: Modifying the perception in bush hunters and Equatorial Guinea
For this particular case study, a rationale of a marginalized group in Gabon was taken into account. This is because this specific tribe usually participates in hunting activities (Hassan et al., 2015). The Babongo tribe this community have diverse perceptions in the types of prey species identified within the locale. This small village was the most appropriate for our case study because they have familiarized with hunting activities for an extended period. Furthermore, this ensured consistency and exposure to hunting activities.
The process used in the Case Study familiar to the EIA process
Step 1: Identifying the project concerned with the case study
This step is the intermediate step for an EIA process. In our case study, we chose the perception of the bush hunters with relation to the environmental nature. This was necessary because the past researchers have identified that the shifting baseline syndrome has been prevalent in many parts of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Step 2: Environmental Screening
The environment surrounding the area of study is very productive and habitable for wild animals (Hassan et al., 2015). In this case, for the tropical forests, many individuals perceive hunting as a fundamental idea. However, they are not knowledgeable about other baseline factors that are necessary to minimize environmental degradation, which in turn would interfere with the wild animals.
Step 3: Environmental Scooping and field Procedures
This approach used for seeking to familiarize with SBS took into account data from the hunters from this rationale. Hunters were shown a list of all the available wild animals and asked to identify the ones that they had killed successfully (Zapelini, Sousa da Silva and Schiavetti, 2020). They were also interviewed using sheets whereby scales for their abundance and the species they were familiar with were recorded. At the same time, the kind of traps used and the average number of animals that they had hunted were also recorded (Cho, 2012). Their attributes and concerns based on their beliefs were also considered. The data was cleaned for use in mixed model effects.
Step 4: Considering other available sources of information
For this case study, data were also available from other sources. A good example is the score sheets obtained from the world environmental organizations databases. This implies that the case study entirely passed the EIA requirements.
Step 5: The specification of the environmental baseline
This aspect was in line with the EIA since a pilot survey had been carried out to determine if the area was the best to research to understand the shifting baseline schedule in hunting amongst the chosen rationale (Zapelini, Sousa da Silva and Schiavetti, 2020).
Step 6: Predicting the impact of the baseline aspect
For this step the most appropriate action was to identify the statistical analysis based on the data obtained from the interviewing techniques.
Statistical Analysis
The analysis was done in R software were the age, type of species of animals hunted and the corresponding parametric test carried out (Cho, 2012). For the variables selected, correlation analysis we carried out was, the closely correlated were the environmental condition and the species of animals. Furthermore, from the results, a variation model was developed, which ensured consistency and increasing the significance of the model.
Step 7: Assessing the impact of the baseline factors.
To ensure that the baseline factors for the EIA model were developed, the interpretation for the statistical analysis was carried out (Zapelini, Sousa da Silva and Schiavetti, 2020). The results indicated that there was a positive correlation for 0.8654 and the overall model was 67% thus, this would explain the variation of the model. This implied that for all the animal species that were available in the chosen rationale, all of them were associated with environmental nature.
Conclusion
From the case study, the current change in the baseline syndrome it is crucial to follow the EIA procedure critically. For the most intricate ethnic minorities that neglect the idea of environmental conservation, the implication is that this will always affect their socio-economic perspectives. At the same time, the effect is also relevant for future research. Researchers can use the results from this case study can be used to impact other case studies basing their idea on the baseline syndrome studies. This will change the environmental education and other essential ideas that revolve around the concept of environmental degradation. Thus this implies that hunting has some severe impacts on the environment species, especially wild animals. This calls for relevant bodies to intervene and develop ways to regulate environmental conservation.
References
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