Bridging Natural and Social Sciences: A Framework for Identify Strategies and Actions for the Conservation of Biodiversity Bergallo HG 1* , Uzêda MC 2 , Fidalgo ECC 3 , Sluys MV 1 , Alves MAS 1 , Costa TCC 4 , Santos MA 5 , Costa MB 5 , Cozzolino ACR 5 and Rocha CFD 1 1 Department of Ecology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2 Embrapa Agrobiology, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 3 Embrapa Solos, Rua Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil 4 Embrapa Milho e Sorgo, Rodovia MG, Sete Lagoas, MG, Brazil 5 CEPERJ – Statistics State Center Research and Training Public Servants in Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Peixoto, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil * Corresponding author: Bergallo HG, Department of Ecology, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tel: +55 21 2334-0639; E-mail: nena.bergallo@gmail.com Received: May 11, 2016; Accepted: June 15, 2016; Published: June 21, 2016 Copyright: © 2016 Bergallo HG, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Abstract The Atlantic Forest is one of the most diverse areas in the world and considered a hotspot. Several actions are needed for its preservation, among them the implementation of the Biodiversity Corridors. The Atlantic Forest has three biodiversity corridors and the Rio de Janeiro State, which harbors huge species diversity, is in the Serra do Mar Corridor. We developed socioeconomic, political and environmental indicators to present conservation strategies supported by a wide database. These indicators complemented the previous surveys of priority areas which emphasized biotic elements, and their integration allowed the elaboration of strategies for the conservation and management, regionally directed, to support actions to be implemented by the Government. The analysis was done considering three subjects: Anthropic Pressure, Physical and Biotic State, and Present Ability of Response. Data analysis followed a synthesis-aggregation schedule and the resulting database was taken to a workshop, where specialists proposed strategies and actions for the conservation. These strategies were discussed considering vegetation remnant distribution, biological relevance, environmental vulnerability, kind of anthropic pressure in the region and potential for success of the actions proposed, based on the ability of response. Rio de Janeiro State is very diverse in biotic, physical, political, socioeconomic and cultural aspects which demand specific actions for each region. So, depending on the present situation of the natural and anthropic environments and on the present and future sources of degradation, regionally directed actions are applicable. This specificity in conservation actions will enable that the State remnants will be more successfully protected. Keywords: Knowledge gap; Integrated methodology; Social reality; Pressure-state response model; Conservation targets; Geographical database Introduction Linking the conservation to human development is a challenge, especially for some developing countries as Brazil, where conservation usually is not seen to be a service for the society. In such countries, there is a misunderstanding that nature is unleashed of the society and of its productive processes. In this sense, one of the biggest challenges of the modern societies is to develop strategies and technologies to promote the social and economical development, conserving the biodiversity [1]. hese authors point that it is essential that the society comprehends that biodiversity provides the basis for the proper survival of human beings. However, this challenge counteracts the disordered human population growth, associated to the economic disequilibrium that produce as ideal model a high standard of consumption, extending the pressure on the natural resources [2]. In Brazil, conservation initiatives date from 1797, and became meaningful in 70s decade of the 20 century, with the creation of many Protected Areas (hereater UCs - Unidades de Conservação) [3]. However, these initiatives aimed basically the preservation of exuberant landscapes [3] and were deined through an empiric and top down process of decision. Moreover, the government did not provide the managers with appropriate inancial and infrastructural support to the efective implementation of the UCs. It is remarkable that the legal existence of a UC not always relects the efectiveness of its conservation, and the inadequate surveillance is an example of this lack of efectivity. In the last 20 years, techniques with scientiic endorsement and considerably objectives were developed to identify areas of conservation. he impact of such techniques in the implementation of UCs has been minimal, mainly because managers were unfamiliar with them. Moreover, the low inancial resources available, the lack of comprehension on the conservation meanings and the antipathy for the initiatives imposed for the conservation are aggravations for the implementation of UCs [4]. In Brazil, particularly in the Atlantic Forest, these same diiculties reported above have been identiied [5]. his has resulted in the government to consider the diiculties of integrally assuming the responsibility for the conservation of biodiversity. hese diiculties are evident due to the large territorial country extension and the social- economical and cultural diversity. In this direction, government and society have searched for consolidation of joined initiatives, for example, in the inclusion of private reserves (here ater RPPNs) in the legislation of the National System of Protected Areas [6]. he sharing Journal of Ecosystem & Ecography Bergallo et al., J Ecosys Ecograph 2016, 6:2 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2157-7625.1000192 Research Article Open Access J Ecosys Ecograph ISSN:2157-7625 JEE, an open access journal Volume 6 • Issue 2 • 1000192