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Regional Conservation, Research, and Education: Ways Forward. JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL GARDENS 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/jzbg4010024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
There are currently over 8 billion people on Earth, a figure which grows by approximately 67 million annually; https://www [...]
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White TB, Petrovan SO, Booth H, Correa RJ, Gatt Y, Martin PA, Newell H, Worthington TA, Sutherland WJ. Determining the economic costs and benefits of conservation actions: A decision support framework. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas B. White
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Silviu O. Petrovan
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Biosecurity Research Initiative at St Catharine's (BioRISC), St Catharine's College Cambridge UK
| | - Hollie Booth
- The Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science (ICCS), Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
- Wildlife Conservation Society New York City New York USA
| | - Roberto J. Correa
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Yasmine Gatt
- Centre for Nature‐Based Climate Solutions, Department of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
| | - Philip A. Martin
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Biosecurity Research Initiative at St Catharine's (BioRISC), St Catharine's College Cambridge UK
- Basque Centre for Climate Change Leioa Spain
| | | | - Thomas A. Worthington
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - William J. Sutherland
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Biosecurity Research Initiative at St Catharine's (BioRISC), St Catharine's College Cambridge UK
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Tanalgo KC, Oliveira HFM, Hughes AC. Mapping global conservation priorities and habitat vulnerabilities for cave-dwelling bats in a changing world. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 843:156909. [PMID: 35753458 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Research and media attention is disproportionately focused on taxa and ecosystems perceived as charismatic, while other equally diverse systems such as caves and subterranean ecosystems are often neglected in biodiversity assessments and prioritisations. Highlighting the urgent need for protection, an especially large fraction of cave endemic species may be undescribed. Yet these more challenging systems are also vulnerable, with karsts for example losing a considerable proportion of their area each year. Bats are keystone to cave ecosystems making them potential surrogates to understand cave diversity patterns and identify conservation priorities. On a global scale, almost half (48 %) of known bat species use caves for parts of their life histories, with 32 % endemic to a single country, and 15 % currently threatened. We combined global analysis of cave bats from the IUCN spatial data with site-specific analysis of 1930 bat caves from 46 countries to develop global priorities for the conservation of the most vulnerable subterranean ecosystems. Globally, 28 % of caves showed high bat diversity and were highly threatened. The highest regional concentration of conservation priority caves was in the Palearctic and tropical regions (except the Afrotropical, which requires more intensive cave data sampling). Our results further highlight the importance of prioritising bat caves by incorporating locally collected data and optimising parameter selection (i.e., appropriate landscape features and threats). Finally, to protect and conserve these ecosystems it is crucial that we use frameworks such as this to identify priorities in species and habitat-level and map vulnerable underground habitats with the highest biodiversity and distinctiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krizler C Tanalgo
- Landscape Ecology Group, Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, PR China; Center for Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, PR China; International College of the University Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, PR China; Zukunftskolleg and the Centre for Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, Baden-Württemberg, Konstanz, Germany; Ecology and Conservation Research Laboratory (Eco/Con Lab), Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, University of Southern Mindanao, Kabacan, North Cotabato, Philippines.
| | | | - Alice Catherine Hughes
- Landscape Ecology Group, Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, PR China; Center for Conservation Biology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, PR China; International College of the University Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, PR China; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
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Devkota D, Miller DC, Wang SW, Brooks JS. Biodiversity conservation funding in Bhutan: Thematic, temporal, and spatial trends over four decades. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dikshya Devkota
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign Urbana Illinois USA
| | - Daniel C. Miller
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign Urbana Illinois USA
- Keough School of Global Affairs University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana USA
| | - Sonam W. Wang
- Bhutan Institute of Himalayan Studies Thimphu Bhutan
- OJeong Resilience Institute Korea University Seoul South Korea
| | - Jeremy S. Brooks
- School of Environment and Natural Resources The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA
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Seidl A, Mulungu K, Arlaud M, van den Heuvel O, Riva M. The effectiveness of national biodiversity investments to protect the wealth of nature. Nat Ecol Evol 2021; 5:530-539. [PMID: 33462490 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-01372-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Finance will be among the priority concerns when the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity launches the post-2020 framework for global biodiversity conservation (Global Biodiversity Framework) in 2021. The Biodiversity Finance Initiative provides a means for countries to account systematically for their biodiversity expenditures. A sample of 30 countries facilitated the construction of a panel to better understand the effectiveness of public biodiversity investments. Overall, the results show a positive trend in national public biodiversity investments and that larger economies invest more in biodiversity in gross magnitude and as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) (0.30% of GDP among wealthy countries versus 0.29%) and of national budgets (1.78% versus 1.14%). Controlling for GDP, wealthier countries invest proportionately less than less wealthy countries. The relationship between GDP and public biodiversity expenditure is an inverted-U curve. All biodiversity-related variables (threatened species, protected area and the presence of a hotspot) were positively correlated with public biodiversity investments. Funds allocated to biodiversity are associated with a reduction in the number of threatened species and the rate of biodiversity loss of about 1% per year. Each US$1 billion investment in biodiversity is associated with an annual reduction in the proportion of threatened to total species of about 0.57%. Population growth is associated with lower financial support for biodiversity and an increase in the proportion of threatened to total species in a country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Seidl
- Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA. .,Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), New York, NY, USA.
| | - Kelvin Mulungu
- Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | - Onno van den Heuvel
- Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), New York, NY, USA
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Junker J, Petrovan SO, Arroyo-RodrÍguez V, Boonratana R, Byler D, Chapman CA, Chetry D, Cheyne SM, Cornejo FM, CortÉs-Ortiz L, Cowlishaw G, Christie AP, Crockford C, Torre SDL, De Melo FR, Fan P, Grueter CC, GuzmÁn-Caro DC, Heymann EW, Herbinger I, Hoang MD, Horwich RH, Humle T, Ikemeh RA, Imong IS, Jerusalinsky L, Johnson SE, Kappeler PM, Kierulff MCM, KonÉ I, Kormos R, Le KQ, Li B, Marshall AJ, Meijaard E, Mittermeier RA, Muroyama Y, Neugebauer E, Orth L, Palacios E, Papworth SK, Plumptre AJ, Rawson BM, Refisch J, Ratsimbazafy J, Roos C, Setchell JM, Smith RK, Sop T, Schwitzer C, Slater K, Strum SC, Sutherland WJ, Talebi M, Wallis J, Wich S, Williamson EA, Wittig RM, KÜhl HS. A Severe Lack of Evidence Limits Effective Conservation of the World's Primates. Bioscience 2020; 70:794-803. [PMID: 32973409 PMCID: PMC7498340 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaa082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Threats to biodiversity are well documented. However, to effectively conserve species and their habitats, we need to know which conservation interventions do (or do not) work. Evidence-based conservation evaluates interventions within a scientific framework. The Conservation Evidence project has summarized thousands of studies testing conservation interventions and compiled these as synopses for various habitats and taxa. In the present article, we analyzed the interventions assessed in the primate synopsis and compared these with other taxa. We found that despite intensive efforts to study primates and the extensive threats they face, less than 1% of primate studies evaluated conservation effectiveness. The studies often lacked quantitative data, failed to undertake postimplementation monitoring of populations or individuals, or implemented several interventions at once. Furthermore, the studies were biased toward specific taxa, geographic regions, and interventions. We describe barriers for testing primate conservation interventions and propose actions to improve the conservation evidence base to protect this endangered and globally important taxon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Junker
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Leipzig, Germany and with the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, formerly the Department of Primatology, in Leipzig, Germany
| | - Silviu O Petrovan
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Victor Arroyo-RodrÍguez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, Mexico
| | | | | | - Colin A Chapman
- Department of Anthropology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; with the School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; and with the Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, at Northwest University, in Xi'an, China
| | | | - Susan M Cheyne
- Borneo Nature Foundation, Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, and with the Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Liliana CortÉs-Ortiz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Guy Cowlishaw
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, in the United Kingdom
| | - Alec P Christie
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Crockford
- Tai Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse des Recherche Scientifique, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
| | - Stella De La Torre
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito's Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales in Quito, Ecuador
| | - Fabiano R De Melo
- Department of Engenharia Florestal, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - P Fan
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cyril C Grueter
- School of Human Sciences and with the School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | | | - Eckhard W Heymann
- Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Leibniz-Institut für Primatenforschung, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Minh D Hoang
- Southern Institute of Ecology, Hochiminh City, Vietnam
| | | | - Tatyana Humle
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel A Ikemeh
- SW/Niger Delta Forest Project, part of the Foundation for Sustainability of Ecosystem, Wildlife, and Climate, Abuja, Nigeria
| | | | - Leandro Jerusalinsky
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Primatas Brasileiros, in the Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade. In João Pessoa, Brazil
| | - Steig E Johnson
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Peter M Kappeler
- Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Leibniz-Institut für Primatenforschung, Göttingen, Germany, and with the Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, Faculty of Biology and Psychology, at Georg-August Universität, in Göttingen, Germany
| | - Maria CecÍlia M Kierulff
- Instituto Nacional da Mata Atlântica, in Espírito Santo, Brazil, and with the Instituto Pri-Matas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Inza KonÉ
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Rebecca Kormos is affiliated with the Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley
| | - Rebecca Kormos
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Leipzig, Germany and with the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, formerly the Department of Primatology, in Leipzig, Germany
| | - Khac Q Le
- Freelance wildlife consultant, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Baoguo Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Andrew J Marshall
- Department of Anthropology and the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in the Program in the Environment and the School of Environment and Sustainability, Universit of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Erik Meijaard
- Center of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, and with Borneo Futures, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
| | | | - Yasuyuki Muroyama
- Natural Science Laboratory, Faculty of Business Administration, Toyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eleonora Neugebauer
- Universität Leipzig, Dekanat der Fakultät für Lebenswissenschaften, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lisa Orth
- Independent researcher, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | | - Andrew J Plumptre
- Department of Anthropology and the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in the Program in the Environment and the School of Environment and Sustainability, Universit of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Ben M Rawson
- World Wide Fund for Wildlife Vietnam, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Johannes Refisch
- Great Apes Survival Partnership, United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jonah Ratsimbazafy
- Groupe d'étude et de recherche sur les primates, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Christian Roos
- Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Leibniz-Institut für Primatenforschung, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Joanna M Setchell
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca K Smith
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Tene Sop
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, formerly the Department of Primatology, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Kerry Slater
- Operation Wallacea, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
| | - Shirley C Strum
- University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, and with the Uaso Ngiro Baboon Project, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - William J Sutherland
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - MaurÍcio Talebi
- Departamento de Cíências Ambientais and the Programa Análise Ambiental Integrada, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Janette Wallis
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
| | - Serge Wich
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | | | - Roman M Wittig
- Tai Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse des Recherche Scientifique, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
| | - Hjalmar S KÜhl
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Leipzig, Germany and with the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, formerly the Department of Primatology, in Leipzig, Germany
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7
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Using key biodiversity areas to guide effective expansion of the global protected area network. Glob Ecol Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Fovargue R, Fisher M, Harris J, Armsworth PR. A landscape of conservation philanthropy for U.S. land trusts. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2019; 33:176-184. [PMID: 29869438 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Revised: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Finding ways to increase financial support is critical to conservation efforts. We used conservation fundraising data, unprecedented in their resolution, to reveal spatial patterns in philanthropic giving to a major land protection organization in the United States. We also quantified the relationship between the amount of effort devoted to fundraising and donations received. Around 40% of the variation in the propensity to give and overall value of gifts was explained by sociodemographic and other predictors. For example, education level had greater predictive capacity than income, political views, and other factors often considered important. Fundraising effort was strongly predictive of the amount donated in an area. Our model estimated a doubling of funds raised with a 5-fold increase of effort. Conservation organizations could use our statistical framework to inform efforts aimed at increasing philanthropic giving by identifying locations with large model residuals. An example application of our framework showed an almost 40% increase (US$200 million) in fundraising revenue for the case-study conservation organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Fovargue
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, 569 Dabney Hall, 1416 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN, 37996, U.S.A
| | - Maria Fisher
- The Nature Conservancy, 4245 Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA, 22203, U.S.A
| | - Jamal Harris
- The Nature Conservancy, 4245 Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA, 22203, U.S.A
| | - Paul R Armsworth
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, 569 Dabney Hall, 1416 Circle Drive, Knoxville, TN, 37996, U.S.A
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Fontaine JJ, Jorgensen CF, Stuber EF, Gruber LF, Bishop AA, Lusk JJ, Zach ES, Decker KL. Species distributions models in wildlife planning: agricultural policy and wildlife management in the great plains. WILDLIFE SOC B 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J. Fontaine
- U.S. Geological Survey, Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Lincoln NE 68583 USA
| | | | - Erica F. Stuber
- Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Lincoln NE 68583 USA
| | - Lutz F. Gruber
- Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit; School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Lincoln NE 68583 USA
| | - Andrew A. Bishop
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Rainwater Basin Joint Venture; Grand Island NE 68801 USA
| | | | - Eric S. Zach
- Nebraska Game and Parks Commission; Lincoln NE 68503 USA
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10
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Conenna I, Rocha R, Russo D, Cabeza M. Insular bats and research effort: a review of global patterns and priorities. Mamm Rev 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Irene Conenna
- Metapopulation Research Centre; Faculty of Biosciences; University of Helsinki; P.O. Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1) FI-00014 Helsinki Finland
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology; University of Turin; Via Accademia Albertina 13 10123 Torino Italy
| | - Ricardo Rocha
- Metapopulation Research Centre; Faculty of Biosciences; University of Helsinki; P.O. Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1) FI-00014 Helsinki Finland
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes; Faculty of Sciences; University of Lisbon; Campo Grande; 1749-016 Lisbon Portugal
- Faculty of Life Sciences; University of Madeira; Campus da Penteada; 9020-105 Funchal Portugal
| | - Danilo Russo
- Wildlife Research Unit; Laboratorio di Ecologia Applicata; Dipartimento di Agraria; Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II; via Università 100, Portici Napoli 80055 Italy
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Bristol; Bristol, 24 Tyndall Ave, Bristol BS8 1TH UK
| | - Mar Cabeza
- Metapopulation Research Centre; Faculty of Biosciences; University of Helsinki; P.O. Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1) FI-00014 Helsinki Finland
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Larson ER, Howell S, Kareiva P, Armsworth PR. Constraints of philanthropy on determining the distribution of biodiversity conservation funding. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2016; 30:206-215. [PMID: 26460820 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2014] [Revised: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 07/01/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Caught between ongoing habitat destruction and funding shortfalls, conservation organizations are using systematic planning approaches to identify places that offer the highest biodiversity return per dollar invested. However, available tools do not account for the landscape of funding for conservation or quantify the constraints this landscape imposes on conservation outcomes. Using state-level data on philanthropic giving to and investments in land conservation by a large nonprofit organization, we applied linear regression to evaluate whether the spatial distribution of conservation philanthropy better explained expenditures on conservation than maps of biodiversity priorities, which were derived from a planning process internal to the organization and return on investment (ROI) analyses based on data on species richness, land costs, and existing protected areas. Philanthropic fund raising accounted for considerably more spatial variation in conservation spending (r(2) = 0.64) than either of the 2 systematic conservation planning approaches (r(2) = 0.08-0.21). We used results of one of the ROI analyses to evaluate whether increases in flexibility to reallocate funding across space provides conservation gains. Small but plausible "tax" increments of 1-10% on states redistributed to the optimal funding allocation from the ROI analysis could result in gains in endemic species protected of 8.5-80.2%. When such increases in spatial flexibility are not possible, conservation organizations should seek to cultivate increased support for conservation in priority locations. We used lagged correlations of giving to and spending by the organization to evaluate whether investments in habitat protection stimulate future giving to conservation. The most common outcome at the state level was that conservation spending quarters correlated significantly and positively with lagged fund raising quarters. In effect, periods of high fund raising for biodiversity followed (rather than preceded) periods of high expenditure on land conservation projects, identifying one mechanism conservation organizations could explore to seed greater activity in priority locations. Our results demonstrate how limitations on the ability of conservation organizations to reallocate their funding across space can impede organizational effectiveness and elucidate ways conservation planning tools could be more useful if they quantified and incorporated these constraints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R Larson
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, U.S.A
| | - Stephen Howell
- The Nature Conservancy, 4245 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA, 22203, U.S.A
| | - Peter Kareiva
- The Nature Conservancy, 4245 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA, 22203, U.S.A
| | - Paul R Armsworth
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, U.S.A
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12
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Briscoe DK, Maxwell SM, Kudela R, Crowder LB, Croll D. Are we missing important areas in pelagic marine conservation? Redefining conservation hotspots in the ocean. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2016. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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13
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Ceauşu S, Gomes I, Pereira HM. Conservation planning for biodiversity and wilderness: a real-world example. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2015; 55:1168-80. [PMID: 25835944 PMCID: PMC4392121 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-015-0453-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2013] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Several of the most important conservation prioritization approaches select markedly different areas at global and regional scales. They are designed to maximize a certain biodiversity dimension such as coverage of species in the case of hotspots and complementarity, or composite properties of ecosystems in the case of wilderness. Most comparisons between approaches have ignored the multidimensionality of biodiversity. We analyze here the results of two species-based methodologies-hotspots and complementarity-and an ecosystem-based methodology-wilderness-at local scale. As zoning of protected areas can increase the effectiveness of conservation, we use the data employed for the management plan of the Peneda-Gerês National Park in Portugal. We compare the approaches against four criteria: species representativeness, wilderness coverage, coverage of important areas for megafauna, and for regulating ecosystem services. Our results suggest that species- and ecosystem-based approaches select significantly different areas at local scale. Our results also show that no approach covers well all biodiversity dimensions. Species-based approaches cover species distribution better, while the ecosystem-based approach favors wilderness, areas important for megafauna, and for ecosystem services. Management actions addressing different dimensions of biodiversity have a potential for contradictory effects, social conflict, and ecosystem services trade-offs, especially in the context of current European biodiversity policies. However, biodiversity is multidimensional, and management and zoning at local level should reflect this aspect. The consideration of both species- and ecosystem-based approaches at local scale is necessary to achieve a wider range of conservation goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Ceauşu
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Am Kirchtor 1, 06108 Halle (Saale), Germany
- Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Inês Gomes
- Centro Interuniversitário de História da Ciências e Tecnologia, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
- Departamento de Engenharia Civil e Arquitectura, Instituto Superior Técnico, Avenida Rovisco Pais, 1040-001 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Henrique Miguel Pereira
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Am Kirchtor 1, 06108 Halle (Saale), Germany
- Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
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14
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Miller D, Jackson B, Riddle HS, Stremme C, Schmitt D, Miller T. Elephant (Elephas maximus) Health and Management in Asia: Variations in Veterinary Perspectives. Vet Med Int 2015; 2015:614690. [PMID: 25688328 PMCID: PMC4320845 DOI: 10.1155/2015/614690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2014] [Revised: 09/09/2014] [Accepted: 09/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a need to identify strategic investments in Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) health that will yield maximal benefits for overall elephant health and conservation. As an exploratory first step, a survey was administered to veterinarians from Asian elephant range countries at a workshop and via email to help prioritize health-related concerns that will mostly benefit elephants. Responses were received from 45 veterinarians from eight countries that had a range of experience with captive and wild elephants. The occurrence of medical conditions and responses to treatment varied among responses. However, injuries, parasitism, and gastrointestinal disease were reported as the most common syndromes responsible for elephant morbidity, whereas injury and infectious disease not due to parasitism were the most commonly reported sources of elephant mortality. Substandard nutrition, water quality and quantity deficiencies, and inadequate or absent shelter were among the factors listed as barriers to optimal elephant health. While this survey's results do not support definitive conclusions, they can be used to identify where and how subsequent investigations should be directed. Rigorous assessment of the relative costs and benefits of available options is required to ensure that investments in individual and population health yield the maximal benefits for elephants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Christopher Stremme
- Elephant Health Care Program (EHCP) of the Veterinary Society for Sumatran Wildlife Conservation (Vesswic), Sumatra, Indonesia
| | - Dennis Schmitt
- William H. Darr School of Agriculture, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, USA
- Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation, Polk City, FL, USA
| | - Thaddeus Miller
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
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15
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Stakeholder Visions for Biodiversity Conservation in Developing Countries. SUSTAINABILITY 2014. [DOI: 10.3390/su7010271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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16
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Sullivan BK, Douglas MR, Walker JM, Cordes JE, Davis MA, Anthonysamy WJB, Sullivan KO, Douglas ME. Conservation and Management of Polytypic Species: The Little Striped Whiptail Complex (Aspidoscelis inornata) as a Case Study. COPEIA 2014. [DOI: 10.1643/cg-13-140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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17
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Lacher I, Wilkerson ML. Wildlife connectivity approaches and best practices in U.S. state wildlife action plans. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2014; 28:13-21. [PMID: 24372554 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2012] [Accepted: 06/27/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
As habitat loss and fragmentation threaten biodiversity on large geographic scales, creating and maintaining connectivity of wildlife populations is an increasingly common conservation objective. To assess the progress and success of large-scale connectivity planning, conservation researchers need a set of plans that cover large geographic areas and can be analyzed as a single data set. The state wildlife action plans (SWAPs) fulfill these requirements. We examined 50 SWAPs to determine the extent to which wildlife connectivity planning, via linkages, is emphasized nationally. We defined linkage as connective land that enables wildlife movement. For our content analysis, we identified and quantified 6 keywords and 7 content criteria that ranged in specificity and were related to linkages for wide-ranging terrestrial vertebrates and examined relations between content criteria and statewide data on focal wide-ranging species, spending, revenue, and conserved land. Our results reflect nationwide disparities in linkage conservation priorities and highlight the continued need for wildlife linkage planning. Only 30% or less of the 50 SWAPs fulfilled highly specific content criteria (e.g., identifying geographic areas for linkage placement or management). We found positive correlations between our content criteria and statewide data on percent conserved land, total focal species, and spending on parks and recreation. We supplemented our content analysis with interviews with 17 conservation professionals to gain specific information about state-specific context and future directions of linkage conservation. Based on our results, relevant literature, and interview responses, we suggest the following best practices for wildlife linkage conservation plans: collect ecologically meaningful background data; be specific; establish community-wide partnerships; and incorporate sociopolitical and socioeconomic information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iara Lacher
- Department of Environmental Science & Policy, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, U.S.A..
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18
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Gordon IJ, Evans DM, Garner TWJ, Katzner T, Gompper ME, Altwegg R, Branch TA, Johnson JA, Pettorelli N. Enhancing communication between conservation biologists and conservation practitioners: Letter from the Conservation Front Line. Anim Conserv 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- I. J. Gordon
- James Hutton Institute; Invergowrie; Dundee Scotland UK
| | - D. M. Evans
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Hull; Hull UK
| | - T. W. J. Garner
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; London UK
| | - T. Katzner
- Division of Forestry and Natural Resources; West Virginia University; Morgantown WV USA
| | - M. E. Gompper
- School of Natural Resources; University of Missouri; Columbia MO USA
| | - R. Altwegg
- Department of Statistical Sciences; University of Cape Town; South Africa
| | - T. A. Branch
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences; University of Washington; Seattle WA USA
| | - J. A. Johnson
- Institute of Applied Sciences; Department of Biological Sciences; University of North Texas; Denton TX USA
| | - N. Pettorelli
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; London UK
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Reece JS, Noss RF, Oetting J, Hoctor T, Volk M. A vulnerability assessment of 300 species in Florida: threats from sea level rise, land use, and climate change. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80658. [PMID: 24260447 PMCID: PMC3834108 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2013] [Accepted: 10/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Species face many threats, including accelerated climate change, sea level rise, and conversion and degradation of habitat from human land uses. Vulnerability assessments and prioritization protocols have been proposed to assess these threats, often in combination with information such as species rarity; ecological, evolutionary or economic value; and likelihood of success. Nevertheless, few vulnerability assessments or prioritization protocols simultaneously account for multiple threats or conservation values. We applied a novel vulnerability assessment tool, the Standardized Index of Vulnerability and Value, to assess the conservation priority of 300 species of plants and animals in Florida given projections of climate change, human land-use patterns, and sea level rise by the year 2100. We account for multiple sources of uncertainty and prioritize species under five different systems of value, ranging from a primary emphasis on vulnerability to threats to an emphasis on metrics of conservation value such as phylogenetic distinctiveness. Our results reveal remarkable consistency in the prioritization of species across different conservation value systems. Species of high priority include the Miami blue butterfly (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri), Key tree cactus (Pilosocereus robinii), Florida duskywing butterfly (Ephyriades brunnea floridensis), and Key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium). We also identify sources of uncertainty and the types of life history information consistently missing across taxonomic groups. This study characterizes the vulnerabilities to major threats of a broad swath of Florida's biodiversity and provides a system for prioritizing conservation efforts that is quantitative, flexible, and free from hidden value judgments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Steven Reece
- Department of Biology, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Reed F. Noss
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, United States of America
| | - Jon Oetting
- Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America
| | - Tom Hoctor
- Center for Landscape Conservation Planning, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Michael Volk
- Center for Landscape Conservation Planning, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
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20
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McCreless E, Visconti P, Carwardine J, Wilcox C, Smith RJ. Cheap and nasty? The potential perils of using management costs to identify global conservation priorities. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80893. [PMID: 24260502 PMCID: PMC3829910 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2013] [Accepted: 10/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The financial cost of biodiversity conservation varies widely around the world and such costs should be considered when identifying countries to best focus conservation investments. Previous global prioritizations have been based on global models for protected area management costs, but this metric may be related to other factors that negatively influence the effectiveness and social impacts of conservation. Here we investigate such relationships and first show that countries with low predicted costs are less politically stable. Local support and capacity can mitigate the impacts of such instability, but we also found that these countries have less civil society involvement in conservation. Therefore, externally funded projects in these countries must rely on government agencies for implementation. This can be problematic, as our analyses show that governments in countries with low predicted costs score poorly on indices of corruption, bureaucratic quality and human rights. Taken together, our results demonstrate that using national-level estimates for protected area management costs to set global conservation priorities is simplistic, as projects in apparently low-cost countries are less likely to succeed and more likely to have negative impacts on people. We identify the need for an improved approach to develop global conservation cost metrics that better capture the true costs of avoiding or overcoming such problems. Critically, conservation scientists must engage with practitioners to better understand and implement context-specific solutions. This approach assumes that measures of conservation costs, like measures of conservation value, are organization specific, and would bring a much-needed focus on reducing the negative impacts of conservation to develop projects that benefit people and biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin McCreless
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Piero Visconti
- Computational Ecology and Environmental Science Group, Microsoft Research, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Global Mammal Assessment Program, Department of Biology and Biotechnologies, Sapienza Università di, Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Josie Carwardine
- CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Dutton Park, Queensland, Australia
| | - Chris Wilcox
- CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Robert J. Smith
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
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21
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Levin N, Tulloch AIT, Gordon A, Mazor T, Bunnefeld N, Kark S. Incorporating Socioeconomic and Political Drivers of International Collaboration into Marine Conservation Planning. Bioscience 2013. [DOI: 10.1525/bio.2013.63.7.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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22
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Targeting global conservation funding to limit immediate biodiversity declines. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:12144-8. [PMID: 23818619 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1221370110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 212] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Inadequate funding levels are a major impediment to effective global biodiversity conservation and are likely associated with recent failures to meet United Nations biodiversity targets. Some countries are more severely underfunded than others and therefore represent urgent financial priorities. However, attempts to identify these highly underfunded countries have been hampered for decades by poor and incomplete data on actual spending, coupled with uncertainty and lack of consensus over the relative size of spending gaps. Here, we assemble a global database of annual conservation spending. We then develop a statistical model that explains 86% of variation in conservation expenditures, and use this to identify countries where funding is robustly below expected levels. The 40 most severely underfunded countries contain 32% of all threatened mammalian diversity and include neighbors in some of the world's most biodiversity-rich areas (Sundaland, Wallacea, and Near Oceania). However, very modest increases in international assistance would achieve a large improvement in the relative adequacy of global conservation finance. Our results could therefore be quickly applied to limit immediate biodiversity losses at relatively little cost.
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23
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24
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Cullen R. Biodiversity protection prioritisation: a 25-year review. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2013. [DOI: 10.1071/wr12065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
There are insufficient resources available globally, nationally and in many regions, to conserve all species, habitats and ecosystems. Prioritisation of targets or actions is a rational response to resource scarcity. Prioritisation can be directed at areas for reservation, species, habitats or ecosystems for management, and threat management actions. The scale at which prioritisation is applied is a fundamental decision, and the range includes global, national, regional and patch. Choice of scale influences availability of data and methods available for prioritisation. Since 1986 availability of data, computing power and expertise available have all improved globally and in many countries. Approaches to prioritisation have evolved during the past 25 years as researchers from several disciplines, including biology, ecology, decision sciences, mathematics and economics, have sought ways to achieve greater output from the resources available for biodiversity conservation. This review surveys the literature and groups prioritisation approaches into the following four categories: reserves and reserve selection, prescriptive costed biodiversity prioritisation, ranked costed biodiversity projects and contracted costed conservation actions. A concluding section considers the limitations of current prioritisation approaches and points to areas for further development.
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Do private conservation activities match science-based conservation priorities? PLoS One 2012; 7:e46429. [PMID: 23029516 PMCID: PMC3460893 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2012] [Accepted: 08/30/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Private land conservation is an essential strategy for biodiversity protection in the USA, where half of the federally listed species have at least 80% of their habitat on private lands. We investigated the alignment between private land protection conducted by the world's largest land trust (The Nature Conservancy) and the science driven identification of priority areas for conservation. This represents the first quantitative assessment of the influence of defining priority areas on the land acquisitions of a conservation non-governmental organization (NGO). Methodology/Principal Findings The lands acquired by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) were analyzed using GIS to determine to what extent they were in areas defined as priorities for conservation. The spatial analysis of TNC lands was broken up into land known to be acquired in the last five years, five to ten years ago, prior to ten years ago, and anytime during the last sixty years (including previous sets of data plus acquisitions lacking a date). For the entire history of TNC the proportion of TNC lands within the priority areas was 74%. Prior to 10 years ago it was 80%, 5–10 years ago it was 76%, and in the last five years it was 81%. Conservation easements were found to have lower alignment with priority areas (64%) than outright fee simple acquisitions (86%). Conclusions/Significance Overall the location of lands acquired was found to be well aligned with the priority areas. Since there was comparable alignment in lands acquired before and after formalized conservation planning had been implemented as a standard operating procedure, this analysis did not find evidence that defining priority areas has influenced land acquisition decisions.
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26
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Miller DC, Agrawal A, Roberts JT. Biodiversity, Governance, and the Allocation of International Aid for Conservation. Conserv Lett 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263x.2012.00270.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Holmes G, Scholfield K, Brockington D. A comparison of global conservation prioritization models with spatial spending patterns of conservation nongovernmental organizations. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2012; 26:602-609. [PMID: 22809351 DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01879.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, various conservation organizations have developed models to prioritize locations for conservation. Through a survey of the spending patterns of 281 conservation nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), we examined the relation between 2 such models and spatial patterns of spending by conservation NGOs in 44 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. We tested whether, at the country level, the proportion of a country designated as a conservation priority was correlated with where NGOs spent money. For one model (the combination of Conservation International's hotspots and High Biodiversity Wilderness Areas, which are areas of high endemism with high or low levels of vegetation loss respectively), there was no relation between the proportion of a country designated as a priority and levels of NGO spending, including by the NGO associated with the model. In the second model (Global 200), the proportion of a country designated as a priority and the amount of money spent by NGOs were significantly and positively related. Less money was spent in countries in northern and western sub-Saharan Africa than countries in southern and eastern Africa, relative to the proportion of the country designated as a conservation priority. We suggest that on the basis of our results some NGOs consider increasing their spending on the areas designated as of conservation priority which are currently relatively underfunded, although there are economic, political, cultural, historical, biological, and practical reasons why current spending patterns may not align with priority sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Holmes
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, United Kingdom.
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28
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Applying Landscape Metrics to Characterize Potential Habitat of Bonobos (Pan paniscus) in the Maringa-Lopori-Wamba Landscape, Democratic Republic of Congo. INT J PRIMATOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-012-9581-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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29
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Venter O, Koh LP. Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+): game changer or just another quick fix? Ann N Y Acad Sci 2011; 1249:137-50. [PMID: 22168380 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06306.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) provides financial compensation to land owners who avoid converting standing forests to other land uses. In this paper, we review the main opportunities and challenges for REDD+ implementation, including expectations for REDD+ to deliver on multiple environmental and societal cobenefits. We also highlight a recent case study, the Norway-Indonesia REDD+ agreement and discuss how it might be a harbinger of outcomes in other forest-rich nations seeking REDD+ funds. Looking forward, we critically examine the fundamental assumptions of REDD+ as a solution for the atmospheric buildup of greenhouse gas emissions and tropical deforestation. We conclude that REDD+ is currently the most promising mechanism driving the conservation of tropical forests. Yet, to emerge as a true game changer, REDD+ must still demonstrate that it can access low transaction cost and high-volume carbon markets or funds, while also providing or complimenting a suite of nonmonetary incentives to encourage a developing nation's transition from forest losing to forest gaining, and align with, not undermine, a globally cohesive attempt to mitigate anthropogenic climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Venter
- Terrestrial Ecology and Sustainability Science and the School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.
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30
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Fontaine JJ. Improving our legacy: incorporation of adaptive management into state wildlife action plans. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2011; 92:1403-1408. [PMID: 20971548 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2010.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2010] [Accepted: 10/04/2010] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The loss of biodiversity is a mounting concern, but despite numerous attempts there are few large scale conservation efforts that have proven successful in reversing current declines. Given the challenge of biodiversity conservation, there is a need to develop strategic conservation plans that address species declines even with the inherent uncertainty in managing multiple species in complex environments. In 2002, the State Wildlife Grant program was initiated to fulfill this need, and while not explicitly outlined by Congress follows the fundamental premise of adaptive management, 'Learning by doing'. When action is necessary, but basic biological information and an understanding of appropriate management strategies are lacking, adaptive management enables managers to be proactive in spite of uncertainty. However, regardless of the strengths of adaptive management, the development of an effective adaptive management framework is challenging. In a review of 53 State Wildlife Action Plans, I found a keen awareness by planners that adaptive management was an effective method for addressing biodiversity conservation, but the development and incorporation of explicit adaptive management approaches within each plan remained elusive. Only ~25% of the plans included a framework for how adaptive management would be implemented at the project level within their state. There was, however, considerable support across plans for further development and implementation of adaptive management. By furthering the incorporation of adaptive management principles in conservation plans and explicitly outlining the decision making process, states will be poised to meet the pending challenges to biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J Fontaine
- U.S. Geological Survey Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, and the School of Natural Resources, The University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA.
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31
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32
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Ahrends A, Burgess ND, Gereau RE, Marchant R, Bulling MT, Lovett JC, Platts PJ, Wilkins Kindemba V, Owen N, Fanning E, Rahbek C. Funding begets biodiversity. DIVERS DISTRIB 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2010.00737.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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Distribution patterns of threatened endemic plants in Turkey: A quantitative approach for conservation. J Nat Conserv 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2010.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Iwamura T, Wilson KA, Venter O, Possingham HP. A climatic stability approach to prioritizing global conservation investments. PLoS One 2010; 5:e15103. [PMID: 21152095 PMCID: PMC2994894 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2010] [Accepted: 09/28/2010] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is impacting species and ecosystems globally. Many existing templates to identify the most important areas to conserve terrestrial biodiversity at the global scale neglect the future impacts of climate change. Unstable climatic conditions are predicted to undermine conservation investments in the future. This paper presents an approach to developing a resource allocation algorithm for conservation investment that incorporates the ecological stability of ecoregions under climate change. We discover that allocating funds in this way changes the optimal schedule of global investments both spatially and temporally. This allocation reduces the biodiversity loss of terrestrial endemic species from protected areas due to climate change by 22% for the period of 2002–2052, when compared to allocations that do not consider climate change. To maximize the resilience of global biodiversity to climate change we recommend that funding be increased in ecoregions located in the tropics and/or mid-elevation habitats, where climatic conditions are predicted to remain relatively stable. Accounting for the ecological stability of ecoregions provides a realistic approach to incorporating climate change into global conservation planning, with potential to save more species from extinction in the long term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Iwamura
- Ecology Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
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35
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Cantú-Salazar L, Gaston KJ. Very Large Protected Areas and Their Contribution to Terrestrial Biological Conservation. Bioscience 2010. [DOI: 10.1525/bio.2010.60.10.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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36
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Busch J, Godoy F, Turner WR, Harvey CA. Biodiversity co-benefits of reducing emissions from deforestation under alternative reference levels and levels of finance. Conserv Lett 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263x.2010.00150.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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Von Hase A, Rouget M, Cowling RM. Evaluating private land conservation in the Cape Lowlands, South Africa. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2010; 24:1182-1189. [PMID: 21182668 DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2010.01561.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Evaluation is important for judiciously allocating limited conservation resources and for improving conservation success through learning and strategy adjustment. We evaluated the application of systematic conservation planning goals and conservation gains from incentive-based stewardship interventions on private land in the Cape Lowlands and Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. We collected spatial and nonspatial data (2003-2007) to determine the number of hectares of vegetation protected through voluntary contractual and legally nonbinding (informal) agreements with landowners; resources spent on these interventions; contribution of the agreements to 5- and 20-year conservation goals for representation and persistence in the Cape Lowlands of species and ecosystems; and time and staff required to meet these goals. Conservation gains on private lands across the Cape Floristic Region were relatively high. In 5 years, 22,078 ha (27,800 ha of land) and 46,526 ha (90,000 ha of land) of native vegetation were protected through contracts and informal agreements, respectively. Informal agreements often were opportunity driven and cheaper and faster to execute than contracts. All contractual agreements in the Cape Lowlands were within areas of high conservation priority (identified through systematic conservation planning), which demonstrated the conservation plan's practical application and a high level of overlap between resource investment (approximately R1.14 million/year in the lowlands) and priority conservation areas. Nevertheless, conservation agreements met only 11% of 5-year and 9% of 20-year conservation goals for Cape Lowlands and have made only a moderate contribution to regional persistence of flora to date. Meeting the plan's conservation goals will take three to five times longer and many more staff members to maintain agreements than initially envisaged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrei Von Hase
- Leslie Hill Institute for Plant Conservation, Botany Department, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa.
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38
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Brockington D, Scholfield K. Expenditure by conservation nongovernmental organizations in sub-Saharan Africa. Conserv Lett 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263x.2010.00094.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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39
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Davies ZG, Kareiva P, Armsworth PR. Temporal patterns in the size of conservation land transactions. Conserv Lett 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263x.2009.00091.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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40
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Brooks TM, Wright SJ, Sheil D. Evaluating the success of conservation actions in safeguarding tropical forest biodiversity. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2009; 23:1448-57. [PMID: 20078645 DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2009.01334.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
We reviewed the evidence on the extent and efficacy of conservation of tropical forest biodiversity for each of the classes of conservation action defined by the new International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classification. Protected areas are the most tested conservation approach, and a number of studies show they are generally effective in slowing deforestation. There is some documentation of the extent of sustainable timber management in tropical forest, but little information on other landscape-conservation tactics. The extent and effectiveness of ex situ species conservation is quite well known. Forty-one tropical-forest species now survive only in captivity. Other single-species conservation actions are not as well documented. The potential of policy mechanisms, such as international conventions and provision of funds, to slow extinctions in tropical forests is considerable, but the effects of policy are difficult to measure. Finally, interventions to promote tropical conservation by supporting education and livelihoods, providing incentives, and furthering capacity building are all thought to be important, but their extent and effectiveness remain poorly known. For birds, the best studied taxon, the sum of such conservation actions has averted one-fifth of the extinctions that would otherwise have occurred over the last century. Clearly, tropical forest conservation works, but more is needed, as is critical assessment of what works in what circumstances, if mass extinction is to be averted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M Brooks
- Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, Conservation International, 2011 Crystal Drive, Arlington 22202, USA.
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Between-country collaboration and consideration of costs increase conservation planning efficiency in the Mediterranean Basin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009; 106:15368-73. [PMID: 19717457 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0901001106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of global and regional coordination in conservation is growing, although currently, the majority of conservation programs are applied at national and subnational scales. Nevertheless, multinational programs incur transaction costs and resources beyond what is required in national programs. Given the need to maximize returns on investment within limited conservation budgets, it is crucial to quantify how much more biodiversity can be protected by coordinating multinational conservation efforts when resources are fungible. Previous studies that compared different scales of conservation decision-making mostly ignored spatial variability in biodiversity threats and the cost of actions. Here, we developed a simple integrating metric, taking into account both the cost of conservation and threats to biodiversity. We examined the Mediterranean Basin biodiversity hotspot, which encompasses over 20 countries. We discovered that for vertebrates to achieve similar conservation benefits, one would need substantially more money and area if each country were to act independently as compared to fully coordinated action across the Basin. A fully coordinated conservation plan is expected to save approximately US$67 billion, 45% of total cost, compared with the uncoordinated plan; and if implemented over a 10-year period, the plan would cost approximately 0.1% of the gross national income of all European Union (EU) countries annually. The initiative declared in the recent Paris Summit for the Mediterranean provides a political basis for such complex coordination. Surprisingly, because many conservation priority areas selected are located in EU countries, a partly coordinated solution incorporating only EU-Mediterranean countries is almost as efficient as the fully coordinated scenario.
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Luck GW, Chan KM, Fay JP. Protecting ecosystem services and biodiversity in the world's watersheds. Conserv Lett 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263x.2009.00064.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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Underwood EC, Klausmeyer KR, Morrison SA, Bode M, Shaw MR. Evaluating conservation spending for species return: A retrospective analysis in California. Conserv Lett 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263x.2008.00018.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerrie A Wilson
- The University of Queensland, School of Integrative Biology, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
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Fishburn IS, Kareiva P, Gaston KJ, Evans KL, Armsworth PR. State-level variation in conservation investment by a major nongovernmental organization. Conserv Lett 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-263x.2008.00045.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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46
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VERON J, DEVANTIER LM, TURAK E, GREEN AL, KININMONTH S, STAFFORD-SMITH M, PETERSON N. Delineating the Coral Triangle. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.3755/galaxea.11.91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 342] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Zavaleta E, Miller DC, Salafsky N, Fleishman E, Webster M, Gold B, Hulse D, Rowen M, Tabor G, Vanderryn J. Enhancing the engagement of U.S. private foundations with conservation science. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2008; 22:1477-1484. [PMID: 18847442 DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2008.01046.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Funding for conservation is limited, and its investment for maximum conservation gain can likely be enhanced through the application of relevant science. Many donor institutions support and use science to pursue conservation goals, but their activities remain relatively unfamiliar to the conservation-science community. We examined the priorities and practices of U.S.-based private foundations that support biodiversity conservation. We surveyed 50 donor members of the Consultative Group on Biological Diversity (CGBD) to address three questions: (1) What support do CGBD members provide for conservation science? (2) How do CGBD members use conservation science in their grant making and strategic thinking? (3) How do CGBD members obtain information about conservation science? The 38 donor institutions that responded to the survey made $340 million in grants for conservation in 2005, including $62 million for conservation science. Individual foundations varied substantially in the proportion of conservation funds allocated to science. Foundations also varied in the ways and degree to which they used conservation science to guide their grant making. Respondents found it "somewhat difficult" to stay informed about conservation science relevant to their work, reporting that they accessed conservation science information mainly through their grantees. Many funders reported concerns about the strategic utility of funding conservation science to achieve conservation gains. To increase investment by private foundations in conservation science, funders, researchers, and conservation practitioners need to jointly identify when and how new scientific knowledge will lower barriers to conservation gains. We envision an evolving relationship between funders and conservation scientists that emphasizes primary research and synthesis motivated by (1) applicability, (2) human-ecosystem interactions, (3) active engagement among scientists and decision makers, and (4) broader communication of relevant scientific information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Zavaleta
- The Christensen Fund, 394 University Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA
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Davies TJ, Fritz SA, Grenyer R, Orme CDL, Bielby J, Bininda-Emonds ORP, Cardillo M, Jones KE, Gittleman JL, Mace GM, Purvis A. Colloquium paper: phylogenetic trees and the future of mammalian biodiversity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008; 105 Suppl 1:11556-63. [PMID: 18695230 PMCID: PMC2556418 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0801917105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Phylogenies describe the origins and history of species. However, they can also help to predict species' fates and so can be useful tools for managing the future of biodiversity. This article starts by sketching how phylogenetic, geographic, and trait information can be combined to elucidate present mammalian diversity patterns and how they arose. Recent diversification rates and standing diversity show different geographic patterns, indicating that cradles of diversity have moved over time. Patterns in extinction risk reflect both biological differences among mammalian lineages and differences in threat intensity among regions. Phylogenetic comparative analyses indicate that for small-bodied mammals, extinction risk is governed mostly by where the species live and the intensity of the threats, whereas for large-bodied mammals, ecological differences also play an important role. This modeling approach identifies species whose intrinsic biology renders them particularly vulnerable to increased human pressure. We outline how the approach might be extended to consider future trends in anthropogenic drivers, to identify likely future battlegrounds of mammalian conservation, and the likely casualties. This framework could help to highlight consequences of choosing among different future climatic and socioeconomic scenarios. We end by discussing priority-setting, showing how alternative currencies for diversity can suggest very different priorities. We argue that aiming to maximize long-term evolutionary responses is inappropriate, that conservation planning needs to consider costs as well as benefits, and that proactive conservation of largely intact systems should be part of a balanced strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Jonathan Davies
- *National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, 735 State Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
| | | | - Richard Grenyer
- Natural Environment Research Council Centre for Population Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot SL5 7PY, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jon Bielby
- Division of Biology and
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, United Kingdom
| | - Olaf R. P. Bininda-Emonds
- AG Systematik und Evolutionsbiologie, Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl von Ossietzky University, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Marcel Cardillo
- Division of Biology and
- Centre for Macroevolution and Macroecology, School of Botany and Zoology, Australian National University, Canberra 0200, Australia; and
| | - Kate E. Jones
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, United Kingdom
| | | | - Georgina M. Mace
- Natural Environment Research Council Centre for Population Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot SL5 7PY, United Kingdom
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Abstract
Global biodiversity priority setting underpins the strategic allocation of conservation funds. In identifying the first comprehensive set of global priority areas for mammals, Ceballos et al. [Ceballos G, Ehrlich PR, Soberón J, Salazar I, Fay JP (2005) Science 309:603-607] found much potential for conflict between conservation and agricultural human activity. This is not surprising because, like other global priority-setting approaches, they set priorities without socioeconomic objectives. Here we present a priority-setting framework that seeks to minimize the conflicts and opportunity costs of meeting conservation goals. We use it to derive a new set of priority areas for investment in mammal conservation based on (i) agricultural opportunity cost and biodiversity importance, (ii) current levels of international funding, and (iii) degree of threat. Our approach achieves the same biodiversity outcomes as Ceballos et al.'s while reducing the opportunity costs and conflicts with agricultural human activity by up to 50%. We uncover shortfalls in the allocation of conservation funds in many threatened priority areas, highlighting a global conservation challenge.
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Carwardine J, Wilson KA, Watts M, Etter A, Klein CJ, Possingham HP. Avoiding costly conservation mistakes: the importance of defining actions and costs in spatial priority setting. PLoS One 2008; 3:e2586. [PMID: 18596914 PMCID: PMC2440517 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0002586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2008] [Accepted: 05/22/2008] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The typical mandate in conservation planning is to identify areas that represent biodiversity targets within the smallest possible area of land or sea, despite the fact that area may be a poor surrogate for the cost of many conservation actions. It is also common for priorities for conservation investment to be identified without regard to the particular conservation action that will be implemented. This demonstrates inadequate problem specification and may lead to inefficiency: the cost of alternative conservation actions can differ throughout a landscape, and may result in dissimilar conservation priorities. Methodology/Principal Findings We investigate the importance of formulating conservation planning problems with objectives and cost data that relate to specific conservation actions. We identify priority areas in Australia for two alternative conservation actions: land acquisition and stewardship. Our analyses show that using the cost surrogate that most closely reflects the planned conservation action can cut the cost of achieving our biodiversity goals by half. We highlight spatial differences in relative priorities for land acquisition and stewardship in Australia, and provide a simple approach for determining which action should be undertaken where. Conclusions/Significance Our study shows that a poorly posed conservation problem that fails to pre-specify the planned conservation action and incorporate cost a priori can lead to expensive mistakes. We can be more efficient in achieving conservation goals by clearly specifying our conservation objective and parameterising the problem with economic data that reflects this objective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josie Carwardine
- The Ecology Centre, School of Integrative Biology, University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia.
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