Global distribution and conservation status of ecologically rare mammal and bird species

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 11(1)

Published: Oct. 8, 2020

Abstract Identifying species that are both geographically restricted and functionally distinct, i.e. supporting rare traits functions, is of prime importance given their risk extinction potential contribution to ecosystem functioning. We use global distributions functional for birds mammals identify the ecologically species, understand characteristics, hotspots. find disproportionately represented in IUCN threatened categories, insufficiently covered by protected areas, some them sensitive current future threats. While they more abundant overall countries with a low human development index, high index also hotspots ecological rarity, suggesting transboundary responsibility conservation. Altogether, these results state conservation emphasis should be rarity environmental conditions need sustain multiple processes long-term.

Language: Английский

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Safeguarding our future by protecting biodiversity

Plant Diversity, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 42(4), P. 221 - 228

Published: May 20, 2020

The Anthropocene is marked by twin crises: climate change and biodiversity loss. Climate has tended to dominate the headlines, reflecting, in part, greater complexity of crisis. Biodiversity itself a difficult concept. Land plants global biomass terrestrial arthropods probably terms numbers species, but most Tree Life consists single-celled eukaryotes, bacteria, archaea. Wild provide huge variety products services people, ranging from those that are species-specific, such as food, medicine, genetic resources, many which partly interchangeable, timber forage for domestic animals, others depend on whole community, not individual regulation water supply carbon sequestration. use information remote sensing encouraged simplified view values nature's contributions this does match way people value nature. We can currently estimate proportion species threatened human impacts only few well-assessed groups, it ranges 14% (birds) 63% (cycads). Less than 8% land have been assessed, estimated 30-44% threatened, although there still (0.2%) well-documented extinctions. Priorities improving protection include: inventory, with surveys focused geographical areas taxonomic groups under-collected; expanding protected area system its representativeness; controlling overexploitation; managing invasive species; conserving ex situ; restoring degraded ecosystems; change. Convention Biological Diversity (CBD) COP15 United Nations Framework Change (UNFCCC) COP26 meetings, both postponed 2021, will an opportunity address crises, success require high ambition all participants.

Language: Английский

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Future restoration should enhance ecological complexity and emergent properties at multiple scales

Ecography, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 2022(4)

Published: Dec. 7, 2021

Ecological restoration has a paradigm of re‐establishing ‘indigenous reference' communities. One resulting concern is that focussing on target communities may not necessarily create systems which function at high level or are resilient in the face ongoing global change. complexity – defined here, based theory, as number components system and connections among them provides complementary aim, can be measured directly several advantages. encompasses key ecosystem variables including structural heterogeneity, trophic interactions functional diversity. also assessed landscape scale, with metrics β diversity, heterogeneity habitat patches connectivity. Thus, applies, measured, multiple scales. Importantly, linked to emergent properties, e.g. functions resilience, there evidence both enhanced by complexity. We suggest ecology should consider new restore scales, particular individual ecosystems across landscapes. A approach make use certain current methods but encompass newer concepts such rewilding. Indeed, goal might many cases best achieved interventionist methods. Incorporating into policies could quite straightforward. Related aims enhancing services ecological resilience fore initiatives Sustainable Development Goals Intergovernmental Science‐Policy Platform Biodiversity Ecosystem Services. Implementation policy practice will need development applied local regional Ultimately, adoption an acceptance unprecedented environmental change requires ways doing fit for future.

Language: Английский

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Climate Change and Edaphic Specialists: Irresistible Force Meets Immovable Object?

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 35(4), P. 367 - 376

Published: Jan. 17, 2020

Language: Английский

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Areas of plant diversity—What do we know?

Plants People Planet, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 3(1), P. 33 - 44

Published: May 21, 2020

Societal Impact Statement Identifying regions of the world that are rich in plant species will enable conservation efforts to be more effectively targeted. We present a review global studies diversity, including novel analyses from our own work, and highlight areas consistently identified by multiple utilizing varied data sets as being particularly species. This interest botanical professionals conservationists seeking identify conserve priority species‐rich environments, those working progress international targets, all interested distribution biodiversity its conservation. Summary Areas high diversity for vascular plants, both numbers endemic species, now well established agreement across variety using wide range different sources. Here we current state knowledge geographical patterns around world, compare this with vertebrate taxonomic groups, reflect on next steps better characterizing order achieve effective prioritization. illustrate three types differing degrees ecological resolution. At broad spatial scales these largely congruent each other endemism terrestrial vertebrates.

Language: Английский

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