Descriptive bioregionalisation and conservation biogeography: what is the true bioregional representativeness of protected areas?

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro R. Giraudo ◽  
Vanesa Arzamendia
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Quantitative Methodology ◽  
Conservation Biogeography ◽  
Set Constraints ◽  
Area Efficiency ◽  
Areas Of Endemism ◽  
Conservation Actions

Conservation biogeography involves the application of biogeographical principles and methods to conservation issues, including the design of protected areas. Bioregionalisation has been central in the implementation of main global conservation strategies, providing the basis for prioritising protected areas and evaluating their representativeness and effectiveness in conservation actions. Traditionally, experts established these bioregionalisations without repeatable methodologies and using only qualitative evidence, which has set constraints in their usefulness. We compared three descriptive bioregionalisations commonly used for conservation decision-making, with a regionalisation produced using quantitative methods (endemicity analysis), so as to assess biases and differences in the representativeness of the existing protected-area system of Argentina. Areas of endemism were detected using NDM/VNDM quantitative methodology on a database consisting of 19250 distribution records of 116 taxa of snakes, and the results were compared with previous descriptive regionalisations. We recovered 9 quantitative bioregionalisation units (QBU) v. 6–8 descriptive bioregionalisation units (DBU) proposed by previous authors. From this comparison, the following was found: (1) we discovered three new QBU not considered by any previous DBU; (2) other three areas proposed by DBU are not supported by our endemicity analysis; (3) we detected differences comparing the representativeness of protected areas between descriptive v. quantitative bioregionalisations, leaving the first, some areas of conservation relevance largely unprotected. Moreover, DBU were characterised by a high degree of uncertainty and biases, such as the consideration of probably artificial units, the non-recognition of some natural units and mistakes in the representativeness of protected areas. We emphasise the importance of applying quantitative biogeographic methods to identify bioregionalisation units and its fundamental role in conservation biogeography so as to optimise protected-area efficiency and other territorial conservation strategies.

scholarly journals Gap analyses of priority wild relatives of food crop in current ex situ and in situ conservation in Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wiguna Rahman ◽  
Joana Magos Brehm ◽  
Nigel Maxted ◽  
Jade Phillips ◽  
Aremi R. Contreras-Toledo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
In Situ Conservation ◽  
Wild Relatives ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Complementarity Analysis ◽  
Ex Situ Collections ◽  
Conservation Actions

AbstractConservation programmes are always limited by available resources. Careful planning is therefore required to increase the efficiency of conservation and gap analysis can be used for this purpose. This method was used to assess the representativeness of current ex situ and in situ conservation actions of 234 priority crop wild relatives (CWR) in Indonesia. This analysis also included species distribution modelling, the creation of an ecogeographical land characterization map, and a complementarity analysis to identify priorities area for in situ conservation and for further collecting of ex situ conservation programmes. The results show that both current ex situ and in situ conservation actions are insufficient. Sixty-six percent of priority CWRs have no recorded ex situ collections. Eighty CWRs with ex situ collections are still under-represented in the national genebanks and 65 CWRs have no presence records within the existing protected area network although 60 are predicted to exist in several protected areas according to their potential distribution models. The complementarity analysis shows that a minimum of 61 complementary grid areas (complementary based on grid cells) are required to conserve all priority taxa and 40 complementary protected areas (complementary based on existing protected areas) are required to conserve those with known populations within the existing in situ protected area network. The top ten of complementary protected areas are proposed as the initial areas for the development of CWR genetic reserves network in Indonesia. It is recommended to enhanced coordination between ex situ and in situ conservation stakeholders for sustaining the long term conservation of CWR in Indonesia. Implementation of the research recommendations will provide for the first time an effective conservation planning of Indonesia’s CWR diversity and will significantly enhance the country’s food and nutritional security.

scholarly journals Areas of endemism of Cactaceae and the effectiveness of the protected area network in the Chihuahuan Desert

Oryx ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Héctor M. Hernández ◽  
Carlos Gómez-Hinostrosa
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Chihuahuan Desert ◽  
Distribution Data ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Protected Area Network ◽  
Complementarity Analysis ◽  
Areas Of Endemism ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Narrow Endemism

AbstractWe used distribution data of 121 cactus species endemic to the Chihuahuan Desert to test the effectiveness of the region’s protected area network. The analysis of species distribution using a 30′ latitude × 30′ longitude grid facilitated the identification and categorization of areas of endemism. We found a low degree of coincidence between protected areas and the areas of cactus endemism, and only 63.6% of the 121 species occur in protected areas. A complementarity analysis showed that 10 of the protected areas contain the 77 species that occur in protected areas. The four top priority areas protect 65 (84.4%) of these 77 species The 44 unprotected species are mainly micro-endemic and taxonomically distinctive taxa widely scattered in the region. The complementarity analysis applied to these species showed that all of them can be contained in a minimum of 24 grid squares, representing 32.9% of the total area occupied. Their strong spatial dispersion, along with their narrow endemism, is a major conservation challenge. We conclude that the current protected area network is insufficient to protect the rich assemblage of cacti endemic to the Chihuahuan Desert. Conservation efforts in this region should be enhanced by increasing the effectiveness of the already existing protected areas and by the creation of additional protected areas, specifically micro-reserves, to provide refuge for the unprotected species.

scholarly journals ANALYZING TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL TRENDS IN MANAGEMENT PLANS OF FEDERAL PROTECTED AREAS IN BRAZIL

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (04) ◽  
pp. 846-854
Author(s):  
Alessandro Ribeiro Morais ◽  
◽  
Mariana Nascimento Siqueira ◽  
Roniel Freitas-Oliveira ◽  
Daniel Brito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Effective Management ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Group A ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Group B

Protected areas are the most frequently used tool for the mitigation of threats to biodiversity. However, without effective management, the creation of new protected areas may be ineffective. In Brazil, protected areas must have both a governing body (consultative or deliberative council) and an official management plan. Here, we analyzed general trends and patterns in the approval of the management plans for Brazilian federal protected areas. We considered all federal protected areas, and compiled data on (i) the year the area was created, (ii) the type of protected area (integral protection vs. sustainable use), (iii) year its management plan was approved, (iv) year in which the management plan was revised after its approval, (v) total area (in hectares), and (vi) the biome in which the area is located. We stablished three groups of protected area: 1) Group A: protected areas created prior to 1979, 2) Group B: protected areas created between 1979 and 1999, and 3) Group C: protected areas created between 2000 to the present time. Finally, we tested whether time for the approval of the management plan suffered a simultaneous effect of the type of biome and type of categories of protected area (strictly protected vs. sustainable use areas). We found 211 (63.17% of the 334) protected areas with management plan. On average, the time taken for the creation and approval of a management plan far exceeds the deadlines (5 yrs.) defined under current Brazilian law. All Brazilian biomes are poorly covered by protected areas with effective management plans, with the highest and lowest value observed in the Pantanal (100%) and Caatinga (46.42%), respectively. Our results suggest that the effectiveness of many federal protected areas in Brazil can be reduced considerably by the lack of a management plan, with deleterious consequences for the country’s principal conservation strategies.

scholarly journals Identifying priority areas for the conservation of antelopes in the Republic of Guinea, West Africa, using the complementarity approach

Oryx ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 253-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Brugière
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Protected Area Network ◽  
Republic Of Guinea ◽  
Complementarity Approach ◽  
The Republic

AbstractThe Republic of Guinea has one of the highest diversities of mammal species in West Africa. However, its protected area network is poorly developed and little quantitative information has been available to help guide national conservation strategies. I therefore examined the distribution of antelopes and related species (families Bovidae and Tragulidae) across 17 sites, including four protected areas, to determine how the existing protected area network contributes to the conservation of antelope species and where action should best be focused for the conservation of this group. A total of 21 species of antelope have been recorded in the 17 sites; four of these species are absent from the four protected areas. An iterative heuristic complementarity approach was used to determine an irreplaceability index, which accounts for both species richness and species rarity, for each of the sites. The Kankan Faunal Reserve and Nimba Strict Nature Reserve have the second and fourth highest irreplaceability indices, respectively. The two other protected areas have moderate to very low irreplaceability indices, showing that they protect species widespread throughout the 17 sites. The Ziama Forest has the highest index (because it contains a high number of species and of globally threatened species), highlighting the significance of this site. I discuss the importance of the other sites and the threats affecting antelopes in Guinea, and make recommendations to improve the study and conservation of antelope species in the country.

scholarly journals Non-protected areas demanding equitable conservation strategies as of protected areas in the Central Himalayan region

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0255082
Author(s):  
Avantika Thapa ◽  
Pujan Kumar Pradhan ◽  
Bheem Dutt Joshi ◽  
Tanoy Mukherjee ◽  
Mukesh Thakur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Capture Rate ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Manis Pentadactyla

The present study aims to explore the mammalian diversity of Darjeeling district using camera traps along with questionnaire survey in protected area (PA) and non- protected area (Non-PA). We also attempted to understand the influence of habitat variables on mammalian species richness using the generalized linear mixed models (GLMM). A total of 30 mammal species were recorded of which 21 species were detected through camera trapping with the most abundant records of barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak) and least of the elusive Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) and red panda (Ailurus fulgens). Additionally, melanistic forms of four mammals were also recorded. The mammalian species richness, their capture rate and naïve occupancy did not differ significantly among the PA and Non-PA. The GLMM revealed that the proportions of oak and bamboo in the forest, percentage canopy cover and camera trap operational days (wAICc = 0.145, wBIC = 0.603) were significant predictors of species richness in the study. We suggest Non-PA forest of Darjeeling should be given equal conservation importance as to the PA. Landscape based conservation planning will be imperative for achieving long term conservation goals in the study area.

ECOPOTENTIAL Storylines: a whole system approach to Protected Area ecosystems

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonello Provenzale ◽  
Carl Beierkuhnlein ◽  
Silvia Giamberini ◽  
Simona Imperio ◽  
Carmela Marangi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Ecosystem Approach ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Community Activities ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Life Issues

<p>The EU H2020 ECOPOTENTIAL project was devoted to make best use of Earth observations to improve ecosystem benefits and support conservation strategies. The project followed a whole-ecosystem approach, with special attention to geosphere-biosphere interactions. The project, started in 2015 and ended in 2019, focused its activities on a set of more than 20 protected areas of international relevance in Europe and beyond, many of which are also eLTER and ILTER sites, covering a wide array of biogeographic regions and ecosystems (www.ecopotential-project.eu). The site/sites – specific research activities have been developed within a comprehensive framework (called the project’s “Storylines”) where real-life issues of broad conservation relevance for Protected Areas are linked with research questions. The Storylines specify the needs for remote sensing and in-situ data for ecosystem modelling, ecosystem service assessment, cross-scale interaction estimates, demands for future protections, policy and capacity building. Each storyline has been focused within at least one protected area and has sets the basis for further operational work in the field, adding specifics, defining a work plan and assigning tasks. Storylines have been conceived as iterative processes whose flow of activity and practical implementation evolved with the increase of knowledge and the demands by the users of the scientific findings. After a general introduction to the Storyline approach, here we focus on the case of the Gran Paradiso National Park, considering population dynamics of wild ungulates, biodiversity assessments and Critical Zone exploration. The Storyline concept is now left as a legacy of the ECOPOTENTIAL project to eLTER RI and to the GEO ECO community activities.</p>

Can the Important Bird Area approach improve the Antarctic Protected Area System?

Polar Record ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane W. Harris ◽  
Eric J. Woehler
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
National Interests ◽  
Antarctic Research ◽  
Antarctic Treaty ◽  
Site Identification ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Important Bird Area

The selection of sites that comprise the existing network of Antarctic protected areas has been largely ad hoc, driven by national interests rather than concerted efforts to ensure systematic and representative coverage of the Antarctic environment. Consequently there are gaps in coverage of all major ecosystems, in particular areas kept inviolate from human activity, inland lakes, and marine protected areas. Annex V of the 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty provides a list of values to be protected within a network of Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs), but provides no quantitative methods for site identification and prioritisation. The Antarctic Important Bird Area (IBA) Inventory is a joint initiative of BirdLife International and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research Group of Experts on Birds (formerly the Bird Biology Subcommittee). The Antarctic IBA Inventory has identified 119 candidate IBAs, 97 of which are not currently protected as ASPAs. The IBA Inventory can improve the Antarctic Protected Area System (PAS) in that it provides a method by which to identify and prioritise sites for their potential inclusion in the Antarctic PAS.

Stakeholder attitudes towards wildlife policy and the Bénoué Wildlife Conservation Area, North Cameroon

2003 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 334-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert B. Weladji ◽  
Stein R. Moe ◽  
Pål Vedeld
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Local Variation ◽  
Local People ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Resource Exploitation ◽  
Conservation Area ◽  
Wildlife Policy

In recent years, wildlife policies that consider the participation of stakeholders have been promoted. An understanding of the stakeholders' attitudes towards conservation and existing policies are critical in designing new policies or sustainable conservation strategies. This paper examines stakeholders' (local people, park staff and professional hunter guides) attitudes, towards the Bénoué Wildlife Conservation Area (BWCA) and towards Cameroonian wildlife policy. The BWCA encompasses the Bénoué National Park and its surrounding hunting concessions that also include some villages. Both the Park and the hunting concessions are two categories of protected areas. Data were collected using informal interviews and questionnaires administered to 114 households from three communities, 17 park staff and seven professional hunter guides. Local people's attitudes towards protected areas depended on the management category of the particular protected area. Local people were positive towards the existence of the Park, but negative towards the system of hunting concession areas. There was local variation between communities concerning these attitudes. Local people were generally positive to maintaining the present Park area, but preferred a reduction in the size of the hunting concessions. Both Park staff and professional hunter guides expressed concern about present management strategies and the extent of illegal resource exploitation. Despite having poor knowledge of the current Cameroonian wildlife policy, most of the local households expressed support for it, but called for increased local involvement in management, off-take and the harvesting of benefits from both Park and hunting concession activities. The Park staff were sceptical about local participation in this context and saw such endeavours as a threat to a sound biodiversity management scheme. The findings indicate the need to strengthen current wildlife policy, promote the involvement of local people and empower the Park staff, both in terms of resources and in terms of skills in interacting with local people. The revised policy should be designed so as to vary according to the category of protected area and allow site-specific adaptations. Local people must experience reduced incurred costs and increased incomes from the Park. An environmental education programme is recommended to extensively disseminate the policy to user groups in the area.

scholarly journals VISITOR MONITORING IN PROTECTED AREAS: CONCEPTS, METHODS AND TRENDS

InterConf ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 295-305
Author(s):  
Tetiana Rudenko
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Karst Area ◽  
Video Observation ◽  
Ethical Aspects ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Moravian Karst ◽  
Maintenance Requirements

The objective of this paper is to present a systematic overview on methods used for visitor monitoring in recreational areas. Emphasis is given on quantitative methods such as direct observation, video observation, counting devices and registration books. The various approaches are discussed with regard to practical, legal and organisational aspects, such as costs, maintenance requirements, dependence on infrastructure, risk of vandalism or suitability for remote and ecologically sensitive locations. As visitor monitoring can also be regarded as an interference with the privacy of the persons being monitored, ethical aspects of the application of the various methods must also be addressed. This article reviews the possibilities of using visitor monitoring in the management of a protected area using the example of the Moravian Karst Protected Landscape Area (PLA). The Moravian Karst is the largest and most significant Karst area in the Czech Republic. The disadvantages of visitor monitoring in protected areas are analysed in the discussion part.

scholarly journals Wildlife Research and Monitoring in Nepal: An Overview

1970 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-32
Author(s):  
Buddi Sagar Poudel
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Evaluation Criteria ◽  
Protected Area Management ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Learning Centers ◽  
Conservation Actions ◽  
Research Studies ◽  
Area Management

Considerable research studies have been carried out in protected areas of Nepal over last three decades. Often, these studies are species oriented on selected endangered mammals and do not deliver conservation actions potentially to serve management needs. Comprehensive, multidisciplinary research approach and long term monitoring is scant at present and is of little conservation significance. Research policies, guidelines, prioritization and evaluation criteria are important facets for sound protected area management. Persistent concerted efforts are needed to make research and monitoring as an integral part of protected area management. This paper reviews present state of wildlife research in Nepal's protected areas. The conservation laws and regulation related to research studies are dealt in brief. Also, the endangered species monitoring exercises are discussed and finally, this paper offers some prospective options to make the protected areas as learning centers from conservation standpoint and recommends documentation and dissemination of researched information. Key Words: Protected area, Research & monitoring, Rhino, Tiger, Gharial, Gaur, Swamp deer. DOI: 10.3126/init.v2i1.2515 The Initiation Vol.2(1) pp22-32

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