scholarly journals Operationalizing ecological connectivity in spatial conservation planning with Marxan Connect

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Remi M Daigle ◽  
Anna Metaxas ◽  
Arieanna Balbar ◽  
Jennifer McGowan ◽  
Eric A Treml ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Landscape Connectivity ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Eigenvector Centrality ◽  
Ecological Connectivity ◽  
Prioritization Process ◽  
Ecological Features ◽  
Spatial Conservation Planning

Globally, protected areas are being established to protect biodiversity and to promote ecosystem resilience. The typical spatial conservation planning process leading to the creation of these protected areas focuses on representation and replication of ecological features, often using decision support systems such as Marxan. Unfortunately, Marxan currently requires manual input or specialised scripts to explicitly consider ecological connectivity, a property critical to metapopulation persistence and resilience. "Marxan Connect" is a new open source, open access Graphical User Interface (GUI) designed to assist conservation planners in the systematic operationalization of ecological connectivity in protected area network planning. Marxan Connect is able to incorporate estimates of demographic connectivity (e.g. derived from tracking data, dispersal models, or genetics) or structural landscape connectivity (e.g. isolation by resistance). This is accomplished by calculating metapopulation-relevant connectivity metrics (e.g. eigenvector centrality) and treating those as conservation features, or using the connectivity data as a spatial dependency amongst sites to be included in the prioritization process. Marxan Connect allows a wide group of users to incorporate directional ecological connectivity into conservation plans. The least-cost conservation solutions provided by Marxan Connect, combined with ecologically relevant post-hoc testing, are more likely to support persistent and resilient metapopulations (e.g. fish stocks) and provide better protection for biodiversity than if connectivity is ignored.

scholarly journals Providing more protected space for tigers Panthera tigris: a landscape conservation approach in the Western Ghats, southern India

Oryx ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 336-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjay Gubbi ◽  
Kaushik Mukherjee ◽  
M.H. Swaminath ◽  
H.C. Poornesha
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Panthera Tigris ◽  
Landscape Conservation ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Protected Area Network ◽  
Indian State

AbstractConservation of large carnivores is challenging as they face various threats, including habitat loss and fragmentation. One of the current challenges to tiger Panthera tigris conservation in India is the conversion of habitat to uses that are incompatible with conservation of the species. Bringing more tiger habitat within a protected area system and in the process creating a network of connected protected areas will deliver dual benefits of wildlife conservation and protection of watersheds. Focusing on the southern Indian state of Karnataka, which holds one of the largest contiguous tiger populations, we attempted to address this challenge using a conservation planning technique that considers ecological, social and political factors. This approach yielded several conservation successes, including an expansion of the protected area network by 2,385 km2, connection of 23 protected areas, and the creation of three complexes of protected areas, increasing the protected area network in Karnataka from 3.8 to 5.2% of the state's land area. This represents the largest expansion of protected areas in India since the 1970s. Such productive partnerships between government officials and conservationists highlight the importance of complementary roles in conservation planning and implementation.

scholarly journals Assessing the efficiency of protected areas to represent biodiversity: a small island case study

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 337-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARTA VERGÍLIO ◽  
CATARINA FONSECA ◽  
HELENA CALADO ◽  
PAULO A.V. BORGES ◽  
RUI BENTO ELIAS ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Distribution Data ◽  
Current Conservation ◽  
Distribution Modelling ◽  
Spatial Conservation Planning ◽  
Species Groups

SUMMARYProtected areas (PAs) have been selected using either subjective or objective criteria applied to an extremely limited subset of biodiversity. Improved availability of species distribution data, better statistical tools to predict species distributions and algorithms to optimize spatial conservation planning allow many impediments to be overcome, particularly on small islands. This study analyses whether 219 species are adequately protected by PAs on Pico Island (the Azores, Portugal), and if they are as efficient as possible, maximizing species protection while minimizing costs. We performed distribution modelling of species’ potential distributions, proposed individual conservation targets (considering the context of each species in the archipelago and their current conservation status) to determine the efficiency of current PAs in meeting such targets and identify alternative or complementary areas relevant for conservation. Results showed that current PAs do not cover all taxa, leaving out important areas for conservation. We demonstrate that by using optimization algorithms it is possible to include most species groups in spatial conservation planning in the Azores with the current resources. With increasing availability of data and methods, this approach could be readily extended to other islands and regions with high endemism levels.

scholarly journals Global priorities for conservation across multiple dimensions of mammalian diversity

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (29) ◽  
pp. 7641-7646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda T. Brum ◽  
Catherine H. Graham ◽  
Gabriel C. Costa ◽  
S. Blair Hedges ◽  
Caterina Penone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Conservation Priorities ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Priority Areas ◽  
Multiple Dimensions ◽  
Mammal Conservation ◽  
Taxonomic Groups

Conservation priorities that are based on species distribution, endemism, and vulnerability may underrepresent biologically unique species as well as their functional roles and evolutionary histories. To ensure that priorities are biologically comprehensive, multiple dimensions of diversity must be considered. Further, understanding how the different dimensions relate to one another spatially is important for conservation prioritization, but the relationship remains poorly understood. Here, we use spatial conservation planning to (i) identify and compare priority regions for global mammal conservation across three key dimensions of biodiversity—taxonomic, phylogenetic, and traits—and (ii) determine the overlap of these regions with the locations of threatened species and existing protected areas. We show that priority areas for mammal conservation exhibit low overlap across the three dimensions, highlighting the need for an integrative approach for biodiversity conservation. Additionally, currently protected areas poorly represent the three dimensions of mammalian biodiversity. We identify areas of high conservation priority among and across the dimensions that should receive special attention for expanding the global protected area network. These high-priority areas, combined with areas of high priority for other taxonomic groups and with social, economic, and political considerations, provide a biological foundation for future conservation planning efforts.

scholarly journals Identification of priority areas for plant conservation in Madagascar using Red List criteria: rare and threatened Pandanaceae indicate sites in need of protection

Oryx ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin W. Callmander ◽  
George E. Schatz ◽  
Porter P. Lowry II ◽  
Michel O. Laivao ◽  
Jeannie Raharimampionona ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Plant Conservation ◽  
Grid Cell ◽  
Iucn Red List ◽  
Red List ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Area Of Occupancy ◽  
Risk Of Extinction

AbstractA major problem in establishing effective protocols for conserving Madagascar's biodiversity is the lack of reliable information for the identification of priority sites in need of protection. Analyses of field data and information from herbarium collections for members of the plant family Pandanaceae (85 spp. of Pandanus; 6 spp. of Martellidendron) showed how risk of extinction assessments can inform conservation planning. Application of IUCN Red List categories and criteria showed that 91% of the species are threatened. Mapping occurrence revealed centres of richness and rarity as well as gaps in Madagascar's existing protected area network. Protection of 10 additional sites would be required to encompass the 19 species currently lacking representation in the reserve network, within which east coast littoral forests are particularly under represented and important. The effect of scale on assessments of risk of extinction was explored by applying different grid cell sizes to estimate area of occupancy. Using a grid cell size within the range suggested by IUCN overestimates threatened status if based solely upon specimen data. For poorly inventoried countries such as Madagascar measures of range size based on such data should be complemented with field observations to determine population size, sensitivity to disturbance, and specific threats to habitat and therefore potential population decline. The analysis of such data can make an important contribution to the conservation planning process by identifying threatened species and revealing the highest priority sites for their conservation.

scholarly journals Developing best practice for using Marxan to locate Marine Protected Areas in European waters

2008 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 188-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Smith ◽  
Paul D. Eastwood ◽  
Yoshitaka Ota ◽  
Stuart I. Rogers
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Smith, R. J., Eastwood, P. D., Ota, Y., and Rogers, S. I. 2009. Developing best practice for using Marxan to locate Marine Protected Areas in European waters. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 188–194. Several recent studies have investigated the use of the conservation planning software Marxan to design Marine Protected Area (MPA) networks in UK waters. The systematic conservation planning approach embodied by Marxan has a number of advantages, but these studies have highlighted the need for guidance and advice on best practice. Here, we discuss two broad topics that we feel should inform future developments in the UK and elsewhere in the European Union. First, several technical issues need to be addressed to ensure the scientific defensibility of any conservation planning project. These include identifying which conservation features should be represented in an MPA system, developing a system for setting representation targets, and identifying which data should be included to minimize conflict with human uses of the sea. Second, it is necessary for researchers to engage at an early stage with those responsible for implementation and recognize that reserve selection should be part of a broader conservation planning process centred on a stakeholder-developed implementation strategy. A more-inclusive approach will make use of technical outputs, such as those generated by Marxan, as part of the process of policy development.

scholarly journals The use of connectivity in the design of networks of marine protected areas

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arieanna C Balbar ◽  
Anna Metaxas
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Marine Conservation ◽  
Population Connectivity ◽  
Conservation Strategy ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Conservation Areas ◽  
Spatial Conservation Planning ◽  
Ecological Conservation

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are an area-based conservation strategy commonly used to safeguard marine biodiversity and ecosystem services. Population connectivity governs the exchange of individuals among spatially fragmented habitats and is an essential criterion in the design of MPAs. However, detailed computational methods for connectivity are inconsistently applied in management decisions. We reviewed the scientific and management literature to explore the use of connectivity in MPAs located in countries with advanced marine spatial planning. Only 7.8% of 739 MPAs considered connectivity as an ecological criterion, although it has been increasingly used since 2007, suggesting progress in spatial conservation planning towards the use of ecological conservation objectives. In most cases, connectivity was measured implicitly using either rules of thumb or size and spacing guidelines. Of the MPAs that considered connectivity, 67% were for state marine conservation areas or reserves in California and commonwealth marine reserves in Australia. This pattern indicates substantial geographic biases and significant differences in conservation planning and prioritization among countries. We suggest that the incorporation of connectivity in conservation planning needs to become more accessible to practitioners. Prioritizing connectivity as an ecologically important criterion in MPA design will more adequately address metapopulation persistence and recovery.

scholarly journals Operationalizing ecological connectivity in spatial conservation planning with Marxan Connect

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 570-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rémi M. Daigle ◽  
Anna Metaxas ◽  
Arieanna C. Balbar ◽  
Jennifer McGowan ◽  
Eric A. Treml ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Ecological Connectivity ◽  
Spatial Conservation Planning

Systematic conservation planning within a Fijian customary governance context

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans K. Wendt ◽  
Rebecca Weeks ◽  
James Comley ◽  
William Aalbersberg
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Local Scale ◽  
Management Decision ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Systematic Conservation Planning ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Ecological Features

Although conservation planning research has influenced conservation actions globally in the last two decades, successful implementation of systematic conservation plans in regions where customary marine tenure exists has been minimal. In such regions, local community knowledge and understanding of socioeconomic realities may offer the best spatially explicit information for analysis, since required socioeconomic data are not available at scales relevant to conservation planning. Here we describe the process undertaken by the Kadavu Yaubula Management Support Team, a team of researchers from The University of the South Pacific and the local communities to assess whether systematic conservation planning tools can be effectively applied and useful in a customary governance context, using a case study from Fiji. Through a participatory approach and with the aim of meeting local-scale conservation and fisheries needs, a spatial conservation planning tool, Marxan with Zones, was used to reconfigure a collection of locally designed marine protected areas in the province of Kadavu in order to achieve broader objectives. At the local scale, the real value of such tools has been in the process of identifying and conceptualising management issues, working with communities to collate data through participatory techniques, and in engaging communities in management decision making. The output and use of the tool has been of secondary value. The outcome was invaluable for developing marine protected area network design approaches that combine traditional knowledge with ecological features in a manner appropriate to a Melanesian context.

scholarly journals Conservation planning for Africa's Albertine Rift: conserving a biodiverse region in the face of multiple threats

Oryx ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Plumptre ◽  
Sam Ayebare ◽  
Deo Kujirakwinja ◽  
Dan Segan
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Restricted Range ◽  
Albertine Rift ◽  
Agricultural Conversion ◽  
Conservation Costs ◽  
The Face ◽  
Republic Of The Congo

Abstract The Albertine Rift is one of Africa's most biodiverse regions, but is threatened by habitat loss as a result of agricultural expansion and human development. Previous studies estimated that 30% of the region has been lost to agricultural conversion and we estimate here that 33% is allocated for mining concessions. For conservation planning, we used niche models for species endemic to the Albertine Rift and those that are globally threatened. We assessed where to conserve these species using three scenarios: (1) a baseline assuming equal conservation costs across all grid cells in the study area, (2) a scenario locking in existing protected areas (i.e. always selecting them by default) and assessing which unprotected areas require conservation, and (3) a scenario considering mining planned across the region. Marxan analyses produced similar results for the three scenarios, highlighting the importance of existing protected areas and the value of several community-managed or provincial protected areas in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The current protected area network covers 134,246 km2 and an additional 64,586 km2 would be required to ensure the conservation of all threatened and endemic species outside the parks and wildlife reserves. However, if trying to avoid mining concessions this increases to 145,704 km2, an area larger than the existing protected areas. Some mining concessions harbour species with a restricted range and would thus need to be protected to ensure the persistence of threatened and endemic fauna and flora. These mining concessions should be challenged by the conservation community.

scholarly journals The use of connectivity in the design of networks of marine protected areas

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arieanna C Balbar ◽  
Anna Metaxas
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Marine Conservation ◽  
Population Connectivity ◽  
Conservation Strategy ◽  
Marine Biodiversity ◽  
Conservation Areas ◽  
Spatial Conservation Planning ◽  
Ecological Conservation

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are an area-based conservation strategy commonly used to safeguard marine biodiversity and ecosystem services. Population connectivity governs the exchange of individuals among spatially fragmented habitats and is an essential criterion in the design of MPAs. However, detailed computational methods for connectivity are inconsistently applied in management decisions. We reviewed the scientific and management literature to explore the use of connectivity in MPAs located in countries with advanced marine spatial planning. Only 7.8% of 739 MPAs considered connectivity as an ecological criterion, although it has been increasingly used since 2007, suggesting progress in spatial conservation planning towards the use of ecological conservation objectives. In most cases, connectivity was measured implicitly using either rules of thumb or size and spacing guidelines. Of the MPAs that considered connectivity, 67% were for state marine conservation areas or reserves in California and commonwealth marine reserves in Australia. This pattern indicates substantial geographic biases and significant differences in conservation planning and prioritization among countries. We suggest that the incorporation of connectivity in conservation planning needs to become more accessible to practitioners. Prioritizing connectivity as an ecologically important criterion in MPA design will more adequately address metapopulation persistence and recovery.

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