scholarly journals Antarctica's wilderness has declined to the exclusion of biodiversity

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel I. Leihy ◽  
Bernard W.T. Coetzee ◽  
Fraser Morgan ◽  
Ben Raymond ◽  
Justine D. Shaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Human Activity ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Natural Reserve ◽  
Wilderness Areas ◽  
Biogeographic Regions ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Specially Protected Areas

Recent assessments of the biodiversity value of Earth's dwindling wilderness areas have emphasized the whole of Antarctica as a crucial wilderness in need of urgent protection. Whole-of-continent designations for Antarctic conservation remain controversial, however, because of widespread human impacts and frequently used provisions in Antarctic law for the designation of specially protected areas to conserve wilderness values, species and ecosystems. Here we investigate the extent to which Antarctica's wilderness encompasses its biodiversity. We assembled a comprehensive record of human activity on the continent (~ 2.7 million localities) and used it to identify unvisited areas ≥ 10 000 km2 (i.e. Antarctica's wilderness areas) and their representation of biodiversity. We show that, at best, 7 770 000 km2 of wilderness remains, covering 56.9% of the continent's surface area, however it captures few important biodiversity features. Important Bird Areas, ice-free Antarctic Conservation Biogeographic Regions crucial for biodiversity and areas with verified biodiversity records are largely excluded. Our results demonstrate that Antarcticas wilderness has already declined to the exclusion of much of its biodiversity. But that on a continent set aside as a natural reserve, increased regulation of human activity and urgent expansion of the Antarctic specially protected area network could feasibly reverse this trend.

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.

The role of protected area wetlands in waterfowl habitat conservation: Implications for protected area network design

2014 ◽  
Vol 176 ◽  
pp. 144-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
William S. Beatty ◽  
Dylan C. Kesler ◽  
Elisabeth B. Webb ◽  
Andrew H. Raedeke ◽  
Luke W. Naylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Network Design ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Habitat Conservation ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Protected Area Network ◽  
Conservation Implications ◽  
Waterfowl Habitat

scholarly journals Colonization by mites of glacier-free areas in King George Island, Antarctica

2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (8) ◽  
pp. 891-895 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Gryziak
Keyword(s):  
West Coast ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Oribatid Mites ◽  
King George Island ◽  
Admiralty Bay ◽  
Near Shore ◽  
South Shetlands ◽  
Mite Communities ◽  
The Antarctic

This work aimed to investigate the ratio of colonization by terrestrial mites on ice-free areas created by the ongoing climate-induced melting of Antarctic glaciers. Glacier retreat opens new ice-free areas for the colonization by vegetation and animals. The study was undertaken on the Antarctic Specially Protected Area no. 128 (West Coast of the Admiralty Bay, King George Island, South Shetlands Islands). Transects marked between the Ecology, Baranowski and Windy Glaciers, and a sea shore were used to collect soil samples. Oribatid mites were found only on near-shore areas, on patches of vegetation of more than 30 years of age. The colonization by mite communities is strongly determined by the presence of plants.

scholarly journals Human Activity in Antarctica: Effects on Metallic Trace Elements (MTEs) in Plants and Soils

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2593
Author(s):  
Jaime Tapia ◽  
Marco Molina-Montenegro ◽  
Camila Sandoval ◽  
Natalia Rivas ◽  
Jessica Espinoza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Activity ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy ◽  
Flame Atomic Absorption ◽  
Sampling Locations ◽  
Metallic Trace Elements ◽  
Metallic Trace Element ◽  
The Antarctic

Colobanthus quitensis (Kunt) is one of the two vascular plant species present in Antarctica and develops under severe environmental conditions, being found in both pristine and human-threatened environments. We determined the Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn levels in C. quitensis roots, leaves, and soils of origin using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. In January 2017, we collected samples from four geographical zones on the longitudinal gradient along which C. quitensis is distributed, starting from Punta Arenas (PAR) at the extreme south of mainland Chile and moving southwards to the Antarctic territory from King George Island (KGI) to Hannah Point Peninsula (PHA) and finally Lagotellerie Island (LAT). We used certified reference material to validate the plant tissues and soil samples we collected. The highest concentrations of metals that we measured in the soils and in the C. quitensis roots and leaves were in samples we collected at the KGI station, the zone with the greatest human activity. The lowest concentrations we measured were at the LAT station, an island with little human intervention and scarce fauna. The mean concentrations of metals in the roots and leaves of C. quitensis followed a similar order at all sampling locations: Mn > Zn > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cr > Cd. In contrast, in soil, they followed the following order: Mn > Zn > Cu > Cr > Pb > Ni > Cd. The concentration levels obtained for the different metals in the soil and plants tissue samples in this region of Antarctica indicated that the area was non-polluted. However, the metallic trace element (MTE) concentrations may be at an early stage of contamination, as described in other areas of the Antarctic, being a new threat to this continent.

scholarly journals The mismatch between location of protected areas and suitable habitat for the Vulnerable taruka Hippocamelus antisensis

Oryx ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 752-756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Mata ◽  
Nicolás Fuentes-Allende ◽  
Juan E. Malo ◽  
André Vielma ◽  
Benito A. González
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Species Distribution Model ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Atacama Desert ◽  
Distribution Model ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Core Habitat ◽  
Preferred Habitat ◽  
Educational Programmes

AbstractProtected areas help to decrease human impacts on threatened mammals but do not always include species’ core habitats. Here we focus on the Vulnerable taruka Hippocamelus antisensis near the Atacama Desert, Chile, a population that is mainly threatened by interactions with local human communities. We develop a species distribution model for taruka and assess the contribution of protected areas to safeguarding its preferred habitat. From sightings (collected during 2004–2015), absence records (collected in 2014), and environmental variables, we determined that taruka habitat is scarce, highly fragmented and limited to humid areas. Only 7.7–11.2% of the taruka's core habitat is under protection. We recommend the establishment of a protected area in the south of Arica-Parinacota district, an area without settlements that lies within the taruka's core habitat, along with educational programmes, fencing of crops, and inclusion of communities in decision-making in areas where farmer–taruka interactions are negative.

Estimating marine protected area network benefits for reef sharks

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (10) ◽  
pp. 1969-1980
Author(s):  
Gerardo Martín ◽  
Mario Espinoza ◽  
Michelle Heupel ◽  
Colin A. Simpfendorfer
Keyword(s):  
Protected Area ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Protected Area Network ◽  
Reef Sharks
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