Incorporating Climate and Ocean Change into Extinction Risk Assessments for 82 Coral Species

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 1169-1178 ◽  
Author(s):  
RUSSELL E. BRAINARD ◽  
MARISKA WEIJERMAN ◽  
C. MARK EAKIN ◽  
PAUL MCELHANY ◽  
MARGARET W. MILLER ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Species ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Risk Assessments

scholarly journals The commonness of rarity: Global and future distribution of rarity across land plants

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (11) ◽  
pp. eaaz0414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian J. Enquist ◽  
Xiao Feng ◽  
Brad Boyle ◽  
Brian Maitner ◽  
Erica A. Newman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Rare Species ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Neutral Theory ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
Human Land Use ◽  
Species Abundance Distributions

A key feature of life’s diversity is that some species are common but many more are rare. Nonetheless, at global scales, we do not know what fraction of biodiversity consists of rare species. Here, we present the largest compilation of global plant diversity to quantify the fraction of Earth’s plant biodiversity that are rare. A large fraction, ~36.5% of Earth’s ~435,000 plant species, are exceedingly rare. Sampling biases and prominent models, such as neutral theory and the k-niche model, cannot account for the observed prevalence of rarity. Our results indicate that (i) climatically more stable regions have harbored rare species and hence a large fraction of Earth’s plant species via reduced extinction risk but that (ii) climate change and human land use are now disproportionately impacting rare species. Estimates of global species abundance distributions have important implications for risk assessments and conservation planning in this era of rapid global change.

scholarly journals Hosts of the Plio-Pleistocene past reflect modern-day coral vulnerability

2012 ◽  
Vol 279 (1737) ◽  
pp. 2448-2456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert van Woesik ◽  
Erik C. Franklin ◽  
Jennifer O'Leary ◽  
Tim R. McClanahan ◽  
James S. Klaus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coral Species ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
International Union ◽  
Widespread Distribution ◽  
The Past ◽  
Biological Trait ◽  
Global Extinction ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Extinction Events

The risk of global extinction of reef-building coral species is increasing. We evaluated extinction risk using a biological trait-based resiliency index that was compared with Caribbean extinction during the Plio-Pleistocene, and with extinction risk determined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Through the Plio-Pleistocene, the Caribbean supported more diverse coral assemblages than today and shared considerable overlap with contemporary Indo-Pacific reefs. A clear association was found between extant Plio-Pleistocene coral genera and our positive resilience scores. Regional extinction in the past and vulnerability in the present suggests that Pocillopora, Stylophora and foliose Pavona are among the most susceptible taxa to local and regional isolation. These same taxa were among the most abundant corals in the Caribbean Pliocene. Therefore, a widespread distribution did not equate with immunity to regional extinction. The strong relationship between past and present vulnerability suggests that regional extinction events are trait-based and not merely random episodes. We found several inconsistencies between our data and the IUCN scores, which suggest a need to critically re-examine what constitutes coral vulnerability.

scholarly journals Quantification of habitat fragmentation reveals extinction risk in terrestrial mammals

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (29) ◽  
pp. 7635-7640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin R. Crooks ◽  
Christopher L. Burdett ◽  
David M. Theobald ◽  
Sarah R. B. King ◽  
Moreno Di Marco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Fragmentation ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Threat Assessment ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
Phylogenetic Comparative Methods ◽  
Terrestrial Mammals ◽  
Geographic Range Size ◽  
Mammal Conservation ◽  
Primary Driver ◽  
Animal Taxon

Although habitat fragmentation is often assumed to be a primary driver of extinction, global patterns of fragmentation and its relationship to extinction risk have not been consistently quantified for any major animal taxon. We developed high-resolution habitat fragmentation models and used phylogenetic comparative methods to quantify the effects of habitat fragmentation on the world’s terrestrial mammals, including 4,018 species across 26 taxonomic Orders. Results demonstrate that species with more fragmentation are at greater risk of extinction, even after accounting for the effects of key macroecological predictors, such as body size and geographic range size. Species with higher fragmentation had smaller ranges and a lower proportion of high-suitability habitat within their range, and most high-suitability habitat occurred outside of protected areas, further elevating extinction risk. Our models provide a quantitative evaluation of extinction risk assessments for species, allow for identification of emerging threats in species not classified as threatened, and provide maps of global hotspots of fragmentation for the world’s terrestrial mammals. Quantification of habitat fragmentation will help guide threat assessment and strategic priorities for global mammal conservation.

The use of ecological traits in extinction risk assessments: A case study on geometrid moths

2008 ◽  
Vol 141 (9) ◽  
pp. 2322-2328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niina Mattila ◽  
Janne S. Kotiaho ◽  
Veijo Kaitala ◽  
Atte Komonen
Keyword(s):  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
Ecological Traits

scholarly journals Available data and risk assessment of the Brazilian threatened species of Combretaceae

Rodriguésia ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 031-038 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Borges ◽  
Miguel d'Ávila de Moraes ◽  
Nina Pougy Monteiro ◽  
Ananda Meinberg Bevacqua ◽  
Gustavo Martinelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
International Union ◽  
Whole Process ◽  
Brazilian Flora ◽  
Gathering Data ◽  
Iucn Criteria

The risk assessment is made up of risk analyses of species extinction in a given time, following the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) criteria. In Brazil, the data necessary for risk assessments have poor quality, so we proposed the articulation of previous processes to improve data quality. The main objective of this work was to reassess the extinction risk of Brazilian species of Combretaceae previously considered as threatened, updating conservation data available for these taxa. Our results showed that the processes of taxonomic proceedings; data gathering; data analysis; georeferencing and communication improved the assessments consistency, specially due to systematization of the whole process. Of the 11 selected species for reassessment, five were threatened in the categories VU, EN, CR e CR* and six under significant threat of extinction. However the deficiency of herbaria data, the lack of digitalization of the majority of country collections and the limited access to available literature represent the main obstacles for extinction risk assessments of the Brazilian flora.

scholarly journals Phylogenetic patterns of extinction risk: the need for critical application of appropriate datasets

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roy E. Gereau ◽  
Neil D. Burgess ◽  
Jon Fjeldså ◽  
Jaclyn Hall ◽  
Andreas Hemp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Species Distributions ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
Eastern Arc Mountains ◽  
Vulnerable Species ◽  
Ecosystem Boundaries ◽  
Eastern Arc ◽  
Plant Extinction ◽  
Available Information ◽  
Risk Categories

In order to conduct a replicable analysis of the possible phylogenetic patterns of extinction risk, one must first formulate a clear set of definitions of ecosystem boundaries and risk categories. Subsequently, a robust and internally consistent dataset that includes all the available information on species distributions and risk assessments must be assembled. Here, we review the dataset and methodology of a recent paper focused on phylogenetic patterns of plant extinction risk in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Kenya and Tanzania and point out some of the limitations of inferring such patterns from inadequate and biased data. We show that bias in the dataset is probably responsible for the conclusion that Vulnerable species are more closely related than expected by chance, and provide guidelines for the construction of an appropriate dataset for such an analysis.

Shortfalls in extinction risk assessments for plants

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 466
Author(s):  
Matthew Alfonzetti ◽  
Malin C. Rivers ◽  
Tony D. Auld ◽  
Tom Le Breton ◽  
Tim Cooney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Iucn Red List ◽  
Red List ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
Endemic Plants ◽  
Endemic Plant ◽  
Extinction Risk Assessment ◽  
Epbc Act

Research on species recovery, reintroduction, and conservation disproportionally focusses on birds and mammals. Typically, less attention is given to hyper-diverse but ecologically important groups such as plants and invertebrates. In this study, we focussed on a continent with one of the world’s highest proportions of endemic plant species (Australia) comparing the number of extinction risk assessments relative to birds and mammals. Specifically, we generated a checklist of Australian endemic vascular plants and used three resources which differ in styles and scope to collate information on how many have an extinction risk assessment – the ThreatSearch database, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, and Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, (EPBC Act). Between 76 and 93% of endemic Australian plants examined lack an extinction risk assessment based on data from our three sources. We also compared the proportions of endemic plants assessed relative to birds and mammals. Of all endemic plant taxa examined, only 6.8% have been assessed under the EPBC Act, compared with 9.4% of birds and 28.9% of mammals. Similarly, only 8.8% of endemic plants have been assessed for the IUCN Red List, compared with 29.1% of birds and 61.1% of mammals, whereas all birds and mammals have been examined in National Action Plans. This represents a significant underestimation of the actual proportion of Australian endemic plants that are likely to satisfy extinction-risk criteria for listing as threatened. This shortfall in risk assessments for plants is a matter of international significance for conservation given Australia’s high rate of plant endemism. A change in policy and approach to assessing extinction risk is needed to ensure adequate assessment effort across different taxonomic groups.

scholarly journals Global shortfalls in extinction risk assessments for endemic flora

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. V. Gallagher ◽  
S. Allen ◽  
M. C. Rivers ◽  
A. P. Allen ◽  
N. Butt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Plant Conservation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Global Strategy ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
Face Threats ◽  
Extinction Risk Assessment ◽  
Endemic Flora

SUMMARYThe Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) ambitiously calls for an assessment of extinction risk for all recognised plant taxa by 20201. It is now clear that this target will not be met in the short-term; only 21-26% of known plant species have been assessed2 – a monumental shortfall in anticipated knowledge. Yet the need for risk assessments has never been more urgent. Plants are rapidly going extinct3,4 and face threats such as climate change5 and permanent deforestation6. Extinction risk assessments continue to provide the critical foundation to inform protection, management and recovery of plant species7,8, the loss of which will have clear consequences for maintaining planetary systems and human well-being9. Here, we rank countries of the world based on progress towards assessing the extinction risk to their endemic flora. Overall, 67% of country-based endemic species do not have an extinction risk assessment completed (143,294 species). We show that some of the world’s wealthiest nations, which also have relatively strong species protections, are failing to protect their unique flora by not systematically assessing risks to their endemic species.

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