Representation of Ecological Systems within the Protected Areas Network of the Continental United States

Jocelyn L Aycrigg,Anne Davidson,Kevin J Gergely,Alexa Mckerrow,J Michael Scott,Leona K Svancara,Kimberly Patraw Van Niel

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054689

Jocelyn L Aycrigg, Anne Davidson + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0054689

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Abstract

If conservation of biodiversity is the goal, then the protected areas network of the continental US may be one of our best conservation tools for safeguarding ecological systems (i.e., vegetation communities). We evaluated representation of ecological systems in the current protected areas network and found insufficient representation at three vegetation community levels within lower elevations and moderate to high productivity soils. We used national-level data for ecological systems and a protected areas database to explore alternative ways we might be able to increase representation of ecological systems within the continental US. By following one or more of these alternatives it may be possible to increase the representation of ecological systems in the protected areas network both quantitatively (from 10% up to 39%) and geographically and come closer to meeting the suggested Convention on Biological Diversity target of 17% for terrestrial areas. We used the Landscape Conservation Cooperative framework for regional analysis and found that increased conservation on some private and public lands may be important to the conservation of ecological systems in Western US, while increased public-private partnerships may be important in the conservation of ecological systems in Eastern US. We have not assessed the pros and cons of following the national or regional alternatives, but rather present them as possibilities that may be considered and evaluated as decisions are made to increase the representation of ecological systems in the protected areas network across their range of ecological, geographical, and geophysical occurrence in the continental US into the future.

Highlights

A mix of opportunity, available resources, and agency-specific conservation priorities are the foundation upon which networks of protected areas are developed over time [1,2,3,4]
To assess least protected or most endangered ecosystems, we summarized within each hierarchical level of the National Gap Analysis Program (GAP) Land Cover (i.e., Levels I, II, and ecological systems) the number, size, protection status, and ownership of land parcels within Protected Areas Database of the US (PAD-US), as well as their distribution among Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCC)
The analysis of representation of the network shows that the distribution of ecological systems managed to maintain biodiversity is skewed towards high elevation and low productivity soils (Figure 1A)

Summary

Introduction

A mix of opportunity, available resources, and agency-specific conservation priorities are the foundation upon which networks of protected areas are developed over time [1,2,3,4]. The impediment that once prevented a national-scale approach to protected areas management in the continental US has recently been overcome with the availability of national-level data for vegetation communities, classified to ecological systems [23], and a protected areas database for the US [24]. Each land parcel within PAD-US is assigned a protection status that denotes both the intended level of biodiversity protection and indicates other natural, recreational and cultural uses (Table 1) [24] Together, these databases provide the foundation for assessing the representation of vegetation communities in the continental US within the protected areas network and thereby informing decision making at the national level

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