Existing Conservation Network Research Articles

Identifying mismatches between conservation area networks and vulnerable populations using spatial randomization.

Grassland birds are among the most globally threatened bird groups due to substantial degradation of native grassland habitats. However, the current network of grassland conservation areas may not be adequate for halting population declines and biodiversity loss. Here, we evaluate a network of grassland conservation areas within Wisconsin, U.S.A., that includes both large Focal Landscapes and smaller targeted conservation areas (e.g., Grassland Bird Conservation Areas, GBCAs) established within them. To date, this conservation network has lacked baseline information to assess whether the current placement of these conservation areas aligns with population hot spots of grassland‐dependent taxa. To do so, we fitted data from thousands of avian point‐count surveys collected by citizen scientists as part of Wisconsin's Breeding Bird Atlas II with multinomial N‐mixture models to estimate habitat–abundance relationships, develop spatially explicit predictions of abundance, and establish ecological baselines within priority conservation areas for a suite of obligate grassland songbirds. Next, we developed spatial randomization tests to evaluate the placement of this conservation network relative to randomly placed conservation networks. Overall, less than 20% of species statewide populations were found within the current grassland conservation network. Spatial tests demonstrated a high representation of this bird assemblage within the entire conservation network, but with a bias toward birds associated with moderately tallgrasses relative to those associated with shortgrasses or tallgrasses. We also found that GBCAs had higher representation at Focal Landscape rather than statewide scales. Here, we demonstrated how combining citizen science data with hierarchical modeling is a powerful tool for estimating ecological baselines and conducting large‐scale evaluations of an existing conservation network for multiple grassland birds. Our flexible spatial randomization approach offers the potential to be applied to other protected area networks and serves as a complementary tool for conservation planning efforts globally.

Determining drivers of dragonfly diversity patterns and the implications for conservation in South Africa

Knowing where species occur is essential for conservation planning. In South Africa, regional climatic variation is subject to effects of oceanic current systems, which in turn, determine species diversity patterns. We hypothesize that regional climates and topography are important drivers of aquatic insect species richness, endemism, and assemblage composition, and expect strong assemblage-turnover boundaries to be concurrent with topographical features. We also expected that current conservation networks do not represent aquatic insect species richness and endemism. We used generalized linear mixed models and generalized dissimilarity models to determine drivers of South African dragonfly (Odonata) species richness and assemblage-turnover, as well as to investigate the extent of assemblage-turnover boundaries. We found that climate gradients were significant drivers, and found significant variation in assemblages between sub-regions. Turnover boundaries were gradual but concurrent with topographical features and/or areas with spatial changes in sub-regional climate. Modern-day climate and topography partially explained dragonfly diversity patterns, but other local factors and past geological events likely both contribute to current dragonfly diversity patterns. The existing conservation network in South Africa represents areas of high dragonfly species richness and endemism. We recommend additional conservation efforts in areas outside of protected areas with high species richness and endemism levels, but importantly also in areas with high assemblage-turnover rates to ensure protection of as many species as possible. We also propose further searches in areas with high endemism and high assemblage-turnover for possible discovery of unknown species, and further searches in under-represented areas to improve distribution data for known species.

Hotspots and conservation gaps: A case study of key higher plant species from Northwest Yunnan, China

Northwest Yunnan is rich in flora and is home to many key higher plant species with endemic and endangered attributes. However, there are still some species and biodiversity hotspots that are not included in the established reserve system. As such, the area is riddled with conservation gaps. Thus, we have adopted hotspot identification and gap analysis methodology in order to reasonably allocate resources for conservation of the key higher plant species in Northwest Yunnan. To begin, we comprehensively considered seven attributes to select 114 key species. Next, we obtained and superimposed the longitude and latitude coordinates of each species’ location on a grid map with a 0.05° × 0.05° resolution. The ArcGIS10.2 software and R language were used to analyze species distribution; meanwhile hotspot identification and gap analysis were also performed in ArcGIS10.2. The results showed that: 1) there were 114 key higher plant species in Northwest Yunnan, which belong to 37 families and 68 genera; 2) the species distribution in Northwest Yunnan showed significant clustering and positive spatial correlation (Z = 2.90; P < 0.05), with the distribution relatively concentrated in Shangri-la and Gongshan counties; 3) approximately 60% of the hotspots were located in Gongshan, Deqin, and Shangri-la counties in the North; 4) the total priority conservation area was 5615 km2, ~20.30% of which have been designated as nature reserves; and 5) a total of 13 conservation gaps were identified and put forward with targeted suggestions for expanding the conservation areas and building ecological corridors. The results of our study identified the priority conservation areas of key higher plant species in Northwest Yunnan, which aids in optimizing the existing conservation network system.

基于系统保护规划的长白山阔叶红松林保护网络优化研究

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 基于系统保护规划的长白山阔叶红松林保护网络优化研究 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201809041882 作者: 作者单位: 北京建筑大学,北京林业大学 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家科技攻关项目（2016YFC0503106）；极小种群野生植物野外回归技术规范（2018-LY-048）；北京建筑大学校基金（ZF16061） Systematic conservation planning optimization for the broad-leaved korean pine mixed forest conservation network system in the Changbai Mountain Region, China Author: Affiliation: Beijing University of Civil Engineering And Architecture,Beijing Forestry University Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:阔叶红松林是北温带物种最丰富的地带性群落之一，长白山地区是其在中国范围内的中心分布区。中国政府已建立保护网络（24个自然保护区组成）来保护阔叶红松林及其重要的物种资源，但成效不显著。利用系统保护规划软件C-Plan，以集水区为规划单元，计算保护网络外规划单元的不可替代性值，识别出保护网络外高保护价值空缺，评估现有保护网络与纳入空缺后的优化保护网络的保护效率。研究结果显示，现有保护网络外的高保护价值规划单元呈集中沿山岭分布的特征，现有保护网络使24种物种的生境（共75种）实现其设定的保护目标，其他51种未能实现保护目标，且20种保护对象未能达到其设定保护目标的50%，保护成效低。纳入空缺后的优化保护网络，可使64种保护对象实现保护目标，其余11种保护对象的保护贡献值也不同程度提高，保护成效显著增强。结合人为干扰情况提出三种不同保护策略情景下的优先保护方案，并根据生态威胁强度提出各方案的保护建议，为长白山阔叶红松林保护管理提供决策依据，并为山地生态区保护网络优化研究提供方法指导。 Abstract:The broad-leaved Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) mixed forest (BKPF) is one of most biodiverse zonal communities in the North Temperate Zone. Changbai Mountain in northeastern China contains one of the largest BKPFs in the region. The national government has established a network of 24 nature reserves to protect the BKPF and its vital species. So far, however, these reserves have performed with low efficiency. This paper attempts to optimize the conservation network. It proposes utilizing conservation planning software C-Plan to calculate the irreplaceability value (Ir) of each planning unit and identify high conservation value (HCV) gap areas. The overall goal of this approach was to assess the efficiency and comprehensiveness of the existing conservation network in supporting species biodiversity in the BKPF. The study also identifies specific gap areas that could optimize the network's protection capability if they were integrated into the network. The results show a number of HCV planning units concentrated along certain ridges. The habitats of 24 species (out of a total of 75) achieved their identified conservation targets in the existing conservation network. The other 51 species did not achieve the conservation target, and the habitats of 20 of these 51 species achieved less than 50% of their conservation targets. This low conservation efficiency can be greatly optimized by including certain HCV gap areas. The network could be configured to ensure that 64 species achieve their conservation targets by adding certain gap areas. Including the habitats of the other 11 species provides different degrees of protection, and efficiency is improved. Conservation strategies for a given ecosystem typically are derived by considering the needs of the human inhabitants against three different priorities. Using C-Plan software to analyze the conservation management of the BKPF in the Changbai Mountain region could guide decision making for optimizing the conservation network in this most precious of mountainous ecological zones. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Importance of Roadless Areas for the European Conservation Network

Protected Areas are a main conservation tool to halt biodiversity loss. However, their performance has been often questioned and the need to improve their effectiveness is now more apparent than ever. Here, we propose Roadless Areas as a conservation target to increase the cover and effectiveness of Protected Areas. Roadless Areas represent natural and semi-natural areas of high conservation value that have no or little traffic and provide multiple ecosystem services. Here, we develop a methodological framework to identify Roadless Areas in Europe and assess their spatial properties and conservation status. We examine how the European Union’s conservation network, Natura 2000, would expand if Roadless Areas that are already partially included in Natura 2000 terrestrial sites or are adjacent to them would be added to the existing conservation network. We find that European lands are highly fragmented. Roadless Areas are unevenly distributed, and cover more than 30% of the European Union territory, with large Roadless Areas (≥100 km2) occupying about 18% of that surface. At the national level, there is a large variation in the percentage of overlap between Natura 2000 sites and Roadless Areas, with the Natura 2000 network currently encompassing between 19% and 89% of the Roadless Areas surface, depending on the member state. Our results demonstrate that Roadless Areas adjacent to Natura 2000 sites cover > 65% of the total Natura 2000 surface. As Roadless Areas have limited human access, we suggest integrating Roadless Areas into biodiversity conservation networks as a timely solution to minimize conflicts over expanding Protected Areas in the European Union and to achieve the goals of the European Union’s 2020 Biodiversity Strategy.

The role of novel forest ecosystems in the conservation of wood-inhabiting fungi in boreal broadleaved forests.

The increasing human impact on the earth's biosphere is inflicting changes at all spatial scales. As well as deterioration and fragmentation of natural biological systems, these changes also led to other, unprecedented effects and emergence of novel habitats. In boreal zone, intensive forest management has negatively impacted a multitude of deadwood‐associated species. This is especially alarming given the important role wood‐inhabiting fungi have in the natural decay processes. In the boreal zone, natural broad‐leaved‐dominated, herb‐rich forests are threatened habitats which have high wood‐inhabiting fungal species richness. Fungal diversity in other broadleaved forest habitat types is poorly known. Traditional wood pastures and man‐made afforested fields are novel habitats that could potentially be important for wood‐inhabiting fungi. This study compares species richness and fungal community composition across the aforementioned habitat types, based on data collected for wood‐inhabiting fungi occupying all deadwood diameter fractions. Corticioid and polyporoid fungi were surveyed from 67 130 deadwood particles in four natural herb‐rich forests, four birch‐dominated wood pastures, and four birch‐dominated afforested field sites in central Finland. As predicted, natural herb‐rich forests were the most species‐rich habitat. However, afforested fields also had considerably higher overall species richness than wood pastures. Many rare or rarely collected species were detected in each forest type. Finally, fungal community composition showed some divergence not only among the different habitat types, but also among deadwood diameter fractions. Synthesis and applications: In order to maintain biodiversity at both local and regional scales, conserving threatened natural habitat types and managing traditional landscapes is essential. Man‐made secondary woody habitats could provide the necessary resources and serve as surrogate habitats for many broadleaved deadwood‐associated species, and thus complement the existing conservation network of natural forests.

Applying systematic conservation planning to constitute a protection strategy for broad-leaved Korean pine forests in Changbai Mountains, China

The broad-leaved Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) forest is one of the most biodiverse zonal communities in the North Temperate Zone and an important habitat for many endangered species. Broad-leaved Korean pine forests (BKPFs) are shrinking quickly due to deforestation and rapid urbanization. Thus, scientific protection strategies are urgently needed to change this status. Changbai Mountains contains one of the largest BKPFs and is considered a priority biodiversity conservation area in China. Guided by systematic conservation planning (SCP) methods and procedures, we chose representative species and communities in BKPFs ecosystem as priority conservation objects, and set quantitative conservation target, which is in the light of the biodiversity characteristic of BKPFs. The watershed area is used as planning unit. We used C-Plan software to calculate the irreplaceability (Ir) value of each planning unit and the contribution value (Ti) of each conservation object to (1) assess the conservation efficiency; (2) identify the conservation gap of the existing conservation network. Then we calculated a human disturbance index (HDI) for planning units in the conservation gaps and combine this with the Ir value to design three conservation scenarios to optimize the conservation network. Results show that planning units with high conservation value 14.16% of the total area, with 3084.36 km2 were covered by the existing conservation network. 79.28% of planning units with high conservation value have not been protected which were concentrated mainly in the eight gap areas. Only 25.3% of protection objects achieved their conservation target with the existing conservation network. Conservation efficiency is low. Three conservation scenarios are constituted, each prioritizing a different aim: (1) ecological value; (2) species rescue; and (3) economical avoidance. The three conservation schemes potentially enable 93%, 88% and 51% of conservation objects, respectively, to achieve identified conservation targets, thereby improving conservation efficiency significantly.

Exploring Conservation Options in the Broad-Leaved Korean Pine Mixed Forest of the Changbai Mountain Region

Abstract The broad-leaved Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) mixed forest (BKPF) is one of the most biodiverse zonal communities in the northern temperate zone. Changbai Mountain in northeastern China contains one of the largest BKPFs in the region. The government of China has established a network of 23 nature reserves to protect the BKPF and the species that depend on it for habitat, including the endangered Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica). This study used the conservation planning software C-Plan to calculate the irreplaceability value of each unit to assess how efficiently and comprehensively the existing conservation network supports biodiversity and to identify gap areas that, if integrated into the network, would expand its protection capability. Results show a number of high-conservation-value planning units concentrated along certain ridges. The existing conservation network is structured such that the habitats of only 24 species (out of a total of 75) achieve established conservation target...

基于系统保护规划的三江平原湿地保护网络体系优化

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 基于系统保护规划的三江平原湿地保护网络体系优化 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201402180281 作者: 作者单位: 黑龙江省科学院自然与生态研究所,黑龙江省林业设计研究院,北京林业大学自然保护区学院,黑龙江省科学院自然与生态研究所,黑龙江省科学院自然与生态研究所,黑龙江省科学院自然与生态研究所 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: Q143 基金项目: 国家自然科学基金(C030801);黑龙江省基础青年基金项目(JC03-09) SCP (systematic conservation planning) optimization for a wetland conservation network system on Sanjiang Plain, China Author: Affiliation: Heilongjiang Academy of sciences-Institute of Natural Resources,,,,, Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:综合三江平原湿地不同层次、不同维度的生物多样性特征,在系统保护规划方法(Systematic Conservation Planning, SCP)框架下,以集水区为规划单元,计算研究区域不可替代性指数,确定高保护价值网络体系,通过保护空缺分析对现有保护网络进行优化,并评估优化体系的有效性。结果表明:三江平原湿地高保护价值区域的分布呈现沿河流分布的特点;现有保护区中湖泊和目标物种的保护状态比较好;保护网络体系优化后,沼泽湿地在保护网络中的比重由22.88%重增加到50%以上;河流湿地由16.20%增加到33.92%;地下水资源在现有保护网络中的比重非常低,仅为2.01%,优化后保护网络中保护比重增加到12.05%,因此在今后的保护区规划中,应该重视对地下水资源的保护和管理。另外本研究结合生态脆弱性对高保护价值的空缺设计3个情景方案,并根据生态威胁的种类和强度提出各优先保护方案的保护建议,为保护管理决策提供依据。 Abstract:This study optimized an existing conservation network system using SCP and gap analysis while evaluating the effectiveness of the new system. The process of establishing high-value conservation networks took into account biodiversity features of different levels and dimensions in the Sanjiang Plain. The process also accounted for the irreplaceability of catchments, since these planning units fall under the framework of SCP. In the horizontal dimension, we had two conservation level objectives, one for the ecosystem level and one for the species level. Eight types of marsh wetland systems, all lake ecosystems, and high conservation value river wetland systems were selected as ecosystem level conservation surrogates. Thirteen endangered birds and four endangered mammals were selected as species level conservation surrogates. In the vertical dimension, we chose 3 effective underground water distribution areas. Ecosystem conservation targets were set based on ecological function value, rarity and threat trends. Species conservation targets were set based on level of endangerment, scope for survival, and population growth/decline trends. Protection targets were set for water resources according to their runoff modulus and recharge modulus. SCP utilizes the key concept of irreplaceability, which is a measure, varying from zero to one, indicating the importance of an area (planning unit) for the achievement of regional conservation targets. A map of irreplaceability values is therefore a base map of conservation planning. Finally, we combined irreplaceability values with vulnerability factors (factors threatening the ecology of the region) to design different planning options. Results were as follows:(1) High conservation value areas accounted for about 16% of the whole region and were generally distributed along river and lake ecosystems. Specifically, at headwater intersections, such as the intersection of the Heilongjiang and Wusulijiang, the junction of the Tongjiang and Fuyuan, the marsh wetlands between Fujin and Baoqing, the waterfront in Hulin, and the middle part of Luobei, the northeast Hegang, northeast of Yilan, and the south Muling.(2) Lake ecosystems and target species were well-protected in existing conservation areas. They accounted for 83.90% and 81.25% of the whole conservation network respectively. After the prioritization, these percentages increased only slightly to 86.65% and 100%.(3) Marsh, riverine and wetland ecosystem protection by the existing conservation network was less effective. Prioritization would afford an increase in marsh wetlands (from 22.88% to more than 50%), riverine wetlands (from 16.20% to 33.92%), and underground water resources (from just 2.01% to 12.05%).(4) Vulnerability analysis showed high vulnerability areas on the Sanjiang Plain were mainly distributed in Jiamusi, south of Hegang, north of Shuangyashan and Jixi, the middle of Huanan and Luobei, and the intersection of the Fujin and Suibin.The work detailed above indicates that future conservation planning must continue to preserve well-protected ecosystems and species and emphasizes the need for protection and management of marsh, riverine and wetland ecosystems, especially underground water resources. Quantification of resource irreplaceability and vulnerability were evaluated as a supplement to this future conservation planning. The authors combined irreplaceability and vulnerability indexes to propose three scenarios (the ecological value prioritized scenario, the rescue prioritized scenario and the economic avoidance prioritized scenario), and provide recommendations for decision-makers under each scenario in terms of ecological threats.This irreplaceability-based biodiversity conservation planning method integrates protected objects, conservation targets and contributions into one framework and expresses the information in a quantified form. Quantifications enables conservation planning and prioritizing work to be more scientific and better visualized, providing a feasible and effective framework for natural reserve network establishment and prioritization. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

基于C-Plan系统保护规划软件的长白山阔叶红松林保护效率研究

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 基于C-Plan系统保护规划软件的长白山阔叶红松林保护效率 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201404040643 作者: 作者单位: 北京林业大学林学院 省部共建森林培育与保护重点实验室 北京,黑龙江科学院自然与生态研究所 哈尔滨,北京林业大学自然保护区学院 北京,中国林业出版社 北京,北京林业大学林学院 省部共建森林培育与保护重点实验室 北京,北京林业大学林学院 省部共建森林培育与保护重点实验室 北京 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 科技部"十二五"科技支撑项目(2012BAC01B03) Conservation effectiveness of broadleaved korean pine forest in Changbai Mt. based on C-Plan systematic conservation planning software Author: Affiliation: BeiJing forestry university,,,,,Beijing forestry university Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:阔叶红松林(Broadleaved Korean pine forest)是北温带物种最丰富的地带性群落之一,是极危动物东北虎(Panthera tigris altaica)的重要栖息地。长白山地区是阔叶红松林在中国范围内的中心分布区,中国政府建立了由24个自然保护区组成的网络来保护阔叶红松林及其他自然生态系统。以长白山地区为研究区域,在系统保护规划方法流程框架下,选择阔叶红松林生态系统中具有代表性的物种和群落做为优先保护对象,并制定量化保护目标,利用系统保护规划软件C-Plan,计算了研究区域规划单元的不可替代性值、各保护对象在保护网络中实现其保护目标的贡献值(Ti)及包含多个保护对象的保护区域的保护效率值(C),以此在多角度评估保护网络及其中各自然保护区的保护效率。结果显示:现有保护网络涵盖了本研究确立保护对象种类的90.4%,已达到保护目标的保护对象占其总数的25.3%。以保护阔叶红松林为"标尺"衡量各保护区的保护效率,长白山国家级自然保护区与松花江三湖省级自然保护区保护效率值最高,其余各保护区保护效率值不足10,整个保护网络保护效率值为59.99。不可替代性分析结果显示:仍有79.97%的高保护价值规划单元未被现有保护网络覆盖,空间上存在明显空缺。将空缺纳入保护网络后,新保护网络的保护效率值将提高到96.32,提高了36.33,77种保护对象达到保护目标(占保护对象总数的92.8%),5种保护对象仍未能达到保护目标,但保护对象贡献值Ti均不同程度提高,保护成效显著。 Abstract:Broadleaved Korean pine forest is one of the zonal communities with most abundant species in the North Temperate Zone. It is also an important habitat for the endangered animal of Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica). Changbai Mountain have been the center of China distribution areas for broadleaved Korean pine forest. A network of 24 nature reserves have been established by the Chinese government to protect Broadleaved Korean pine forest and local natural ecosystem.The paper applied the C-Plan,by following the theoritical framwork of systematic conservation planning, we seletced the representative species and communities in Broadleaved Korean pine forest ecosystem as priority conservation objects and set quantitative conservation target which is in the light of the biodiversity characteristic of broadleaved Korean pine forest. In addition, three key indicators were also caculated: (1) The irreplaceability value of planning unit of study areas; (2)the contribution value (Ti) to the reserved network by the conservation objects; (3) the conservation effectiveness value (Ti) of the protected area which contains multiple objects. All those results were aimed to multiple perspectives evalutating the conservation effieiency of the reserved network and the reserves in it. The evaluation results indicated: the existing conservation network has covered 90.4% of the protection objects 25.3% of protection objects reached the protection target.The highest conservation effectiveness value occurred in Changbai Mountain Reserve and Songhuang River Reserve.The rest of reserves has conservation effectiveness value less than 10. The conservation effectiveness value of whole conservation network is 59.99. The results of irreplaceability analysis indicated that 79.97% of planning units with high protection value has not been covered by existing conservation network.There are obviously GAP in layout. The new conservation network's conservation effectiveness value was 96.32, increased by 36.33 after including GAPs into conservation network. For 77 kinds of protection objects, it reached the protection target. It accounted for 92.8% of total protection objects. 5 kinds of protection objects could not reach protection target, while their protection efficiency has greatly enhanced.The protection effectiveness of the study area was significantly enhanced. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Insight into distribution patterns and conservation planning in relation to woody species diversity in Xinjiang, arid northwestern China

Plant species play an important role in maintaining the stability of arid ecosystems. Due to low biodiversity, species distribution patterns and richness are infrequently investigated in arid lands. Here, we take the Xinjiang Urgur Autonomous Region (Province), a large area in arid northwest China, as a case to investigate the patterns of woody species diversity and their relationship to environmental factors. At the same time, we aim to evaluate the current protected areas network and improve conservation planning based on woody plant diversity of Xinjiang. In this study, we sampled 133 woody forest species and 220 woody xerophytic species, which are about 10% of the plant species and near 80% of woody species in this region, and modeled current and last glacial maximum (LGM) distributions of these species using the method of species distribution modeling (SDM). Based on the results of SDMs, species richness and LGM refugia were estimated for forest and xerophytic species. Then, we assessed correlations between current species richness and environmental variables as well as glacial refugia. Finally, we applied the digital approach of systematic conservation planning to determine priority areas based on patterns of species diversity. Precipitation variables and glacial refugia have influenced the distribution patterns of woody species diversity for forest and xerophytic species in this province. In our proposed network for biodiversity conservation, high priority areas mostly coincided with zones having low species diversity, and many of these concerned areas fall outside of the ranges of the current existing conservation network.

Gap Analysis and Conservation Network for Freshwater Wetlands in Central Yangtze Ecoregion

The Central Yangtze Ecoregion contains a large area of internationally important freshwater wetlands and supports a huge number of endangered waterbirds; however, these unique wetlands and the biodiversity they support are under the constant threats of human development pressures, and the prevailing conservation strategies generated based on the local scale cannot adequately be used as guidelines for ecoregion-based conservation initiatives for Central Yangtze at the broad scale. This paper aims at establishing and optimizing an ecological network for freshwater wetland conservation in the Central Yangtze Ecoregion based on large-scale gap analysis. A group of focal species and GIS-based extrapolation technique were employed to identify the potential habitats and conservation gaps, and the optimized conservation network was then established by combining existing protective system and identified conservation gaps. Our results show that only 23.49% of the potential habitats of the focal species have been included in the existing nature reserves in the Central Yangtze Ecoregion. To effectively conserve over 80% of the potential habitats for the focal species by optimizing the existing conservation network for the freshwater wetlands in Central Yangtze Ecoregion, it is necessary to establish new wetland nature reserves in 22 county units across Hubei, Anhui, and Jiangxi provinces.

Using farmland prices to evaluate cost-efficiency of national versus regional reserve selection in Denmark

The current study focuses on the influence of geopolitical coordination of conservation strategies on cost and efficiency in terms of species representation when selecting network of protected areas. Conservation policies in the EU are implemented at many different administrative levels: from the European Union and national levels, to regional or/county levels within member countries. This arise the question what size of efficiency gains could be achieved if planning of conservation priorities could be coordinated between geopolitical units. Using data for the nationwide distribution of 763 species, representing all Danish species within eight taxa, we compared illustrative costs for the addition of new areas to the existing conservation network in order to ensure full coverage of all species. We found that the cost of independent regional planning is 20-fold higher than an inter-regional and nationally co-ordinated strategy. We also found that substituting land prices for a simple land-area measure in our analyses increased the expected conservation costs differential significantly, without increasing coverage of species representations. We suggest that in economic and biodiversity terms it can largely be a win–win situation to set a common goal, to develop priority-strategies, and to coordinate actions at higher rather than lower levels of administration.

A Comparison of Richness Hotspots, Rarity Hotspots, and Complementary Areas for Conserving Diversity of British Birds

Biodiversity conservation requires efficient methods for choosing priority areas for in situ conservation management. We compared three quantitative methods for choosing 5% (an arbitrary figure) of all the 10 × 10 km grid cells in Britain to represent the diversity of breeding birds: (1) hotspots of richness, which selects the areas richest in species; (2) hotspots of range‐size rarity (narrow endemism), which selects areas richest in those species with the most restricted ranges; and (3) sets of complementary areas, which selects areas with the greatest combined species richness. Our results show that richness hotspots contained the highest number of species‐in‐grid‐cell records (with many representations of the more widespread species), whereas the method of complementary areas obtained the lowest number. However, whereas richness hotspots included representation of 89% of British species of breeding birds, and rarity hotspots included 98%, the areas chosen using complementarity represented all the species, where possible, at least six times over. The method of complementary areas was also well suited to supplementing the existing conservation network. For example, starting with grid cells with over 50% area cover by existing “Sites of Special Scientific Interest,” we searched for a set of areas that could complete the representation of all the most threatened birds in Britain, the Red Data species. The method of complementary areas distinguishes between irreplaceable and flexible areas, which helps planners by providing alternatives for negotiation. This method can also show which particular species justify the choice of each area. Yet the complementary areas method will not be fully able to select the best areas for conservation management until we achieve integration of some of the more important factors affecting viability, threat, and cost.

Application of a taxon priority system for conservation planning by selecting areas which are most distinct from environments already reserved

Measures of phylogenetic diversity have been used to establish conservation priorities amongst groups of taxa. We adapt one such measure (‘Phylogenetic Diversity’ or ‘PD’) to a hierarchical environmental classification and use its algorithm to design a conservation reserve system (using the Northern Territory of Australia as a case study). This approach accords priority selection to sites which are most dissimilar to the environments already secured in the existing conservation network, and hence rapidly increases equitability in reservation percentage at higher levels of the hierarchy (broad environmental groups). Variation within these broad classes (i.e. environmental classes defined at a lower level of the hierarchy) is included in selections, but this inclusion tends to occur later in the selection process. This approach results in an eventual complete solution (to the goal of 5% reservation of all recognised environmental classes), which is 18% more expensive than a minimum-set solution which treats all environmental classes as equally distinct, but its advantage of rapid securement of main environments would be compelling where only a limited number (less than the minimum set) of additions to the existing conservation network is achievable in the forseeable future. The approach is further contrasted with a prioritisation mechanism (‘irreplaceability’) associated with minimumset approaches. Irreplaceability is largely a measure of limited distribution, and we argue that this may not be an important ranking criterion if the limited environment is defined at a low classification level and closely related environments are already well-represented in the existing conservation network.

Can revegetation assist in the conservation of biodiversity in agricultural areas?

It has been suggested that revegetation in agricultural areas to tackle land degradation problems can also aid in the conservation of biodiversity in these regions. Native biota is restricted to remnant areas, which are mostly small, often unconnected, and subject to a variety of impacts from the surrounding altered landscape. The current remnant network is not sufficient to ensure the long-term persistence of the biota, and requires enhancement. Revegetation provides an opportunity to protect and add to the existing remnant network. However, there are few data available with which to assess the likely impact of revegetation on conservation values, and few guidelines as to how revegetation should be designed for conservation purposes. This paper presents an initial framework for developing revegetation strategies which tie into the existing conservation network. Revegetation can either provide buffer strips around existing remnants to protect them from external impacts, corridors between them to increase connectivity, or additional habitat to increase the area of vegetation available, or can enhance degraded remnant areas. Precise design principles and specifications for these types of revegetation are lacking, and may not be appropriate since they will depend on vegetation types and the requirements of target species. In addition, revegetation will help retain biodiversity indirectly if it helps stabilize an otherwise degrading agricultural landscape. Revegetation in agricultural areas is compared with minesite rehabilitation, where the redevelopment of functioning ecosystems and faunal habitat appears to be possible. The task is harder in the agricultural situation because the scale of modification is greater, soil changes are more difficult to redress, and recolonization by native species is less likely. Increased research effort is needed on the implementation and effects of differing types of revegetation, strategies for increasing rates of adoption of revegetation and methods of integrating conservation considerations into revegetation programmes.