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Cost-effective Conservation PlanningJosie Carwardine Unknown Date (has links)
Biodiversity is declining globally due to mounting anthropogenic threats. Actions to protect biodiversity against threats can be costly, involving land purchase, invasive species management, and inflicting opportunity costs of lost revenue and livelihoods in conservation areas. Governments and conservation organisations are under increasing pressure to deliver the greatest benefits from conservation funds, and to minimise conflicts between conservation and other human priorities. Most conservation planning approaches are limited in their ability to assist with cost-effective funding allocation decisions. First, approaches often lack quantifiable objectives and appropriate tools. Second, approaches rarely consider economic information, such as spatially explicit data on the costs of conservation actions. In this thesis I address these two limitations, which often co-occur, in spatial conservation planning. Problem definition includes specifying a quantifiable objective, a set of constraints and control variables, and knowledge of the system. A simple conservation objective is to protect target amounts of biodiversity features, such as 15% of the range of each species and vegetation type, over a minimal total reserve area. Here, targets are the constraints and the control variables are the decisions of whether or not to conserve each site. Target-based conservation planning is the dominant spatial prioritisation approach, but has been criticised for failing to protect untargeted portions of biodiversity and for employing targets too low to ensure species persistence. In Chapter 2, I review target-based systematic conservation planning, discovering that many perceived limitations can be overcome with current developments in research and software and better communication, whilst acknowledging the value of alternative approaches. Conservation planning objectives are becoming increasingly complex due to the need to conserve many kinds of features, such as species, habitat types, and ecosystem services. Measures of the spatial congruence between features is often used to determine if one feature is a good surrogate for representing another and whether multiple features can be easily captured in a single plan. In Chapter 3 I review the use of congruence metrics in conservation planning research, explaining the differences between the three most common metrics – spatial correlation, hotspot overlap, incidental representation – and demonstrating why high values in one metric can coincide with low values in another. Most importantly, I show that integrated systematic conservation planning, rather than congruence metrics, is the only way to determine how efficient it will be to protect multiple features in a reserve system. While conservation planning has an implicit goal of cost-efficiency, spatially explicit data on the costs of conservation action are rarely considered. Prioritisation analyses that do not consider conservation costs can lead to the misallocation of funds and high opportunity costs. In Chapter 4 I carry out a global analysis at 1º resolution to identify areas that could protect targets of 10% of every mammal species’ range whilst minimising the opportunity costs of forgone agricultural production. The a priori inclusion of opportunity costs reduced the cost of meeting conservation targets by at least 30%. I then compare cost-effective allocation of funds to actual funding allocation by international conservation agencies in 2006, highlighting globally important, threatened and under-funded regions. While estimates of conservation opportunity costs can increase conservation planning efficiency, there are often various actions under consideration, each with different associated costs. The definition of specific actions, and their respective costs, is rarely considered in conservation planning. In Chapter 5 I develop cost surfaces for two conservation actions in Australia (i) land purchase for reservation estimated by unimproved land values and (ii) stewardship payments to private landholders to conserve biodiversity estimated by forgone agricultural production. I then identify priority areas at a 10 km2 resolution for conserving 15% of the pre-clearing extent of a range of biodiversity features by these actions. I demonstrate that using cost data to reflect specific conservation actions minimises improves financial efficiency by up to two-fold. Cost-effective conservation planning is also hindered by uncertainties in estimates of conservation costs. In Chapter 6 I carry out the first comprehensive sensitivity analysis of conservation priorities to cost value, using the same goal as in Chapter 5, but restricting planning to reservation in Queensland, which is the Australian state with the best quality unimproved land value data. First, I show that sites which are essential or unhelpful for meeting conservation targets maintain a high and low priority status respectively, over a large range of cost data (1-400% of their estimated cost). Medium priority sites are sensitive to estimates of cost, and represent the greatest opportunities to make cost-effective decisions. Next I develop a simple approach for planning with uncertain cost data, where priorities can be updated as real information on the cost of a parcel of land becomes available. This chapter shows that uncertain cost data is useful for conservation planning. Potentially cost-effective areas for conservation actions in Australia are identified in Chapters 5 and 6. My final chapter serves to synthesise and interpret this research. Through comprehensive analyses, I have shown that cost-effective conservation planning requires the definition of appropriate objectives and tools, and the integration of conservation costs. Further, I have demonstrated accessible approaches that integrate these crucial factors, showing at least a doubling of efficiency in conservation investments. There are cost-effective opportunities for conservation actions in Australia and around the world: this research will assist Governments, Non-Government Organisations, and other conservation-minded people in finding them. Further investment is required in obtaining and wisely applying socio-economic data for conservation planning and in evaluating conservation projects to improve our knowledge base.
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Cost-effective Conservation PlanningJosie Carwardine Unknown Date (has links)
Biodiversity is declining globally due to mounting anthropogenic threats. Actions to protect biodiversity against threats can be costly, involving land purchase, invasive species management, and inflicting opportunity costs of lost revenue and livelihoods in conservation areas. Governments and conservation organisations are under increasing pressure to deliver the greatest benefits from conservation funds, and to minimise conflicts between conservation and other human priorities. Most conservation planning approaches are limited in their ability to assist with cost-effective funding allocation decisions. First, approaches often lack quantifiable objectives and appropriate tools. Second, approaches rarely consider economic information, such as spatially explicit data on the costs of conservation actions. In this thesis I address these two limitations, which often co-occur, in spatial conservation planning. Problem definition includes specifying a quantifiable objective, a set of constraints and control variables, and knowledge of the system. A simple conservation objective is to protect target amounts of biodiversity features, such as 15% of the range of each species and vegetation type, over a minimal total reserve area. Here, targets are the constraints and the control variables are the decisions of whether or not to conserve each site. Target-based conservation planning is the dominant spatial prioritisation approach, but has been criticised for failing to protect untargeted portions of biodiversity and for employing targets too low to ensure species persistence. In Chapter 2, I review target-based systematic conservation planning, discovering that many perceived limitations can be overcome with current developments in research and software and better communication, whilst acknowledging the value of alternative approaches. Conservation planning objectives are becoming increasingly complex due to the need to conserve many kinds of features, such as species, habitat types, and ecosystem services. Measures of the spatial congruence between features is often used to determine if one feature is a good surrogate for representing another and whether multiple features can be easily captured in a single plan. In Chapter 3 I review the use of congruence metrics in conservation planning research, explaining the differences between the three most common metrics – spatial correlation, hotspot overlap, incidental representation – and demonstrating why high values in one metric can coincide with low values in another. Most importantly, I show that integrated systematic conservation planning, rather than congruence metrics, is the only way to determine how efficient it will be to protect multiple features in a reserve system. While conservation planning has an implicit goal of cost-efficiency, spatially explicit data on the costs of conservation action are rarely considered. Prioritisation analyses that do not consider conservation costs can lead to the misallocation of funds and high opportunity costs. In Chapter 4 I carry out a global analysis at 1º resolution to identify areas that could protect targets of 10% of every mammal species’ range whilst minimising the opportunity costs of forgone agricultural production. The a priori inclusion of opportunity costs reduced the cost of meeting conservation targets by at least 30%. I then compare cost-effective allocation of funds to actual funding allocation by international conservation agencies in 2006, highlighting globally important, threatened and under-funded regions. While estimates of conservation opportunity costs can increase conservation planning efficiency, there are often various actions under consideration, each with different associated costs. The definition of specific actions, and their respective costs, is rarely considered in conservation planning. In Chapter 5 I develop cost surfaces for two conservation actions in Australia (i) land purchase for reservation estimated by unimproved land values and (ii) stewardship payments to private landholders to conserve biodiversity estimated by forgone agricultural production. I then identify priority areas at a 10 km2 resolution for conserving 15% of the pre-clearing extent of a range of biodiversity features by these actions. I demonstrate that using cost data to reflect specific conservation actions minimises improves financial efficiency by up to two-fold. Cost-effective conservation planning is also hindered by uncertainties in estimates of conservation costs. In Chapter 6 I carry out the first comprehensive sensitivity analysis of conservation priorities to cost value, using the same goal as in Chapter 5, but restricting planning to reservation in Queensland, which is the Australian state with the best quality unimproved land value data. First, I show that sites which are essential or unhelpful for meeting conservation targets maintain a high and low priority status respectively, over a large range of cost data (1-400% of their estimated cost). Medium priority sites are sensitive to estimates of cost, and represent the greatest opportunities to make cost-effective decisions. Next I develop a simple approach for planning with uncertain cost data, where priorities can be updated as real information on the cost of a parcel of land becomes available. This chapter shows that uncertain cost data is useful for conservation planning. Potentially cost-effective areas for conservation actions in Australia are identified in Chapters 5 and 6. My final chapter serves to synthesise and interpret this research. Through comprehensive analyses, I have shown that cost-effective conservation planning requires the definition of appropriate objectives and tools, and the integration of conservation costs. Further, I have demonstrated accessible approaches that integrate these crucial factors, showing at least a doubling of efficiency in conservation investments. There are cost-effective opportunities for conservation actions in Australia and around the world: this research will assist Governments, Non-Government Organisations, and other conservation-minded people in finding them. Further investment is required in obtaining and wisely applying socio-economic data for conservation planning and in evaluating conservation projects to improve our knowledge base.
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Cost-effective Conservation PlanningJosie Carwardine Unknown Date (has links)
Biodiversity is declining globally due to mounting anthropogenic threats. Actions to protect biodiversity against threats can be costly, involving land purchase, invasive species management, and inflicting opportunity costs of lost revenue and livelihoods in conservation areas. Governments and conservation organisations are under increasing pressure to deliver the greatest benefits from conservation funds, and to minimise conflicts between conservation and other human priorities. Most conservation planning approaches are limited in their ability to assist with cost-effective funding allocation decisions. First, approaches often lack quantifiable objectives and appropriate tools. Second, approaches rarely consider economic information, such as spatially explicit data on the costs of conservation actions. In this thesis I address these two limitations, which often co-occur, in spatial conservation planning. Problem definition includes specifying a quantifiable objective, a set of constraints and control variables, and knowledge of the system. A simple conservation objective is to protect target amounts of biodiversity features, such as 15% of the range of each species and vegetation type, over a minimal total reserve area. Here, targets are the constraints and the control variables are the decisions of whether or not to conserve each site. Target-based conservation planning is the dominant spatial prioritisation approach, but has been criticised for failing to protect untargeted portions of biodiversity and for employing targets too low to ensure species persistence. In Chapter 2, I review target-based systematic conservation planning, discovering that many perceived limitations can be overcome with current developments in research and software and better communication, whilst acknowledging the value of alternative approaches. Conservation planning objectives are becoming increasingly complex due to the need to conserve many kinds of features, such as species, habitat types, and ecosystem services. Measures of the spatial congruence between features is often used to determine if one feature is a good surrogate for representing another and whether multiple features can be easily captured in a single plan. In Chapter 3 I review the use of congruence metrics in conservation planning research, explaining the differences between the three most common metrics – spatial correlation, hotspot overlap, incidental representation – and demonstrating why high values in one metric can coincide with low values in another. Most importantly, I show that integrated systematic conservation planning, rather than congruence metrics, is the only way to determine how efficient it will be to protect multiple features in a reserve system. While conservation planning has an implicit goal of cost-efficiency, spatially explicit data on the costs of conservation action are rarely considered. Prioritisation analyses that do not consider conservation costs can lead to the misallocation of funds and high opportunity costs. In Chapter 4 I carry out a global analysis at 1º resolution to identify areas that could protect targets of 10% of every mammal species’ range whilst minimising the opportunity costs of forgone agricultural production. The a priori inclusion of opportunity costs reduced the cost of meeting conservation targets by at least 30%. I then compare cost-effective allocation of funds to actual funding allocation by international conservation agencies in 2006, highlighting globally important, threatened and under-funded regions. While estimates of conservation opportunity costs can increase conservation planning efficiency, there are often various actions under consideration, each with different associated costs. The definition of specific actions, and their respective costs, is rarely considered in conservation planning. In Chapter 5 I develop cost surfaces for two conservation actions in Australia (i) land purchase for reservation estimated by unimproved land values and (ii) stewardship payments to private landholders to conserve biodiversity estimated by forgone agricultural production. I then identify priority areas at a 10 km2 resolution for conserving 15% of the pre-clearing extent of a range of biodiversity features by these actions. I demonstrate that using cost data to reflect specific conservation actions minimises improves financial efficiency by up to two-fold. Cost-effective conservation planning is also hindered by uncertainties in estimates of conservation costs. In Chapter 6 I carry out the first comprehensive sensitivity analysis of conservation priorities to cost value, using the same goal as in Chapter 5, but restricting planning to reservation in Queensland, which is the Australian state with the best quality unimproved land value data. First, I show that sites which are essential or unhelpful for meeting conservation targets maintain a high and low priority status respectively, over a large range of cost data (1-400% of their estimated cost). Medium priority sites are sensitive to estimates of cost, and represent the greatest opportunities to make cost-effective decisions. Next I develop a simple approach for planning with uncertain cost data, where priorities can be updated as real information on the cost of a parcel of land becomes available. This chapter shows that uncertain cost data is useful for conservation planning. Potentially cost-effective areas for conservation actions in Australia are identified in Chapters 5 and 6. My final chapter serves to synthesise and interpret this research. Through comprehensive analyses, I have shown that cost-effective conservation planning requires the definition of appropriate objectives and tools, and the integration of conservation costs. Further, I have demonstrated accessible approaches that integrate these crucial factors, showing at least a doubling of efficiency in conservation investments. There are cost-effective opportunities for conservation actions in Australia and around the world: this research will assist Governments, Non-Government Organisations, and other conservation-minded people in finding them. Further investment is required in obtaining and wisely applying socio-economic data for conservation planning and in evaluating conservation projects to improve our knowledge base.
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The global network of marine protected areas: developing baselines and identifying prioritiesWood, Louisa Jane 05 1900 (has links)
Recently adopted global marine protection targets aim to protect 10-30% of marine habitats within the next 3 to 5 years. However, these targets were adopted without prior assessment of their attainability. Moreover, our ability to monitor progress towards such targets has been constrained by a lack of robust data on marine protected areas (MPAs). In this thesis I present the results of the first explicitly marine-focused, global assessment of MPAs in relation to three global marine protection targets. Approximately 2.35 million km2, equivalent to 0.65% of the world’s oceans, are currently protected, and only 12% of that is ‘no-take’. Over the last two decades, the marine area protected globally has grown at ~5% per year. At this rate, even the most modest target is unlikely to be met for at least several decades.
The utility of large-scale conservation targets has been repeatedly questioned, although mainly on ecological grounds. However, if, as is suggested here, their primary role is to motivate behavioural change, then a more serious problem is that they seem to be failing in this regard, too. I explore possible reasons for this and suggest two main problems: firstly, an as yet unmet need to develop a hierarchical system of targets that reflects the multi-scale and pluralistic nature of ecological and political systems; and secondly, feedback mechanisms between political will, perceived attainability, and target formulation which may impede implementation of the targets.
Since the adoption of the global targets, no implementation strategy has been developed, which may also impede target attainment. In order to fill this gap, I applied a rarity-complementarity heuristic place prioritisation algorithm (PPA) to a dataset consisting of 1038 global species distributions with 0.5° latitude/longitude resolution, under ten scenarios devised to reflect the global targets. This is the first time that species distribution ranges of marine species have been used in a globally synthetic way, and is by far the largest application of a PPA to date. Global priority areas for protection are identified for each scenario, which may be used to identify where regional-scale protected areas network design efforts might be focused.
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The global network of marine protected areas: developing baselines and identifying prioritiesWood, Louisa Jane 05 1900 (has links)
Recently adopted global marine protection targets aim to protect 10-30% of marine habitats within the next 3 to 5 years. However, these targets were adopted without prior assessment of their attainability. Moreover, our ability to monitor progress towards such targets has been constrained by a lack of robust data on marine protected areas (MPAs). In this thesis I present the results of the first explicitly marine-focused, global assessment of MPAs in relation to three global marine protection targets. Approximately 2.35 million km2, equivalent to 0.65% of the world’s oceans, are currently protected, and only 12% of that is ‘no-take’. Over the last two decades, the marine area protected globally has grown at ~5% per year. At this rate, even the most modest target is unlikely to be met for at least several decades.
The utility of large-scale conservation targets has been repeatedly questioned, although mainly on ecological grounds. However, if, as is suggested here, their primary role is to motivate behavioural change, then a more serious problem is that they seem to be failing in this regard, too. I explore possible reasons for this and suggest two main problems: firstly, an as yet unmet need to develop a hierarchical system of targets that reflects the multi-scale and pluralistic nature of ecological and political systems; and secondly, feedback mechanisms between political will, perceived attainability, and target formulation which may impede implementation of the targets.
Since the adoption of the global targets, no implementation strategy has been developed, which may also impede target attainment. In order to fill this gap, I applied a rarity-complementarity heuristic place prioritisation algorithm (PPA) to a dataset consisting of 1038 global species distributions with 0.5° latitude/longitude resolution, under ten scenarios devised to reflect the global targets. This is the first time that species distribution ranges of marine species have been used in a globally synthetic way, and is by far the largest application of a PPA to date. Global priority areas for protection are identified for each scenario, which may be used to identify where regional-scale protected areas network design efforts might be focused.
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The global network of marine protected areas: developing baselines and identifying prioritiesWood, Louisa Jane 05 1900 (has links)
Recently adopted global marine protection targets aim to protect 10-30% of marine habitats within the next 3 to 5 years. However, these targets were adopted without prior assessment of their attainability. Moreover, our ability to monitor progress towards such targets has been constrained by a lack of robust data on marine protected areas (MPAs). In this thesis I present the results of the first explicitly marine-focused, global assessment of MPAs in relation to three global marine protection targets. Approximately 2.35 million km2, equivalent to 0.65% of the world’s oceans, are currently protected, and only 12% of that is ‘no-take’. Over the last two decades, the marine area protected globally has grown at ~5% per year. At this rate, even the most modest target is unlikely to be met for at least several decades.
The utility of large-scale conservation targets has been repeatedly questioned, although mainly on ecological grounds. However, if, as is suggested here, their primary role is to motivate behavioural change, then a more serious problem is that they seem to be failing in this regard, too. I explore possible reasons for this and suggest two main problems: firstly, an as yet unmet need to develop a hierarchical system of targets that reflects the multi-scale and pluralistic nature of ecological and political systems; and secondly, feedback mechanisms between political will, perceived attainability, and target formulation which may impede implementation of the targets.
Since the adoption of the global targets, no implementation strategy has been developed, which may also impede target attainment. In order to fill this gap, I applied a rarity-complementarity heuristic place prioritisation algorithm (PPA) to a dataset consisting of 1038 global species distributions with 0.5° latitude/longitude resolution, under ten scenarios devised to reflect the global targets. This is the first time that species distribution ranges of marine species have been used in a globally synthetic way, and is by far the largest application of a PPA to date. Global priority areas for protection are identified for each scenario, which may be used to identify where regional-scale protected areas network design efforts might be focused. / Arts, Faculty of / Geography, Department of / Graduate
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The effect of spatial scale on the use of biodiversity surrogates and socio-economic criteria in systematic conservation assessmentsPayet, Karine 12 1900 (has links)
Thesis (MSc (Conservation Ecology and Entomology)--Stellenbosch University, 2007. / A systematic conservation assessment is the first phase of a systematic conservation planning
protocol; it uses spatial data and representation targets for the setting of priority areas and the
assessment of risk to biodiversity. This thesis describes the findings of investigations on the use of
data in systematic conservation assessments.
Conservation planning can be done at different spatial scales (from global to local). Systematic
Conservation planning can be done at different spatial scales (from global to local). Systematic
conservation assessments rely on the use of surrogates for biodiversity and often, as well, socioeconomic
criteria. Biodiversity surrogates can be classified as taxonomic, community and
environmental. In Chapter 2, a literature review was performed (i) to quantify the use of biodiversity
surrogates and socio-economic criteria in conservation assessments; and (ii) to test the hypothesis that
surrogates are chosen in respect to the hierarchical organisation of biodiversity. In other words, fine
scale conservation assessments are correlated with taxonomic surrogates, large scale conservation
assessments are correlated with environmental surrogates, and assemblage surrogates are assessed at
an intermediary scale. The literature review was based on a structured survey of 100 ISI journal
publications. The analysis revealed that spatial scale had a weak effect on the use of biodiversity
surrogates in conservation assessments. Taxonomic surrogates were the most used biodiversity
surrogates at all scales. Socioeconomic criteria were used in many conservation assessments. I argue
that it is crucial that assemblage and environmental data be more used at larger spatial scales.
The allocation of conservation resources needs to be optimised because resources are scarce. A
conservation assessment can be a lengthy and expensive process, especially when conducted at finescale.
Therefore the need to undertake a fine-scale conservation assessment, as opposed to a more
rapid and less expensive broader one, should be carefully considered. The study of Chapter 3 assessed
the complementarity between regional- and local-scale assessments and the implications on the choice
of biodiversity features at both scales. The study was undertaken in Réunion Island. A biodiversity
assessment was performed at a regional scale and measured against a finer-scale assessment
performed over a smaller planning domain. Two datasets composed of species distributions, habitat
patterns and spatial components of ecological and evolutionary processes were compiled as
biodiversity surrogates at each scale. Targets for local-scale processes were never met in regional
assessments, while threatened species and fragmented habitats were also usually missed. The regional
assessment targeting habitats represented a high proportion of local-scale species and habitats at target
level (67%). On the contrary, the one targeting species was the least effective. The results highlighted
that all three types of surrogates are necessary. They further suggested (i) that a spatial strategy based
on a complementary set of coarse filters for regional-scale assessments and fine filters for local-scale
ones can be an effective approach to systematic conservation assessments; and (ii) that information on
habitat transformation should help identify where efforts should be focused for the fine-scale mapping
of fine filters. Together with priority-area setting, the identification of threatened biodiversity features has
helped to prioritise conservation resources. In recent years, this type of assessment has been applied
more widely at ecosystem-level. Ecosystems can be categorised into critically endangered, endangered
and vulnerable, following the terminology of the IUCN Red List of threatened species. Various criteria
such as extent and rate of habitat loss, species diversity and habitat fragmentation can be used to
identify threatened ecosystems. An approach based only on the criterion of the quantification of
habitat loss was investigated in Chapter 4 for the Little Karoo, South Africa. Habitat loss within
ecosystem type is quantified on land cover information. The study analysed the sensitivity of the
categorisation process to ecosystem and land cover mapping, using different datasets of each. Three
ecosystem classifications and three land cover maps, of different spatial resolutions, were used to
produce nine assessments. The results of these assessments were inconsistent. The quantification of
habitat loss varied across land cover databases due to differences in their mapping accuracy. It was
reflected on the identification of threatened ecosystems of all three ecosystem classifications. Less
than 14% of extant areas were classified threatened with the coarsest land cover maps, in comparison
to 30% with the finest one; and less than 9% of ecosystem types were threatened with the coarsest land
cover maps, but between 15 and 23% were threatened with the finest one. Furthermore, the results
suggested that the identification of threatened ecosystems is more sensitive to the accuracy of habitat
loss quantification than the resolution of the ecosystem classification. Detailed land cover mapping
should be prioritised over detailed ecosystem maps for this exercise.
This thesis highlighted the importance of ecosystems and processes as biodiversity surrogates in
conservation assessments and suggested that results of conservation assessments based on these data,
should be more widely presented in published articles. Finally, it also made apparent the important
role of mapping habitat transformation for systematic conservation plans.
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Integrating systematic conservation planning and ecosystem services : an indicators approach in the Hill Country of Central TexasFougerat, Matthew Gerald 30 September 2014 (has links)
Ecosystem services are the aspects of the environment utilized to produce human well-being and are key elements of landscape sustainability. Increasingly, measures of ecosystem services are being incorporated into conservation decision making. However, a framework for evaluating systematic conservation planning ranked selection scenarios with indicators of ecosystem services has not been developed. Using the Central Texas counties of Blanco, Burnet, Hays, Llano, San Saba, and Travis as a study, a suite of spatially explicit modeling tools, Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST), are used to quantify carbon storage, soil conservation, and water provision. A fourth service metric, ecosystem richness, is derived using Texas Parks and Wildlife ecological systems classification data. The values of these four services are then used to evaluate four conservation scenarios, developed in conjunction with a local conservation non-profit, Hill Country Conservancy (HCC), and derived using Marxan decision-support software.
The evaluation process consists of both geographic information system (GIS) and statistical analysis. GIS based overlay analysis is used to identify areas of multiple ecosystem service overlap. Spearman correlation tables are used to test the spatial relationship among ecosystem services, as well as the relationship among each of the four conservation scenarios. Wilcox-Mann-Whitney U tests (WMW) are used to assess the statistical significance of each scenario’s ecosystem service values as compared to the values of a random control scenario.
The results of this work reinforce the findings that there is often significant variability in the spatial congruence of multiple ecosystem services and their provision across a landscape. This work also supports the conclusion that the targeting of ecological phenomena for conservation concurrently targets areas supporting multiple ecosystem services. More distinctively, the results verify the capacity of ecosystem service indicators to effectively inform an iterative systematic conservation planning process.
At the local landscape-scale, this work provides HCC with defensible support of their conservation decisions based not only on organizational priorities, but also on ecosystem service values. More broadly, this work provides a framework for evaluating conservation scenarios with spatially explicit values of ecosystem services which can be replicated across a wide range of project scales and objectives. / text
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Planejamento sistemático das unidades de conservação no Estado do Tocantins / Systematic planning of protected areas in Tocantins StateFerreira, Mariana Napolitano e 13 June 2011 (has links)
O crescimento dos sistemas de áreas protegidas nas últimas décadas é considerado um dos maiores esforços da humanidade para conter a atual crise da biodiversidade. No entanto, a cobertura da superfície global por áreas protegidas é um indicador simplificado, sendo necessário ir mais além e avaliar se os sistemas de áreas protegidas representam os diferentes componentes da biodiversidade e processos ecológicos e se estão sendo geridos de forma efetiva para garantir a manutenção da biodiversidade no longo prazo. O objetivo geral do presente estudo foi realizar uma análise da efetividade de gestão e representatividade biológica do sistema de unidades de conservação (UCs) no Estado do Tocantins, avaliando como os diferentes níveis de gestão de áreas protegidas podem interferir nos processos de planejamento sistemático da conservação. Os resultados indicaram a existência de lacunas significativas na implementação das áreas protegidas existentes, apesar do desempenho relativamente bom em alguns elementos. As quatro ameaças mais importantes para o sistema de UCs avaliado foram: infraestrutura, queimadas descontroladas, caça e pecuária. A análise da distribuição de 109 espécies de vertebrados e plantas indicou a presença de padrões biogeográficos claros na biota do Tocantins, que coincidem com padrões relatados por outros autores para alguns grupos taxônomicos. No entanto, lacunas significativas foram observadas tanto na proteção das espécies, quanto na representação dos elementos bióticos identificados. Para testar os impactos dos baixos valores de efetividade e altos valores de ameaças das UCs no planejamento do sistema, reduzimos o estado de conservação das áreas protegidas em 25% e 50%. Isso resultou em acréscimos de 250.000 ha e 590.000 ha, respectivamente, no sistema de áreas protegidas, necessário ao cumprimento das metas de conservação. A representatividade dos sistemas de áreas protegidas depende da persistência da biodiversidade dentro dessas áreas, que é reconhecidamente comprometida por níveis elevados de ameaça associados à efetividade de gestão incipiente. Portanto, sugerimos que o estado de conservação da biodiversidade dentro das áreas protegidas seja incorporado a exercícios de planejamento sistemático de conservação. A definição de prioridades para a criação de novas áreas protegidas deve fazer parte de um planejamento integrado, que aborde também a consolidação de áreas protegidas existentes e estratégias mais amplas para mitigar os efeitos dos fatores principais da perda de biodiversidade fora das reservas. / The growth of protected areas (PAs) in the last decades is considered one of the humanity\'s best efforts to refrain the current crisis of biodiversity. However, the global PA coverage is a simplified indicator; it is necessary to go further and assess whether PA systems represent the different components of biodiversity and ecological processes and are being managed effectively to ensure the maintenance of their values in the long term. The main goal of this study was to analyze the management effectiveness and representation of PA system in Tocantins State, assessing how the different levels of PA management may impact the systematic conservation planning process. Results indicated the existence of significant gaps in the implementation of Tocantins PAs, despite the relatively good performance found in some elements. The four most important threats to the PAs evaluated were: infrastructure, uncontrolled fires, hunting and cattle ranching. Analysis of the distribution of 109 vertebrates and plants indicated that selected species represent biogeographical patterns of Tocantins biota and that there are significant gaps in the protection of the species and biotic elements in the current PA system. In order to test for the effects of detected low management effectiveness and high levels of threat, we reduced the conservation status of protected areas by 25% and 50%. This resulted in an increase in the conservation area network needed to achieve targets of around 250,000 ha and 590,000 ha, respectively. Our results strongly indicate that the representation of PA systems depends on the persistency of biodiversity inside PAs, which are known to be impacted by high levels of threat associated to poor management effectiveness. Therefore, we advocate that biodiversity status within PAs should be incorporated in systematic conservation planning exercises. The definition of priority areas for the establishment of new reserves should be part of an integrated planning process that addresses both the consolidation of existing protected areas and broader strategies to mitigate the effects of major drivers of biodiversity loss outside reserves.
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Supporting indigenous marine conservation planning: a case study of the Songhees NationBuscher, Elena 18 November 2019 (has links)
Worldwide marine ecosystems are facing unprecedented threats, and the biodiversity crisis is paralleled by a decline in Indigenous cultures and languages. Increasingly, Indigenous peoples’ abilities to practice their traditional livelihoods and cultures are reduced, but there are many examples of cultural resurgence. My thesis was based on a collaboration for marine conservation planning for Tl’ches between the Songhees Nation and researchers from the University of Victoria.
The primary objectives for my thesis were to 1) to document the Songhees marine conservation planning process, and compare it to systematic conservation planning to outline the similarities, differences, and highlight the uniqueness of an Indigenous-led planning approach and 2) to systematically document and integrate culturally significant species and their habitats into the Songhees stewardship vision for the marine use plan.
I achieved my first objective by systematically documenting and showcasing the Indigenous-led marine conservation planning process of the Songhees Nation to reclaim and further stewardship over the Tl’ches archipelago near Victoria, BC. I ascribed process steps to the Songhees marine conservation planning approach and compared these steps to the traditional systematic conservation planning (SCP) steps as laid out by Pressey and Bottrill (2009). The Songhees approach showed similarities to SCP in the initial scoping phase of the marine conservation planning, in the review and compiling of existing data prior to the collection of data as well as the focus on focal species such as culturally important species. My second objective was accomplished by applying and evaluating the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Trident OpenROV as part of the Songhees marine conservation planning process around Tl’ches. This objective had three main outcomes: 1) I evaluated the marine ecological data collection capabilities for the Trident and 2) my surveys resulted in a systematic benthos classification and documentation of the algal community as well as a baseline of Songhees culturally important species. 3) I evaluated the ability of the Trident to provide high resolution ecological data to inform a marine use planning process. I found the Trident to be a capable tool to conduct systematic marine surveying despite some limitations such as low maneuverability in moderate to high current environments and dense kelp areas. I was able to document 14 of 25 culturally important species and 28 species of algae and seaweeds. I was also able to establish highly stressed environments suited for future restoration efforts.
My research saw the creation of the Songhees Nation Marine Use Plan. The plan, along with the associated permanent data collection and compilation, can serve as a basis and guide to the Songhees Nation to initiate a monitoring program. Given the complicated jurisdictional landscape over the archipelago, the Songhees Nation Marine Use Plan could help strengthen assertions to exclusive stewardship and aid in creating a basis for dialogue between other stakeholders such as the Province of British Columbia. My collaboration fills a gap in the marine conservation planning literature by providing an example of an Indigenous-led marine conservation planning process according to the priorities of the Songhees Nation. / Graduate
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