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Global Gap Analysis: Priority Regions for Expanding the Global Protected-Area Network

Global Gap Analysis: Priority Regions for Expanding the Global Protected-Area Network AbstractProtected areas are the single most important conservation tool. The global protected-area network has grown substantially in recent decades, now occupying 11.5% of Earth's land surface, but such growth has not been strategically aimed at maximizing the coverage of global biodiversity. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the global network is far from complete, even for the representation of terrestrial vertebrate species. Here we present a first attempt to provide a global framework for the next step of strategically expanding the network to cover mammals, amphibians, freshwater turtles and tortoises, and globally threatened birds. We identify unprotected areas of the world that have remarkably high conservation value (irreplaceability) and are under serious threat. These areas concentrate overwhelmingly in tropical and subtropical moist forests, particularly on tropical mountains and islands. The expansion of the global protected-area network in these regions is urgently needed to prevent the loss of unique biodiversity. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png BioScience Oxford University Press

Global Gap Analysis: Priority Regions for Expanding the Global Protected-Area Network

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References (32)

Publisher
Oxford University Press
Copyright
© 2004 American Institute of Biological Sciences
Subject
Overview Articles
ISSN
0006-3568
eISSN
1525-3244
DOI
10.1641/0006-3568(2004)054[1092:GGAPRF]2.0.CO;2
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

AbstractProtected areas are the single most important conservation tool. The global protected-area network has grown substantially in recent decades, now occupying 11.5% of Earth's land surface, but such growth has not been strategically aimed at maximizing the coverage of global biodiversity. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the global network is far from complete, even for the representation of terrestrial vertebrate species. Here we present a first attempt to provide a global framework for the next step of strategically expanding the network to cover mammals, amphibians, freshwater turtles and tortoises, and globally threatened birds. We identify unprotected areas of the world that have remarkably high conservation value (irreplaceability) and are under serious threat. These areas concentrate overwhelmingly in tropical and subtropical moist forests, particularly on tropical mountains and islands. The expansion of the global protected-area network in these regions is urgently needed to prevent the loss of unique biodiversity.

Journal

BioScience – Oxford University Press

Published: Dec 1, 2004

Keywords: Keywords conservation planning conservation priorities global gap analysis irreplaceability protected areas

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