Application of the IUCN Red Listing system to setting species targets for conservation planning purposes |
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Authors: | Email author" target="_blank">Michèle?F?PfabEmail author Janine?E?Victor Adrian?J?Armstrong |
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Institution: | (1) South African National Biodiversity Institute, Private Bag X101, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa;(2) Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, P.O. Box 13053, Cascades, South Africa |
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Abstract: | Biodiversity targets, or estimates of the quantities of biodiversity features that should be conserved in a region, are fundamental
to systematic conservation planning. We propose that targets for species should be based on the quantitative thresholds developed
for the Vulnerable category of the IUCN Red List system, thereby avoiding future listings of species in an IUCN Red List threat
category or an increase in the extinction risk, or ultimate extinction, of species already listed as threatened. Examples
of this approach are presented for case studies from South Africa, including threatened taxa listed under the IUCN Red List
criteria of A to D, a species listed as Near Threatened, a species of conservation concern due to its rarity, and one species
in need of recovery. The method gives rise to multiple representation targets, an improvement on the often used single representation
targets that are inadequate for long term maintenance of biodiversity or the arbitrary multiple representation and percentage
targets that are sometimes adopted. Through the implementation of the resulting conservation plan, these targets will ensure
that the conservation status of threatened species do not worsen over time by qualifying for higher categories of threat and
may actually improve their conservation status by eliminating the threat of habitat loss and stabilizing population declines.
The positive attributes ascribed to the IUCN Red List system, and therefore to the species targets arising from this approach,
are important when justifying decisions that limit land uses known to be detrimental to biodiversity. |
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