Ecoregion priorization for terrestrial vertebrate conservation / Priorização de ocorregiões para a conservação de vertebrados terrestres

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008

RESUMO

I aimed to identify conservation priorities for terrestrial vertebrates across different spatial scales (from regional/continental to global), using ecoregions as geographic units. I have evaluated, in particular, (1) the congruence between overall richness and endemism patterns among terrestrial vertebrates that occur in Brazil, and the effectiveness of each vertebrate class (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) as indicator groups for identifying conservation priorities among Brazilian ecoregions; (2) I have identified priority sets of ecoregions that are effective in representing terrestrial vertebrate diversity in the Neotropics, including those endemics and threatened of extinction; (3) I have also identified priority sets of ecoregions for the conservation of Neotropical threatened anurans, and have also evaluated how the inclusion of species lifehistory traits (e.g. reproductive modes) in the prioritization process may help to improve areasetting analysis; (4) similarly, I have highlighted Neotropical and Global priority sets of ecoregions for the conservation of all carnivores (Mammalia: Carnivora), and again, how the inclusion of biological traits - along with economic costs (US$/km2) of land acquisition within ecoregions - may help in the delineation of these priority set of areas. In general, results highlighted ecoregions found in southern Mexico, Central America, tropical Andes, southern South America, southeast Asia and the Philippines, and the Brazilian Atlantic Forest as extremerelevance areas. Their effective conservation, through the implementation of carefully designed reserve networks, could therefore minimize significantly current threats to terrestrial vertebrates. Identification of a comprehensive set of natural areas, as presented here, is a first step towards an in-situ biodiversity maintenance strategy, which only subtends a much more complex process of policy negotiation and implementation. The studies included in the thesis contribute to a joint framework for the development of national and continental strategies for biodiversity conservation, adding to burgeoning initiatives to plan the application of finite funds and efforts where they will be most effective

ASSUNTO(S)

vertebrates vertebrado diversidade biologica biogeografia conservação biodiversity extinção (biologia) conservation extinction (biology) biogeography

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