Title
A multicriteria assessment of the irreplaceability and vulnerability of sites in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Abbreviated Journal Title
Conserv. Biol.
Keywords
NEW-SOUTH-WALES; RESERVE SELECTION; PLANT-COMMUNITIES; REAL-WORLD; CONSERVATION; LANDSCAPES; DIVERSITY; HABITAT; REGION; AREAS; Biodiversity Conservation; Ecology; Environmental Sciences
Abstract
We conducted a systematic conservation assessment of the 10.8-million-ha Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), integrating three basic approaches to conservation planning: protecting special elements, representing environmental variation, and securing habitat for focal species (grizzly bear [Ursus arctos], wolf [Canis lupus], and wolverine [Gulo gulo]). Existing protected areas encompass 27% of the GYE but fail to capture many biological hotspots of the region or to represent all natural communities. Using a simulated annealing site-selection algorithm, combined with biological and environmental data based on a geographic information system and static (habitat suitability) and dynamic (population viability) modeling of focal species, we identified unprotected sites within the GYE that are biologically irreplaceable and vulnerable to degradation. Irreplaceability scores were assigned to 43 megasites (aggregations of planning units) on the basis of nine criteria corresponding to quantitative conservation goals. Expert opinion supplemented quantitative data in determining vulnerability scores. If all megasites were protected, the reserved area of the GYE would expand by 43% (to 70%) and increase protection of known occurrences of highly imperiled species by 71% (to 100%) and of all special elements by 62% (to 92%). These new reserves would also significantly increase representation of environmental variation and capture critical areas for focal species. The greatest gains would be achieved by protecting megasites scoring highest in irreplaceability and vulnerability. Protection of 15 high-priority megasites would expand reserved area by 22% and increase the overall achievement of goals by 30%. Protection of highly imperiled species and representation of geoclimatic classes would increase by 46% and 49%, respectively. Although conservation action must be somewhat opportunistic, our method aids decision-making by identifying areas that will contribute the most to explicit conservation goals.
Journal Title
Conservation Biology
Volume
16
Issue/Number
4
Publication Date
1-1-2002
Document Type
Article
Language
English
First Page
895
Last Page
908
WOS Identifier
ISSN
0888-8892
Recommended Citation
"A multicriteria assessment of the irreplaceability and vulnerability of sites in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem" (2002). Faculty Bibliography 2000s. 3384.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/facultybib2000/3384
Comments
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