Setting conservation priotities Flashcards
Indicator Species
An organism whose presence, absence, or abundance reflects a specific environmental condition.
Keystone Species
A species which plays an important role in their community.
For example, elephants help with seed dis[ersal and ecosystem regulation which allows other species to survive.
Endemic species
Species whose geographical range or distribution is confined to a single given area.
For example, lemurs are endemic to Madagascar and are uniquely adapted to this environment (have opposable thumbs and toes to help them to climb).
EDGE species
Evolutionary Distinct Globally Endangered.
These are species with high ‘EDGE’ scores, which is a metric combining endangered conservation status with the genetic distinctiveness of the species.
These species diverged from the taxa long ago and, therefore have greater genetic differences.
Flagship Species
Species selected to act as an ambassador for a particular habitat, issue or environmental cause; by focussing on and achieving conservation of this species, the status of other species which share the same habitat or a vulnerable to the same threats may also be improved.
Population Dispersal
When the population of a species is fragmented, it is important to maintain viable local populations, however, where the entire population of a species is in one location, it may be more vulnerable to local change in conservation status.
IUCN red list criteria
Population Size Reduction: Assessments consider the rate of population decline over time.
Geographic Range: The extent of the species’ habitat and whether it’s fragmented or restricted.
Small Population Size and Decline: A combination of small population size and a decline in numbers.
Very Small or Restricted Population: Species with very small or limited geographic ranges.
Quantitative Analysis: Extinction probability assessments based on scientific data.
IUCN red list categories
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Extinct (EX): No reasonable doubt that the species no longer exists.
Extinct in the Wild (EW): The species survives only in captivity, cultivation, or outside its native range.
Critically Endangered (CR): The species is in an extremely critical state, facing an imminent threat of extinction.
Endangered (EN): The species faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
Vulnerable (VU): The species faces a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Near Threatened (NT): The species is close to qualifying or may soon qualify for a threatened category.
Least Concern (LC): The species is widespread and abundant, not qualifying for a more at-risk category.
Data Deficient (DD): There is insufficient information to make a direct or indirect assessment of extinction risk.
Not Evaluated (NE): The species has not been assessed against the criteri
What is IUCN red list?
The IUCN Red List Criteria are a standardised system used to assess the risk of extinction for various species. The criteria are designed to be easily understood and widely applicable for classifying species at high risk of global extinction.
