Natural Resources, School of

 

Authors

Molly K. Grace, University of Oxford
H Resit Akcakaya, Stony Brook University
Elizabeth L. Bennett, Wildlife Conservation Society
Thomas M. Brooks, International Union for Conservation of Nature
Anna Heath, Synchoronicity Earth
Simon Hedges, Wildlife Conservation Society
Craig Hilton-Taylor, IUCN Red List Unit
Michael Hoffmann, IUCN Species Survival Commission
Axel Hochkirch, Trier University
Richard Jenkins, IUCN Global Species Programme
David A. Keith, The University of New South Wales
Barney Long, Rewild
David P. Mallon, Manchester Metropolitan University
Erik Meijaard, University of Queensland
E.J. Milner-Gulland, IUCN SSC Species Monitoring Specialist Group
Jon Paul Rodriguez, IUCN Species Survival Commission
P J. Stephenson, IUCN SSC Species Monitoring Specialist Group
Simon N. Stuart, Synchronicity Earth
Richard P. Young, The University of New South Wales
Pablo Acebes, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto, ProDelphinus
Silvia Alvarez-Clare, The Morton Arboretum
Raphali Rodlis Andriantsimanarilafy, Madagasikara Voakajy
Marina Arbetman, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, CONICET
Claudio Azat, Universidad Andres Bello
Gianluigi Bacchetta, University of Cagliari
Ruchi Badola, Wildlife Institute of India
Luis M.D. Barcelos, University of the Azores
Joao Pedro Barreiros, Universidade dos Açores
Sayanti Basak, Wildlife Institute of India
Danielle J. Berger, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Sabuj Bhattacharyya, Indian Institute of Sciences
Gilad Bino, The University of New South Wales
Paulo A.V. Borges, Departamento de Ciências e Engenharia do Ambiente Universidade dos Açores
Raoul K. Boughton, University of Florida
H Jane Brockmann, University of Florida
Hannah L. Buckley, Auckland University of Technology
Ian J. Burfield, BirdLife International
James Burton, IUCN SSC Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group, Cedar House
Teresa Camacho-Badani, Museo de Historia Natural Alcide d’ Orbigny
Luis Santiago Cano-Alonso, Complutense University of Madrid
Ruth H. Carmichael, Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Christina Carrero, The Morton Arboretum
John P. Carroll, University of Nebraska, School of Natural ResourcesFollow
Giorgos Catsadorakis, Society for the Protection of Prespa, Agios Germanos
David G. Chapple, Monash University
Guillaume Chapron, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury, University of Dhaka
Louw Claassens, Rhodes University
Donatella Cogoni, Università degli Studi di Cagliari
Rochelle Constantine, University of Auckland
Christie Anne Craig, Centre for Biodiversity Conservation
Andrew A. Cunningham, Zoological Society of London
Nishma Dahal, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology
Jennifer C. Daltry, Fauna & Flora International
Goura Chandra Das, Wildlife Institute of India
Niladri Dasgupta, Wildlife Institute of India
Alexandra Davey, Fauna & Flora International
Katharine Davies, Botanic Gardens Conservation International
Pedro Develey, BirdLife/SAVE Brasil
Vanitha Elangovan, University of Otago
David Fairclough, Hillarys
Mirko Di Febbraro, University of Molise
Giuseppe Fenu, Università degli Studi di Cagliari
Fernando Moreira Fernandes, Sociedade de Amigos da Fundação Zoobotânica de Belo Horizonte
Eduardo Pinheiro Fernandez, Brazilian National Centre for Flora Conservation
Brittany Finucci, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
Rita Foldesi, University of Bonn
Catherine M. Foley, University of Hawai’i at Manoa
Matthew Ford, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science
Michael R.J. Forstner, Texas State University
Nestor Garcia, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
Ricardo Garcia-Sandoval, Ciudad Universitaria
Penny C. Gardner, Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department
Roberto Garibay-Orijel, Ciudad Universitaria
Marites Gatan-Balbas, Mabuwaya Foundation Inc., ISU Garita
Irene Gauto, Asociación Etnobotánica Paraguaya
Mirza Ghazanfar Ullah Ghazi, Wildlife Institute of India
Stephanie S. Godfrey, University of Otago
Matthew Gollock, Zoological Society of London
Benito A. Gonzalez, Universidad de Chile
Tandora D. Grant, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research
Thomas Gray, Wildlife Alliance
Andrew J. Gregory, Bowling Green State University
Roy H.A. van Grunsven, Dutch Butterfly Conservation
Marieka Gryzenhout, University of the Free State
Noelle C. Guernsey, World Wildlife Fund Inc.
Garima Gupta, Newcastle University
Christina Hagen, BirdLife South Africa
Christian A. Hagen, Oregon State University
Madison B. Hall, University of Central Florida
Eric Hallerman, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Kelly Hare, Urban Wildlife Trust
Tom Hart, Oxford University
Ruston Hartdegen, Dallas Zoo
Yvette Harvey-Brown, Botanic Gardens Conservation International
Richard Hatfield, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Tahneal Hawke, University of New South Wales
Claudia Hermes, BirdLife International
Rod Hitchmough, Department of Conservation—Te Papa Atawhai
Pablo Melo Hoffmann, Sociedade Chauá
Charlie Howarth, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust,
Michael A. Hudson, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
Syed Ainul Hussain, Wildlife Institute of India
Charlie Huveneers, Flinders University
Helene Jacques, IUCN Otter Specialist Group
Dennis Jorgensen, World Wildlife Fund Inc., Northern Great Plains Program
Suyash Katdare, Wildlife Institute of India
Lydia K.D. Katsis, University of Oxford
Rahul Kaul, Wildlife Trust of India
Boaz Kaundra-Arara, University of Eldoret
Lucy Keith-Diagne, African Aquatic Conservation Fund
Daniel T. Kraus, University of Waterloo
Thales Moreira de Lima, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
Ken Lindeman, Florida Institute of Technology, Program in Sustainability Studies
Jean Linsky, Botanic Gardens Conservation International
Edward Louis Jr., Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Anna Loy, University of Molise
Eimear Nic Lughadha, Royal Botanic Gardens
Jeffrey C. Mangel, ProDelphinus
Paul E. Marinari, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Gabriel M. Martin, Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica, CONICET
Gustavo Martinelli, National Center for Flora Conservation (CNCFlora)
Philip J.K. McGowan, Newcastle University
Alistair McInnes, BirdLife South Africa
Eduardo Teles Barbosa Mendes, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
Michael J. Millard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Claire Mirande, International Crane Foundation
Daniel Money, University of Cambridge
Joanne M. Monks, Department of Conservation
Carolina Laura Morales, Universidad Nacional del Comahue
Nazia Noareen Mumu, Center for Natural Resource Studies
Raquel Negrao, Royal Botanic Gardens
Anh Ha Nguyen, Fauna & Flora International - Vietnam Programme
Nazmul Hasan Niloy Md., University of Dhaka
Grant Leslie Norbury, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research
Cale Nordmeyer, Minnesota Zoo
Darren Norris, School of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Amapá
Mark O'Brien, BirdLife International Pacific Regional Office
Gabriela Akemi Oda, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro – UFRRJ, Department of Environmental Sciences, Forestry Institute
Simone Orsengio, Università degli Studi di Cagliari
Mark Evan Outerbridge, Bermuda Government, Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Stesha Pasachnik, International Iguana Foundation
Juan Carlos Perez-Jimenez, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur
Charlotte Pike, Zoological Society of London
Fred Pilkington, Fauna & Flora International
Glenn Plumb, US National Park Service
Rita de Cassia Quitete Portela, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
Ana Prohaska, University of Cambridge
Manuel G. Quintana, Argentine Museum of Natural Sciences
Eddie Fanantenana Rakotondrasoa, Madagasikara Voakajy
Dustin H. Ranglack, University of Nebraska KearneyFollow
Hassan Rankou, Royal Botanic Gardens
Ajay Prakash Rawat, Wildlife Institute of India
James Thomas Reardon, Department of Conservation, New Zealand, Fiordland District Office
Marcelo Lopes Rheingantz, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Stephen C. Richter, Eastern Kentucky University
Malin C. Rivers, Botanic Gardens Conservation International
Luke Rollie Rogers, University of Nebraska Kearney
Patricia Da Rosa, National Center for Flora Conservation (CNCFlora)
Paul Rose, University of Exeter
Emily Royer, Minnesota Zoo
Catherine Ryan, Auckland University of Technology
Yvonne J. Sadovy de Mitcheson, University of Hong Kong
Lily Salmon, Nottingham Trent University
Carlos Henrique Salvador, Cooperative Caipora
Michael J. Samways, Stellenbosch University
Tatiana Sanjuan, Grupo Micologos
Amanda Souza dos Santos, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Hiroshi Sasaki, Chikushi Jogakuen University
Emmanuel Shutz, D’ABOVILLE Foundation and Demo Farm Inc
Heather Ann Scott, Namibia Crane Working Group
Robert Michael Scott, Namibia Crane Working Group
Fabrizio Serena, National Research Council-(CNR –IRBIM),
Surya P. Sharma, Wildlife Institute of India
John A. Shuey, The Nature Conservancy
Carlos Julio Polo Silva, Universidad de Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano
John P. Simaika, IHE Delft Institute for Water EducationDelft
David R. Smith, U.S. Geological Survey
Julia L.Y. Spaet, University of Cambridge
Shanjida Sultana, University of Dhaka
Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, IUCN Asian Rhino Specialist Group
Vikash Tatayah, Mauritian Wildlife Foundation
Philip Thomas, Royal Botanic Garden
Angela Tringali, Archbold Biological Station
Hoang Trinh-Dinh, Fauna & Flora International - Vietnam Programme
Chongpi Tuboi, Wildlife Institute of India
Aftab Alam Usami, Wildlife Institute of India
Aida M. Vasco-Palacios, Universidad de Antioquia
Jean-Christophe Vie, Fondation Franklinia
Jo Virens, University of Otago
Alan Walker, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science
Bryan Wallace, Ecolibrium Inc
Lauren J. Waller, Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds
Hongfeng Wang, Northeast Forestry University
Oliver R. Wearn, Fauna & Flora International - Vietnam Programme
Merlijin van Weerd, Leiden University
Simon Weigmann, Elasmobranch Research Laboratory
Daniel Willcox, Save Vietnam’s Wildlife, Cuc Phuong National Park
John Woinarski, Charles Darwin University
Jean W.H. Yong, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Stuart Young, IUCN SSC Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

4-10-2021

Citation

Grace MK, Akçakaya HR, Bennett EL et al., Testing a global standard for quantifying species recovery and assessing conservation impact. Conservation Biology, 2021;1–17. https://doi.org/10.1002/cobi.13756

Comments

OPEN ACCESS

Abstract

Recognizing the imperative to evaluate species recovery and conservation impact, in 2012 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) called for development of a “Green List of Species” (now the IUCN Green Status of Species). A draft Green Status framework for assessing species’ progress toward recovery, published in 2018, proposed 2 separate but interlinked components: a standardized method (i.e., measurement against benchmarks of species’ viability, functionality, and preimpact distribution) to determine current species recovery status (herein species recovery score) and application of that method to estimate past and potential future impacts of conservation based on 4 metrics (conservation legacy, conservation dependence, conservation gain, and recovery potential). We tested the framework with 181 species representing diverse taxa, life histories, biomes, and IUCN Red List categories (extinction risk). Based on the observed distribution of species’ recovery scores, we propose the following species recovery categories: fully recovered, slightly depleted, moderately depleted, largely depleted, critically depleted, extinct in the wild, and indeterminate. Fifty-nine percent of tested species were considered largely or critically depleted. Although there was a negative relationship between extinction risk and species recovery score, variation was considerable. Some species in lower risk categories were assessed as farther from recovery than those at higher risk. This emphasizes that species recovery is conceptually different from extinction risk and reinforces the utility of the IUCN Green Status of Species to more fully understand species conservation status. Although extinction risk did not predict conservation legacy, conservation dependence, or conservation gain, it was positively correlated with recovery potential. Only 1.7% of tested species were categorized as zero across all 4 of these conservation impact metrics, indicating that conservation has, or will, play a role in improving or maintaining species status for the vast majority of these species. Based on our results, we devised an updated assessment framework that introduces the option of using a dynamic baseline to assess future impacts of conservation over the short term to avoid misleading results which were generated in a small number of cases, and redefines short term as 10 years to better align with conservation planning. These changes are reflected in the IUCN Green Status of Species Standard.

COinS