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How species respond to multiple extinction threats
Nick J B Isaac1, Guy Cowlishaw
1Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK. nick.isaac@ioz.ac.uk
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|August 13, 2004
Summary
Species vulnerability to extinction varies by threat type, not just biology. A primate
Area of Science:
- Primate conservation biology
- Ecology
- Evolutionary biology
Background:
- Species extinction risk is influenced by biological traits.
- Understanding species' responses to diverse threats is crucial for conservation.
- Limited knowledge exists on how species react to different threat processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess if species vulnerability to various threats covaries.
- To identify biological traits linked to threat-specific extinction responses in primates.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative analysis of local extinction risk in primates.
- Multivariate statistical approaches to correlate traits with threat responses.
Main Results:
- Primate vulnerability to local population decline differs significantly across species and threat types.
- A species' response to one threat does not predict its response to others.
- Distinct biological traits correlate with specific threat responses: low ecological flexibility (forestry), canopy dwelling and low-fruit diet (agriculture), and large body size (hunting).
Conclusions:
- Species' local extinction vulnerability is highly variable.
- Extinction risk is dependent on both the type of threat and species-specific biology.
- Conservation strategies must consider threat-specific vulnerabilities and associated biological traits.