Accounting for system dynamics in reserve design.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Environmental Management

Background:

• Systematic conservation planning is increasingly incorporating ecosystem dynamics like climate change and population fluctuations.
• However, few studies have addressed the crucial role of natural disturbances in reserve design, particularly for intact ecosystems.
• Natural disturbances, such as fire, significantly shape ecosystem structure and function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of hypothetical reserve networks in maintaining conservation targets under active natural disturbance regimes.
• To demonstrate the utility of spatially explicit, dynamic simulation models in reserve design.
• To inform the development of more effective and efficient conservation planning strategies.

Main Methods:

• Development of CONSERV, a spatially explicit, dynamic simulation model simulating patch dynamics and fire.
• Design of six hypothetical reserve networks based on conventional methods with varying conservation targets.
• Inputting reserve networks into CONSERV to track target maintenance over time under simulated natural disturbances.

Main Results:

• None of the tested reserve networks successfully maintained all initial conservation targets.
• Some reserve designs exhibited over-representation of specific features, indicating inefficiencies.
• The study highlights the limitations of conventional reserve design methods when faced with dynamic natural processes.

Conclusions:

• Spatially explicit dynamic simulation models, like CONSERV, are essential for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of reserve design.
• Iterative use of such models can help evaluate competing designs and select targets with higher long-term viability.
• Integrating dynamic simulation models into planning processes is crucial for developing robust conservation strategies in uncertain environments.