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Are comparative studies of extinction risk useful for conservation?
Marcel Cardillo1, Erik Meijaard
1Centre for Macroevolution and Macroecology, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia. marcel.cardillo@anu.edu.au
Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|October 26, 2011
Summary
Large-scale species extinction risk studies offer limited conservation impact due to ambiguous results and a focus on reactive, not proactive, biodiversity protection. Making research accessible and adopting preventative planning are key.
Area of Science:
- Conservation Science
- Ecology
- Biodiversity Studies
Background:
- Comparative studies on species extinction risk are prevalent in conservation science.
- However, their practical influence on conservation efforts remains limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the disconnect between large-scale extinction risk studies and conservation practice.
- To identify key areas where the link between research and application breaks down.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the accessibility and applicability of results from comparative extinction risk studies.
- Evaluation of current conservation practices in relation to the findings of these studies.
Main Results:
- Study results indicate that findings from comparative extinction risk assessments are often ambiguous and difficult to translate into actionable conservation policies.
- Current conservation practices predominantly focus on rescuing already threatened species, contrasting with the proactive approach suggested by comparative studies.
Conclusions:
- Scientists need to enhance the clarity and accessibility of their research findings to bridge the gap with conservation policy.
- Conservation practitioners should shift towards more proactive planning strategies, utilizing insights from comparative studies to anticipate and prevent future biodiversity declines.
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