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Reconciling biodiversity and carbon conservation.
Chris D Thomas1, Barbara J Anderson, Atte Moilanen
1Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK. chris.thomas@york.ac.uk
Ecology Letters
|January 3, 2013
Summary
Integrating climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation is crucial. A combined strategy effectively protects both carbon stocks and species, outperforming single-focus approaches.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Climate Change Science
Background:
- Land-based climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies significantly impact global biodiversity.
- Prioritizing carbon retention in natural ecosystems offers substantial biodiversity benefits.
- Terrestrial carbon stocks and biodiversity exhibit differing geographical distributions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of carbon-focused conservation strategies for biodiversity protection.
- To assess the potential of integrated carbon-biodiversity strategies.
- To determine optimal spatial planning for co-benefits.
Main Methods:
- Conservation planning analyses were conducted for the New World and Britain.
- Geographical distributions of terrestrial carbon stocks and biodiversity were mapped.
- Comparative analyses of carbon-only, biodiversity-only, and combined strategies were performed.
Main Results:
- A carbon-only strategy is insufficient for effective biodiversity conservation.
- A combined carbon-biodiversity strategy can protect over 90% of both carbon stocks and biodiversity.
- The combined approach leverages the principle of complementarity for localized species protection.
Conclusions:
- Integrated spatial planning is essential for efficient climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.
- Combined strategies offer a synergistic approach, maximizing co-benefits.
- Prioritizing areas with high complementarity ensures protection of unique biodiversity alongside carbon stocks.
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