Title |
Delaying conservation actions for improved knowledge: how long should we wait?
|
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Published in |
Ecology Letters, March 2009
|
DOI | 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2009.01287.x |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Hedley S. Grantham, Kerrie A. Wilson, Atte Moilanen, Tony Rebelo, Hugh P. Possingham |
Abstract |
Decisions about where conservation actions are implemented are based on incomplete knowledge about biodiversity. The Protea Atlas is a comprehensive database, containing information collated over a decade. Using this data set in a series of retrospective simulations, we compared the outcome from different scenarios of information gain, and habitat protection and loss, over a 20-year period. We assumed that there was no information on proteas at the beginning of the simulation but knowledge improved each year. Our aim was to find out how much time we should spend collecting data before protecting habitat when there is ongoing loss of habitat. We found that, in this case, surveying for more than 2 years rarely increased the effectiveness of conservation decisions in terms of representation of proteas in protected areas and retention within the landscape. If the delay is too long, it can sometimes be more effective just using a readily available habitat map. These results reveal the opportunity costs of delaying conservation action to improve knowledge. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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Unknown | 1 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
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Members of the public | 1 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Brazil | 11 | 3% |
United States | 7 | 2% |
Australia | 5 | 1% |
United Kingdom | 5 | 1% |
Finland | 4 | 1% |
Germany | 3 | <1% |
South Africa | 3 | <1% |
Switzerland | 2 | <1% |
India | 2 | <1% |
Other | 16 | 4% |
Unknown | 303 | 84% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Researcher | 138 | 38% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 68 | 19% |
Student > Master | 35 | 10% |
Other | 23 | 6% |
Professor > Associate Professor | 19 | 5% |
Other | 56 | 16% |
Unknown | 22 | 6% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 164 | 45% |
Environmental Science | 126 | 35% |
Earth and Planetary Sciences | 8 | 2% |
Economics, Econometrics and Finance | 7 | 2% |
Mathematics | 2 | <1% |
Other | 13 | 4% |
Unknown | 41 | 11% |