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Wildlife population trends in protected areas predicted by national socio-economic metrics and body size

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posted on 2023-05-19, 06:03 authored by Barnes, MD, Craigie, ID, Harrison, LB, Geldmann, J, Collen, B, Whitmee, S, Balmford, A, Burgess, ND, Thomas BrooksThomas Brooks, Hockings, M, Woodley, S
Ensuring that protected areas (PAs) maintain the biodiversity within their boundaries is fundamental in achieving global conservation goals. Despite this objective, wildlife abundance changes in PAs are patchily documented and poorly understood. Here, we use linear mixed effect models to explore correlates of population change in 1,902 populations of birds and mammals from 447 PAs globally. On an average, we find PAs are maintaining populations of monitored birds and mammals within their boundaries. Wildlife population trends are more positive in PAs located in countries with higher development scores, and for larger-bodied species. These results suggest that active management can consistently overcome disadvantages of lower reproductive rates and more severe threats experienced by larger species of birds and mammals. The link between wildlife trends and national development shows that the social and economic conditions supporting PAs are critical for the successful maintenance of their wildlife populations.

History

Publication title

Nature Communications

Volume

7

Article number

12747

Number

12747

Pagination

1-9

ISSN

2041-1723

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group

Place of publication

4 Crinan St, London, N1 9XW United Kingdom

Rights statement

Copyright 2016 the authors. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Other environmental management not elsewhere classified

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