1
|
Maciel EA, Martins VF, Torres RR, Martins FR. How do intrinsic and extrinsic causes interact in the extinction vulnerability of South American savanna shrub and tree species? JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 343:118256. [PMID: 37247542 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Although a growing body of literature recognises the importance of rarity for biodiversity conservation, it is unclear how the interaction of different forms of rarity, extrinsic causes of extinction, and protection affect species' vulnerability. Here we addressed the extinction vulnerability of 2203 shrub and tree species of the South American savanna (SAS). For this, species were attributed a form of rarity, a synergistic risk index (SRI), and a protection index (PI). The SRI combines three extrinsic causes of extinction (climate hazard, fire frequency, and human footprint). The PI is the ratio between the number of a species occurrences within protected areas and the total number of occurrences in the SAS. By combining the SRI and PI, we classified common and rare species into five vulnerability classes. Some regions of the SAS show high values of climate hazard, fire frequency, human footprint, and SRI. Each extrinsic cause of extinction is differently distributed across the SAS and shows no or low spatial congruence with the SRI. Many species show a low ratio of occurrences within PAs, which in combination with high SRI results in high vulnerability to extinction. Surprisingly, the number of common species in the higher vulnerability classes is higher than of rare species. Common and rare species in different vulnerability classes occur in somewhat different locations across the SAS and mainly constitute spatially incongruent centres with high species richness. Given our results, we propose that strategies for the effective conservation of SAS species are challenging and must be carefully designed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Everton A Maciel
- Department of Plant Biology, Institute of Biology, P.O. Box 6109, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
| | - Valéria Forni Martins
- Department of Plant Biology, Institute of Biology, P.O. Box 6109, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil; Department of Natural Sciences, Maths, and Education, Centre for Agrarian Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos - UFSCar, Rodovia Anhanguera, SP 330, Km 174, 13600-970, Araras, SP, Brazil
| | - Roger Rodrigues Torres
- Natural Resources Institute (IRN), Federal University of Itajubá - UNIFEI, Itajubá, MG, Brazil
| | - Fernando R Martins
- Department of Plant Biology, Institute of Biology, P.O. Box 6109, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|