10 research outputs found
A threatened species index for Australian birds
Quantifying species population trends is crucial for monitoring progress towards global conservation targets, justifying investments, planning targeted responses and raising awareness about threatened species. Many global indicators are slow in response and report on common species, not on those at greatest risk of extinction. Here we develop a Threatened Species Index as a dynamic tool for tracking annual changes in Australia's imperiled birds. Based on the Living Planet Index method and containing more than 17,000 time series for 65 bird taxa surveyed systematically, the index at its second iteration shows an average reduction of 59% between 1985 and 2016, and 44% between 2000 and 2016. Decreases seem most severe for shorebirds and terrestrial birds and least severe for seabirds. The index provides a potential means for measuring performance against the Convention on Biological Diversity's Aichi Target 12, enabling governments, agencies and the public to observe changes in threatened species
Impact Indicators for Biodiversity Conservation Research: Measuring Influence within and beyond Academia
Spending to save: What will it cost to halt Australia's extinction crisis?
Conservation Letters published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. As with most governments worldwide, Australian governments list threatened species and proffer commitments to recovering them. Yet most of Australia's imperiled species continue to decline or go extinct and a contributing cause is inadequate investment in conservation management. However, this has been difficult to evaluate because the extent of funding committed to such recovery in Australia, like in many nations, is opaque. Here, by collating disparate published budget figures of Australian governments, we show that annual spending on targeted threatened species recovery is around U.S.122m) which is around one tenth of that spent by the U.S. endangered species recovery program, and about 15% of what is needed to avoid extinctions and recover threatened species. Our approach to estimating funding needs for species recovery could be applied in any jurisdiction and could be scaled up to calculate what is needed to achieve international goals for ending the species extinction crisis
Valuing research: tools and approaches for assessing and enhancing the benefits from environmental research
This project has developed and tested a framework for assessing research value across the life cycle of conservation research projects and programs. This is the first comprehensive attempt of its kind to build and test a multimodal, integrated, qualitative and quantitative framework for achieving and assessing value in environmental research. The report focuses on research âvalueâ, not just âimpactâ. Achieving research value is strongly dependent on effective engagement and building appropriate âpathways to impactâ. The framework is designed as a flexible guide that can be drawn upon for a wide range of valuation purposes, and that can be applied (as appropriate) at any point through the life cycle of research projects or after completion. It is designed for practical application in agencies across a wide range of sectors, including research, research funding, government and land management agencies
A threatened species index for Australian birds
Quantifying species population trends is crucial for monitoring progress towards global conservation targets, justifying investments, planning targeted responses and raising awareness about threatened species. Many global indicators are slow in response and report on common species, not on those at greatest risk of extinction. Here we develop a Threatened Species Index as a dynamic tool for tracking annual changes in Australia's imperiled birds. Based on the Living Planet Index method and containing more than 17,000 time series for 65 bird taxa surveyed systematically, the index at its second iteration shows an average reduction of 59% between 1985 and 2016, and 44% between 2000 and 2016. Decreases seem most severe for shorebirds and terrestrial birds and least severe for seabirds. The index provides a potential means for measuring performance against the Convention on Biological Diversity's Aichi Target 12, enabling governments, agencies and the public to observe changes in threatened species
Spending to save: What will it cost to halt Australia's extinction crisis?
As with most governments worldwide, Australian governments list threatened species and proffer commitments to recovering them. Yet most of Australia's imperiled species continue to decline or go extinct and a contributing cause is inadequate investment in conservation management. However, this has been difficult to evaluate because the extent of funding committed to such recovery in Australia, like in many nations, is opaque. Here, by collating disparate published budget figures of Australian governments, we show that annual spending on targeted threatened species recovery is around U.S.122m) which is around one tenth of that spent by the U.S. endangered species recovery program, and about 15% of what is needed to avoid extinctions and recover threatened species. Our approach to estimating funding needs for species recovery could be applied in any jurisdiction and could be scaled up to calculate what is needed to achieve international goals for ending the species extinction crisis
Combating ecosystem collapse from the tropics to the Antarctic
Globally, collapse of ecosystemsâpotentially irreversible change to ecosystem structure, composition and functionâimperils biodiversity, human health and wellâbeing. We examine the current state and recent trajectories of 19 ecosystems, spanning 58° of latitude across 7.7 M km2, from Australia's coral reefs to terrestrial Antarctica. Pressures from global climate change and regional human impacts, occurring as chronic âpressesâ and/or acute âpulsesâ, drive ecosystem collapse. Ecosystem responses to 5â17 pressures were categorised as four collapse profilesâabrupt, smooth, stepped and fluctuating. The manifestation of widespread ecosystem collapse is a stark warning of the necessity to take action. We present a threeâstep assessment and management framework (3As Pathway Awareness, Anticipation and Action) to aid strategic and effective mitigation to alleviate further degradation to help secure our future
Combating ecosystem collapse from the tropics to the Antarctic
Globally, collapse of ecosystemsâpotentially irreversible change to ecosystem structure, composition and functionâimperils biodiversity, human health and well-being. We examine the current state and recent trajectories of 19 ecosystems, spanning 58° of latitude across 7.7 M km , from Australia\u27s coral reefs to terrestrial Antarctica. Pressures from global climate change and regional human impacts, occurring as chronic âpressesâ and/or acute âpulsesâ, drive ecosystem collapse. Ecosystem responses to 5â17 pressures were categorised as four collapse profilesâabrupt, smooth, stepped and fluctuating. The manifestation of widespread ecosystem collapse is a stark warning of the necessity to take action. We present a three-step assessment and management framework (3As Pathway Awareness, Anticipation and Action) to aid strategic and effective mitigation to alleviate further degradation to help secure our future.
Combating ecosystem collapse from the tropics to the Antarctic
Globally, collapse of ecosystemsâpotentially irreversible change to ecosystem structure, composition and functionâimperils biodiversity, human health and well-being. We examine the current state and recent trajectories of 19 ecosystems, spanning 58° of latitude across 7.7 M km2, from Australia's coral reefs to terrestrial Antarctica. Pressures from global climate change and regional human impacts, occurring as chronic âpressesâ and/or acute âpulsesâ, drive ecosystem collapse. Ecosystem responses to 5â17 pressures were categorised as four collapse profilesâabrupt, smooth, stepped and fluctuating. The manifestation of widespread ecosystem collapse is a stark warning of the necessity to take action. We present a three-step assessment and management framework (3As Pathway Awareness, anticipation and Action) to aid strategic and effective mitigation to alleviate further degradation to help secure our future