| Autor: |
Amano T; Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK.; Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1SG, UK., Székely T; Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.; Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, H-4010, Hungary., Sandel B; Department of Biology, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, California 95053, USA., Nagy S; Wetlands International Head Office, Horapark 9, 6717 LZ Ede, The Netherlands., Mundkur T; Wetlands International Head Office, Horapark 9, 6717 LZ Ede, The Netherlands., Langendoen T; Wetlands International Head Office, Horapark 9, 6717 LZ Ede, The Netherlands., Blanco D; Wetlands International LAC Argentina Office, Capitán General Ramón Freire 1512, Buenos Aires 1426, Argentina., Soykan CU; National Audubon Society, Conservation Science, 220 Montgomery St., Suite 1000, San Francisco, California 94104, USA., Sutherland WJ; Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK. |
| Abstrakt: |
Understanding global patterns of biodiversity change is crucial for conservation research, policies and practices. However, for most ecosystems, the lack of systematically collected data at a global level limits our understanding of biodiversity changes and their local-scale drivers. Here we address this challenge by focusing on wetlands, which are among the most biodiverse and productive of any environments and which provide essential ecosystem services, but are also amongst the most seriously threatened ecosystems. Using birds as an indicator taxon of wetland biodiversity, we model time-series abundance data for 461 waterbird species at 25,769 survey sites across the globe. We show that the strongest predictor of changes in waterbird abundance, and of conservation efforts having beneficial effects, is the effective governance of a country. In areas in which governance is on average less effective, such as western and central Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and South America, waterbird declines are particularly pronounced; a higher protected area coverage of wetland environments facilitates waterbird increases, but only in countries with more effective governance. Our findings highlight that sociopolitical instability can lead to biodiversity loss and undermine the benefit of existing conservation efforts, such as the expansion of protected area coverage. Furthermore, data deficiencies in areas with less effective governance could lead to underestimations of the extent of the current biodiversity crisis. |
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