Page 65 - GIS for Science, Volume 3 Preview

BIODIVERSITY INDICATORS
Although spatial conservation planning identifies the amount of protection needed and where, there is a big difference between identifying a mathematically optimal solution and turning that solution into action through conservation policies and resource management. This process is slow and messy (in the best of times) due to myriad additional considerations that may not have been accounted for in the modeling process, such as budgets, time horizons, conflicts with existing policies, and competing sociopolitical interests. Even with unanimous agreement on a united path toward global biodiversity conservation, it would take years to implement the policy needed to close the gap between where we are at today and what is needed to achieve Half-Earth. Consequently, it’s unknown whether the path taken today would accomplish the same goals in the future. To complement spatial planning, we turn to methods for tracking conservation progress through time and global change.
Biodiversity indicators are measurements derived from biodiversity data that enable us to study, report, and manage biodiversity change. One prominent example featured on the Half-Earth Project Map’s National Report Cards is the Species Protection Index (SPI). Map of Life developed this metric to quantify the extent of species habitat conserved by protected areas. When measured at the national level, the SPI reflects the average amount of area-based conservation targets met across all indigenous species within a given country in a given year, weighted by the country’s stewardship. With a range of 0–100, the SPI is based on the amount and location of currently protected land and the number and location of species found inside and outside the protected areas. An SPI of 100, for example, reflects a country practicing good stewardship and promoting equitable conservation efforts within its borders.
As a biodiversity indicator, the SPI helps ensure that our conservation actions reflect and achieve our conservation goals over time by prioritizing areas where biodiversity protection is most needed. The SPI can be updated regularly to reflect additions to protected area networks and enhancements in our understanding of species distributions. Additionally, the SPI can be aggregated at different spatial
100 75 50 25
0
1980 1990 2000 2010
scales ( for example, globally or by country) and for different taxonomic groups. For countries with low SPI values, the layers of priority areas for conservation show where efforts can be directed to make the most rapid gains in species protection.
100 75 50 25
0
Amphibians (n = 82)
Birds (n = 725)
Mammals (n = 233)
Reptiles All vertebrates (n = 259) (n = 1299)
National SPI of Mozambique aggregated by taxonomic group and calculated for 2019, illustrating disparities in current protection levels between species groups.
Two example countries that provide stewardship for a similar number of terrestrial vertebrate species (A = 488, B = 521) and have similar percentages of protected area, yet country B’s SPI
is much higher than country A’s due
to the location of its protected areas
in areas of biodiversity value and the extent to which they provide habitat for country B’s species.
Country A
Reserve coverage (percentage) Species Protection Index
Country B
2020 1980
Year
1990 2000
2010 2020
Mapping Half-Earth 53
Species Protection Index