Conservation planning aimed at halting biodiversity loss has seldom focused on groundwater environments due to the lack of suitable management tools and data. Using harpacticoid crustaceans as a test case, we explore the potential of implementing an approach based on Conservation-Relevant Hotspots for practical conservation of groundwater biodiversity. Conservation-Relevant Hotspots are identified by intersecting species richness, endemicity, and taxonomic distinctness with the aim to minimize the total area to protect. We show that, by targeting five Conservation-Relevant Hotspots that cover only 1.9% of the European land surface, one would protect as much as 44% of the harpacticoid crustacean richness, 93% of its endemicity, and 98% of its taxonomic distinctness. About 28% of the area occupied by these hotspots overlaps with protected areas, which calls for an increase in their protection coverage. Our framework proved a useful tool for conservation planning of environments where spatial or socio-economic constraints occur.
Getting the ‘most out of the hotspot’ for practical conservation of groundwater biodiversity
Di Cicco M.;
2021-01-01
Abstract
Conservation planning aimed at halting biodiversity loss has seldom focused on groundwater environments due to the lack of suitable management tools and data. Using harpacticoid crustaceans as a test case, we explore the potential of implementing an approach based on Conservation-Relevant Hotspots for practical conservation of groundwater biodiversity. Conservation-Relevant Hotspots are identified by intersecting species richness, endemicity, and taxonomic distinctness with the aim to minimize the total area to protect. We show that, by targeting five Conservation-Relevant Hotspots that cover only 1.9% of the European land surface, one would protect as much as 44% of the harpacticoid crustacean richness, 93% of its endemicity, and 98% of its taxonomic distinctness. About 28% of the area occupied by these hotspots overlaps with protected areas, which calls for an increase in their protection coverage. Our framework proved a useful tool for conservation planning of environments where spatial or socio-economic constraints occur.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.