Mittermeier R A, Mittermeier C G, Brooks T M, Pilgrim J D, Konstant W R, da Fonseca G A B, Kormos C
Conservation International, 1919 M Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036, USA.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 Sep 2;100(18):10309-13. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1732458100. Epub 2003 Aug 20.
Human pressure threatens many species and ecosystems, so conservation efforts necessarily prioritize saving them. However, conservation should clearly be proactive wherever possible. In this article, we assess the biodiversity conservation value, and specifically the irreplaceability in terms of species endemism, of those of the planet's ecosystems that remain intact. We find that 24 wilderness areas, all > or = 1 million hectares, are > or = 70% intact and have human densities of less than or equal to five people per km2. This wilderness covers 44% of all land but is inhabited by only 3% of people. Given this sparse population, wilderness conservation is cost-effective, especially if ecosystem service value is incorporated. Soberingly, however, most wilderness is not speciose: only 18% of plants and 10% of terrestrial vertebrates are endemic to individual wildernesses, the majority restricted to Amazonia, Congo, New Guinea, the Miombo-Mopane woodlands, and the North American deserts. Global conservation strategy must target these five wildernesses while continuing to prioritize threatened biodiversity hotspots.
人类活动的压力威胁着许多物种和生态系统，因此保护工作必然要优先考虑拯救它们。然而，只要有可能，保护工作显然应该积极主动。在本文中，我们评估了地球上那些仍然完好无损的生态系统的生物多样性保护价值，特别是从物种特有性角度的不可替代性。我们发现，有24个荒野地区，面积均≥100万公顷，完整性≥70%，且人口密度≤每平方公里5人。这片荒野覆盖了所有陆地的44%，但居住的人口仅占3%。鉴于人口稀少，保护荒野具有成本效益，特别是如果将生态系统服务价值考虑在内的话。然而，令人警醒的是，大多数荒野地区物种并不丰富：只有18%的植物和10%的陆地脊椎动物是个别荒野地区特有的，大多数局限于亚马逊地区、刚果、新几内亚、米奥姆博-莫帕内林地和北美沙漠。全球保护战略必须以这五个荒野地区为目标，同时继续优先考虑受到威胁的生物多样性热点地区。
