Jenkins Clinton N, Van Houtan Kyle S, Pimm Stuart L, Sexton Joseph O
Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas, Nazaré Paulista - SP, 12960-000, Brazil;
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Honolulu, HI 96818; Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708; and.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 Apr 21;112(16):5081-6. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1418034112. Epub 2015 Apr 6.
Because habitat loss is the main cause of extinction, where and how much society chooses to protect is vital for saving species. The United States is well positioned economically and politically to pursue habitat conservation should it be a societal goal. We assessed the US protected area portfolio with respect to biodiversity in the country. New synthesis maps for terrestrial vertebrates, freshwater fish, and trees permit comparison with protected areas to identify priorities for future conservation investment. Although the total area protected is substantial, its geographic configuration is nearly the opposite of patterns of endemism within the country. Most protected lands are in the West, whereas the vulnerable species are largely in the Southeast. Private land protections are significant, but they are not concentrated where the priorities are. To adequately protect the nation's unique biodiversity, we recommend specific areas deserving additional protection, some of them including public lands, but many others requiring private investment.
由于栖息地丧失是物种灭绝的主要原因，社会选择在何处以及保护多少区域对于拯救物种至关重要。如果栖息地保护成为社会目标，美国在经济和政治方面都具备推进此项工作的条件。我们评估了美国保护区组合在该国生物多样性方面的情况。针对陆地脊椎动物、淡水鱼和树木的新综合地图有助于与保护区进行对比，从而确定未来保护投资的重点。尽管受保护的总面积相当可观，但其地理布局与美国境内的特有物种分布模式几乎相反。大多数受保护土地位于西部，而易危物种大多在东南部。私人土地保护工作成效显著，但它们并未集中在重点区域。为了充分保护美国独特的生物多样性，我们推荐了一些值得额外保护的特定区域，其中一些包括公共土地，但也有许多区域需要私人投资。
