Warning about conservation status of forest ecosystems in tropical Andes: National assessment based on IUCN criteria.

World ecosystems are suffering from anthropogenic and natural pressure. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has developed analogous criteria for the Red List of Threatened Species in order to perform similar risk assessments on ecosystems, creating the Red List of Ecosystems (R...

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Main Authors: Jin Kyoung Noh, Cristian Echeverria, Janina Kleemann, Hongmi Koo, Christine Fürst, Pablo Cuenca
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2020-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237877
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author Jin Kyoung Noh
Cristian Echeverria
Janina Kleemann
Hongmi Koo
Christine Fürst
Pablo Cuenca
author_facet Jin Kyoung Noh
Cristian Echeverria
Janina Kleemann
Hongmi Koo
Christine Fürst
Pablo Cuenca
author_sort Jin Kyoung Noh
collection DOAJ
description World ecosystems are suffering from anthropogenic and natural pressure. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has developed analogous criteria for the Red List of Threatened Species in order to perform similar risk assessments on ecosystems, creating the Red List of Ecosystems (RLE) methodology. One of the most significant challenges for the construction of these lists is gathering the available information to apply the criteria. By applying IUCN RLE criteria B (the extent of restricted geographic distribution of an ecosystem), we analyzed the threat level of 64 forest ecosystems of the Ecuadorian mainland. According to the results, limited distribution is the key risk to threatened ecosystems, which are associated with anthropogenic pressures. Our study showed that 22% of forest ecosystems are classified as threatened. This evaluation of the forest ecosystem status at a national level could lead to public awareness towards ecosystem conservation and provide reasonable strategies to managers.
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spelling doaj.art-d1893bdcbb4342ee989febb61fc02c0a2022-12-21T18:39:44ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032020-01-01158e023787710.1371/journal.pone.0237877Warning about conservation status of forest ecosystems in tropical Andes: National assessment based on IUCN criteria.Jin Kyoung NohCristian EcheverriaJanina KleemannHongmi KooChristine FürstPablo CuencaWorld ecosystems are suffering from anthropogenic and natural pressure. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has developed analogous criteria for the Red List of Threatened Species in order to perform similar risk assessments on ecosystems, creating the Red List of Ecosystems (RLE) methodology. One of the most significant challenges for the construction of these lists is gathering the available information to apply the criteria. By applying IUCN RLE criteria B (the extent of restricted geographic distribution of an ecosystem), we analyzed the threat level of 64 forest ecosystems of the Ecuadorian mainland. According to the results, limited distribution is the key risk to threatened ecosystems, which are associated with anthropogenic pressures. Our study showed that 22% of forest ecosystems are classified as threatened. This evaluation of the forest ecosystem status at a national level could lead to public awareness towards ecosystem conservation and provide reasonable strategies to managers.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237877
spellingShingle Jin Kyoung Noh
Cristian Echeverria
Janina Kleemann
Hongmi Koo
Christine Fürst
Pablo Cuenca
Warning about conservation status of forest ecosystems in tropical Andes: National assessment based on IUCN criteria.
PLoS ONE
title Warning about conservation status of forest ecosystems in tropical Andes: National assessment based on IUCN criteria.
title_full Warning about conservation status of forest ecosystems in tropical Andes: National assessment based on IUCN criteria.
title_fullStr Warning about conservation status of forest ecosystems in tropical Andes: National assessment based on IUCN criteria.
title_full_unstemmed Warning about conservation status of forest ecosystems in tropical Andes: National assessment based on IUCN criteria.
title_short Warning about conservation status of forest ecosystems in tropical Andes: National assessment based on IUCN criteria.
title_sort warning about conservation status of forest ecosystems in tropical andes national assessment based on iucn criteria
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237877
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