Simultaneously operating threats cannot predict extinction risk
Abstract Species afflicted by multiple threats are thought to face greater extinction risk. However, it is not known whether multiple threats operate antagonistically, additively, or synergistically, or whether they vary across different taxonomic and spatial scales. We addressed these questions by...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12758 |
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doaj-259f62698e004f6394419e7a7213cf5d2021-02-10T18:23:40ZengWileyConservation Letters1755-263X2021-01-01141n/an/a10.1111/conl.12758Simultaneously operating threats cannot predict extinction riskAaron C. Greenville0Thomas M. Newsome1Glenda M. Wardle2Chris R. Dickman3William J. Ripple4Brad R. Murray5School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney AustraliaSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney AustraliaSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney AustraliaSchool of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney AustraliaGlobal Trophic Cascades Program, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society Oregon State University Corvallis OregonSchool of Life Sciences University of Technology Sydney Sydney AustraliaAbstract Species afflicted by multiple threats are thought to face greater extinction risk. However, it is not known whether multiple threats operate antagonistically, additively, or synergistically, or whether they vary across different taxonomic and spatial scales. We addressed these questions by analyzing threats to 10,378 species in six vertebrate classes at global and regional spatial scales using network analysis. The total number of threats was a poor predictor of extinction risk, and particular combinations of threats did not predict extinction risk in the same way at different spatial scales. The exception was cartilaginous fishes, which faced increased extinction risk with increasing numbers of threats. Except for cartilaginous fishes, our findings indicate that species facing more threats than others do not face a higher risk of extinction and suggest that effective conservation will require more investment in identifying how threats and different ecosystem stressors operate together at local scales.https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12758conservationextinctionIUCNmultiple threatsnetworks |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Aaron C. Greenville Thomas M. Newsome Glenda M. Wardle Chris R. Dickman William J. Ripple Brad R. Murray |
spellingShingle |
Aaron C. Greenville Thomas M. Newsome Glenda M. Wardle Chris R. Dickman William J. Ripple Brad R. Murray Simultaneously operating threats cannot predict extinction risk Conservation Letters conservation extinction IUCN multiple threats networks |
author_facet |
Aaron C. Greenville Thomas M. Newsome Glenda M. Wardle Chris R. Dickman William J. Ripple Brad R. Murray |
author_sort |
Aaron C. Greenville |
title |
Simultaneously operating threats cannot predict extinction risk |
title_short |
Simultaneously operating threats cannot predict extinction risk |
title_full |
Simultaneously operating threats cannot predict extinction risk |
title_fullStr |
Simultaneously operating threats cannot predict extinction risk |
title_full_unstemmed |
Simultaneously operating threats cannot predict extinction risk |
title_sort |
simultaneously operating threats cannot predict extinction risk |
publisher |
Wiley |
series |
Conservation Letters |
issn |
1755-263X |
publishDate |
2021-01-01 |
description |
Abstract Species afflicted by multiple threats are thought to face greater extinction risk. However, it is not known whether multiple threats operate antagonistically, additively, or synergistically, or whether they vary across different taxonomic and spatial scales. We addressed these questions by analyzing threats to 10,378 species in six vertebrate classes at global and regional spatial scales using network analysis. The total number of threats was a poor predictor of extinction risk, and particular combinations of threats did not predict extinction risk in the same way at different spatial scales. The exception was cartilaginous fishes, which faced increased extinction risk with increasing numbers of threats. Except for cartilaginous fishes, our findings indicate that species facing more threats than others do not face a higher risk of extinction and suggest that effective conservation will require more investment in identifying how threats and different ecosystem stressors operate together at local scales. |
topic |
conservation extinction IUCN multiple threats networks |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12758 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT aaroncgreenville simultaneouslyoperatingthreatscannotpredictextinctionrisk AT thomasmnewsome simultaneouslyoperatingthreatscannotpredictextinctionrisk AT glendamwardle simultaneouslyoperatingthreatscannotpredictextinctionrisk AT chrisrdickman simultaneouslyoperatingthreatscannotpredictextinctionrisk AT williamjripple simultaneouslyoperatingthreatscannotpredictextinctionrisk AT bradrmurray simultaneouslyoperatingthreatscannotpredictextinctionrisk |
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1724275044327096320 |