Dynamic biogeography and conservation of endangered species
As one moves from the core to the periphery of a species' geographical range, populations occupy less favourable habitats and exhibit lower and more variable densities. Populations along the periphery of the range tend to be more fragmented and, as a result, are less likely to receive immigrant...
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Veröffentlicht in: | Nature (London) 2000-01, Vol.403 (6765), p.84-86 |
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Sprache: | eng |
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Zusammenfassung: | As one moves from the core to the periphery of a species' geographical
range, populations occupy less favourable habitats and exhibit lower and more
variable densities. Populations along the periphery
of the range tend to be more fragmented and, as a result, are less likely
to receive immigrants from other populations. A population's probability of
extinction is directly correlated with its variability and inversely correlated
with density and immigration rate. This has led
to the prediction that, when a species becomes endangered, its geographical
range should contract inwards, with the core populations persisting until
the final stages of decline. Convinced by these logical
but untested deductions, conservation biologists and wildlife managers have
been instructed to avoid the range periphery when planning conservation strategies
or allocating resources for endangered species. We
have analysed range contraction in 245 species from a broad range of taxonomic
groups and geographical regions. Here we report that observed patterns of
range contraction do not support the above predictions and that most species
examined persist in the periphery of their historical geographical ranges. |
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ISSN: | 0028-0836 1476-4687 |
DOI: | 10.1038/47487 |