Journal Article

Standard Lexicon for Biodiversity Conservation: Unified Classifications of Threats and Actions

COLLEN, BEN, WILKIE, DAVID, NEUGARTEN, RACHEL, SALZER, DANIEL, SALAFSKY, NICK, BUTCHART, STUART H.M, MASTER, LAWRENCE L, COX, NEIL, STATTERSFIELD, ALISON J, O'CONNOR, SHEILA, HILTON-TAYLOR, CRAIG

2008

Overview

An essential foundation of any science is a standard lexicon. Any given conservation project can be described in terms of the biodiversity targets, direct threats, contributing factors at the project site, and the conservation actions that the project team is employing to change the situation. These common elements can be linked in a causal chain, which represents a theory of change about how the conservation actions are intended to bring about desired project outcomes. If project teams want to describe and share their work and learn from one another, they need a standard and precise lexicon to specifically describe each node along this chain. To date, there have been several independent efforts to develop standard classifications for the direct threats that affect biodiversity and the conservation actions required to counteract these threats. Recognizing that it is far more effective to have only one accepted global scheme, we merged these separate efforts into unified classifications of threats and actions, which we present here. Each classification is a hierarchical listing of terms and associated definitions. The classifications are comprehensive and exclusive at the upper levels of the hierarchy, expandable at the lower levels, and simple, consistent, and scalable at all levels. We tested these classifications by applying them post hoc to 1191 threatened bird species and 737 conservation projects. Almost all threats and actions could be assigned to the new classification systems, save for some cases lacking detailed information. Furthermore, the new classification systems provided an improved way of analyzing and comparing information across projects when compared with earlier systems. We believe that widespread adoption of these classifications will help practitioners more systematically identify threats and appropriate actions, managers to more efficiently set priorities and allocate resources, and most important, facilitate cross-project learning and the development of a systematic science of conservation.

• Publisher: Blackwell Publishing Inc,Blackwell Publishing, Inc,Blackwell,Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subject: actions taxonomy / amenazas directas a la biodiversidad / Animal, plant and microbial ecology / Applied ecology / archivos de autoridad / Asociación de Medidas para la Conservación / authority files / Biodiversity / Biodiversity conservation / Biological and medical sciences / Birds / ciencia de la conservación / Classification / Climate / Conservation / Conservation biology / Conservation Measures Partnership / Conservation of Natural Resources / Conservation of Natural Resources - legislation & jurisprudence / Conservation of Natural Resources - methods / Conservation practices / conservation science / conservation strategies / Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife / direct threats to biodiversity / Environmental conservation / Environmental Monitoring / Environmental Pollution / estrategias de conservación / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / General aspects / Geological Phenomena / Geology / Habitat conservation / Human Activities / Invasive species / IUCN Red List / learning / legislation & jurisprudence / Lista Roja IUCN / managers / methods / Nature conservation / Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking / Species / Standardization / taxonomía de amenazas / teams / Theory / Threatened species / threats taxonomy / Wildlife conservation