Conservation prioritization of Native forests in Argentina using species distributions and human footprint data

MARTINUZZI SEBASTIÁN; OLAH ASHLEY; POLITI NATALIA; RIVERA LUIS; OLIVERA SILVEIRA EDUARDA; LIZARRAGA LEONIDAS; ROSAS YAMINA; MARTINEZ PASTUR GUILLERMO; RADELOFF VOLKER; PIDGEON ANNA

Congreso; AGU Fall Meeting 2021; 2021

Protecting forest biodiversity by nationsrequires identifying areas with low human influence and high number of species.However, detailed nation-wide information on human influence and speciesdistributions is typically lacking, particularly in developing countries. Here,we integrate information on human footprint and species distribution models toidentify forests with low human influence and high numbers of species ofconservation concern, across the country of Argentina. We modeled thedistribution of 59 species of conservation concern (i.e., endemic, endangered,indicator, etc.) using remotely sensed (i.e., dynamic habitat indices fromMODIS, phenology and temperature from Landsat) and climatic (WorldClim)predictors, and used information on areas with low human influence from ahuman-footprint map that depicts human activities (i.e., land use, roads,energy infrastructure, etc.) across the landscape. From these data, weidentified the areas with the lowest human influence and highest number ofspecies of conservation concern within the major forest regions of Argentina (Andean-Patagonian,Atlantic, Chaco, Espinal, and Yungas). Finally, we intersected these areas withthe current land-use zoning of Argentina?s forest, i.e., a key policyinstrument for conserving the nation?s forests, to assess potential threats andopportunities for conservation. The data generated here providesstraightforward information for advancing forest conservation in Argentina inthe context of the current land-use zoning and policy efforts, and represents akey step towards reducing the research-implementation gap.