The Impact of Conservation on the Status of the World’s Vertebrates

HOFFMANN, M., ET AL (M.F. TOGNELLI)

SCIENCE

AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE

Año: 2010 vol. 330 p. 1503 - 1509

0036-8075

Using data for 25,780 species categorized on the International Union for Conservation of NatureRed List, we present an assessment of the status of the world’s vertebrates. One-fifth of species areclassified as Threatened, and we show that this figure is increasing: On average, 52 species ofmammals, birds, and amphibians move one category closer to extinction each year. However, thisoverall pattern conceals the impact of conservation successes, and we show that the rate ofdeterioration would have been at least one-fifth again as much in the absence of these.Nonetheless, current conservation efforts remain insufficient to offset the main drivers ofbiodiversity loss in these groups: agricultural expansion, logging, overexploitation, andinvasive alien species.