Revisiting species and areas of interest for conserving global mammalian phylogenetic diversity

Various prioritisation strategies have been developed to cope with accelerating biodiversity loss and limited conservation resources. These strategies could become more engaging for decision-makers if they reflected the positive effects conservation can have on future projected biodiversity, by targeting net positive outcomes in future projected biodiversity, rather than reflecting the negative consequences of further biodiversity losses only. Hoping to inform the post-2020 biodiversity framework, we here apply this approach of targeting net positive outcomes in future projected biodiversity to phylogenetic diversity (PD) to re-identify species and areas of interest for conserving global mammalian PD. We identify priority species/areas as those whose protection would maximise gains in future projected PD. We also identify loss-significant species/areas as those whose/where extinction(s) would maximise losses in future projected PD. We show that our priority species/areas differ from loss-significant species/areas. While our priority species are mostly similar to those identified by the EDGE of Existence Programme, our priority areas generally differ from previously-identified ones for global mammal conservation. We further highlight that these newly-identified species/areas of interest currently lack protection and offer some guidance for their future management. How can we best conserve the evolutionary heritage of our planet? Focusing on mammals, this study identifies the species and areas across the globe for which conservation actions would be the most beneficial for future projected phylogenetic diversity and highlights that they currently lack protection.

Automated summary

This study identifies priority species/areas for conserving global mammalian phylogenetic diversity based on targeting net positive outcomes in future projected biodiversity. The research highlights the difference between priority species/areas and loss-significant species/areas, while also emphasizing the lack of protection for these newly-identified species/areas.