A GIS-based policy support tool to determine national responsibilities and priorities for biodiversity conservation

PLoS One. 2020 Dec 3;15(12):e0243135. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243135. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Efficient biodiversity conservation requires that limited resources be allocated in accordance with national responsibilities and priorities. Without appropriate computational tools, the process of determining these national responsibilities and conservation priorities is time intensive when considering many species across geographic scales. Here, we have developed a computational tool as a module for the ArcGIS geographic information system. The ArcGIS National Responsibility Assessment Tool (NRA-Tool) can be used to create hierarchical lists of national responsibilities and priorities for global species conservation. Our tool will allow conservationists to prioritize conservation efforts and to focus limited resources on relevant species and regions. We showcase our tool with data on 258 bird species and various biophysical regions, including Environmental Zones in 58 Asian countries and regions. Our tool provides a decision support system for conservation policy with attractive and easily interpretable visual outputs illustrating national responsibilities and priorities for species conservation. The graphical output allows for smooth integration into assessment reports, such as the European Article 17 report, the Living Planet Index report, or similar regional and global reports.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Asia
  • Biodiversity*
  • Conservation of Natural Resources*
  • Ecological Parameter Monitoring
  • Ecosystem
  • Europe
  • Geographic Information Systems*

Grants and funding

Y-P L, T-S D, Y-Ch W, W-Y L were mainly funded by the National Science Council of Taiwan under grant NSC101-2923-I-002-001-MY2. In 2014 the NSC was renamed in Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST, http://www.most.gov.tw/?l=en) K H, D S S, R A K were funded by the project SCALES: Securing the Conservation of biodiversity across Administrative Levels and spatial, temporal, and Ecological Scales, under the European Union’s Framework Program 7 (grant 226852; https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/226852, www.scales-project.net).