TY - JOUR

T1 - Closing the research-implementation gap

T2 - Integrating species and human footprint data into Argentina's forest planning

AU - Martinuzzi, Sebastián

AU - Olah, Ashley M.

AU - Rivera, Luis

AU - Politi, Natalia

AU - Silveira, Eduarda M.O.

AU - Pastur, Guillermo Martínez

AU - Rosas, Yamina M.

AU - Lizarraga, Leonidas

AU - Názaro, Paula

AU - Bardavid, Sofia

AU - Radeloff, Volker C.

AU - Pidgeon, Anna M.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Closing the research-implementation gap is key for advancing biodiversity conservation. One approach is to generate ecologically relevant spatial datasets that integrate easily with existing management plans. Our goal was to identify priority forest conservation areas in Argentina by combining species distributions, human footprint data, and existing forest zoning. We: (i) mapped potential habitat distributions of 70 plant and animal species associated with forests, and of recognized social and ecological importance, (ii) combined the species distributions with human footprint data to identify priority conservation areas, and (iii) evaluated the juxtaposition of our priority conservation areas with current forest management zones. We found that priority conservation areas (i.e., high number of species and low human footprint) are poorly protected by the current zoning scheme. While the Andean-Patagonian region had a substantial portion (57 %) of priority conservation areas in high protection zones, in four other forest regions we evaluated, only 16–37 % of priority areas had high protection levels. Of great concern are the Chaco and Espinal regions, where 36 % and 39 %, respectively, of priority conservation areas are in low protection zones, where conversion to other uses (row crops, livestock) is allowed. Our results provide new spatial information to managers and conservationists highlighting where current forest zoning performs well, and where it may warrant re-evaluation. Overall, our study highlights the value of integrating species distributions and human footprint maps into existing land use plans to guide conservation efforts in data-poor countries, and is an example of a strategy for closing the research-implementation gap.

AB - Closing the research-implementation gap is key for advancing biodiversity conservation. One approach is to generate ecologically relevant spatial datasets that integrate easily with existing management plans. Our goal was to identify priority forest conservation areas in Argentina by combining species distributions, human footprint data, and existing forest zoning. We: (i) mapped potential habitat distributions of 70 plant and animal species associated with forests, and of recognized social and ecological importance, (ii) combined the species distributions with human footprint data to identify priority conservation areas, and (iii) evaluated the juxtaposition of our priority conservation areas with current forest management zones. We found that priority conservation areas (i.e., high number of species and low human footprint) are poorly protected by the current zoning scheme. While the Andean-Patagonian region had a substantial portion (57 %) of priority conservation areas in high protection zones, in four other forest regions we evaluated, only 16–37 % of priority areas had high protection levels. Of great concern are the Chaco and Espinal regions, where 36 % and 39 %, respectively, of priority conservation areas are in low protection zones, where conversion to other uses (row crops, livestock) is allowed. Our results provide new spatial information to managers and conservationists highlighting where current forest zoning performs well, and where it may warrant re-evaluation. Overall, our study highlights the value of integrating species distributions and human footprint maps into existing land use plans to guide conservation efforts in data-poor countries, and is an example of a strategy for closing the research-implementation gap.

KW - Conservation planning

KW - GIS

KW - Land-use planning

KW - Regional biodiversity conservation

KW - Research-implementation gap

KW - Zoning

U2 - 10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110257

DO - 10.1016/j.biocon.2023.110257

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85170690068

VL - 286

JO - Biological Conservation

JF - Biological Conservation

SN - 0006-3207

M1 - 110257

ER -