IUCN Green Status of Species

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The IUCN Green Status of Species is a conservation assessment system published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) that grades the impact of recovery and conservation efforts for individual species. The first version of the Green Status assessment guidelines was published in 2018, [1] and integration of Green statuses into Red List assessments was formalized as an optional component in 2020. [2] The second version of the framework was published in 2021. [3] [4]

Contents

History

The creation of the Green Status system began with the formal call of the World Conservation Congress (WCC) in 2012 for the creation of a "Green List" of ecosystems, nature preserves and species based on a set of measurement systems for conservation success. In Resolution 41, [5] the WCC noted that merely preventing extinction of species or loss of ecosystems, the goal of the Red Lists, was insufficient to retain biodiversity, preserve the valuable ecological services provided by ecosystems and species and maintain their resilience in the face of threats like those posed by climate change.

Ultimately, the Green List of Species was developed separately from what became the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas. In 2020, the IUCN decided to rename the Green List of Species the IUCN Green Status of Species due to methodological differences between it and the Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas and concern that having a species receive a Green "listing" might be perceived as implying that it is not at risk of extinction. [2] [6] The Green Status complements the Red List assessment but does not replace it: both assessments are performed by the IUCN for a given species and, with the exception of species extinct in the wild that would require reintroduction as a conservation measure and whose current Green Score is by definition 0%, one status does not determine the other. [3]

Pilot program

As of April 2020, preliminary [3] IUCN Green Status assessments had been performed for 179 species. [2] Among the IUCN Species Survival Commission Specialist Groups and IUCN Red List Authorities in existence in 2018, 52 out of the 135 working groups chose to contribute to the Green Status pilot. [3] In interviews of stakeholders performed by the IUCN, it was suggested that Green List assessments may be most effective if performed at multiple spatial scales, such as in a regional assessment. Interviewees expressed concerns over the difficulty of establishing baseline Green Scores, especially for species that live in places difficult to survey, like the ocean, and in places, such as Europe, where human change has been occurring for a long time. They were also concerned about the cost of producing the new, complex assessments. [6] The pilot was judged successful by the IUCN, leading to the launch of the program in mid-2021 and publication of Green Status assessments in the IUCN Red List using the updated Green Status of Species standard. [4] [7]

Assessment

The score (Green Score) is an average of spatial units currently occupied or occupied in the past by a species weighted by their integrity. Representative values of assigned weights are 0, if the species is not present in the area, 3, if the species is present, 6, if the population is viable, and 9, if the population is assessed as functional, although depending on the exact criteria used by the assessor, the functional weight can be assigned to 8 or 10 and decimal weights may be used. [4] : 19–20  The exact meaning of these terms varies by assessor and species, but the IUCN suggests conducting the assessment as would be done when assigning a regional Red List status, with the exception of assessing functionality, which is based on the ability of the population within the spatial unit to carry out natural processes, such as migration, the integrity of its interactions within its habitat, such as predator-prey relationships with other species, and its contributions to ecosystem processes within the unit, [1] such as seed dispersal. [8] Spatial units can represent reproductively isolated populations or subspecies, areas where the species faces a unique threat, division by ecosystem types the species inhabits or may be based on geographical features with some barrier to dispersal. [4] : 18  National borders may also be considered when delineating spatial units. [9] [10] The definition and number of spatial units chosen by the assessor directly influences the Green Score and conservation metrics that are obtained. [1] The Green Score is expressed as a percentage equal to: [3]

Where WS is the weight (integrity) of the spatial unit, N is the total number of spatial units and WF is the weight of a functional unit (highest weight possible). [3] A Green Score of 100% is defined for a fully recovered or non-depleted species that is present in all parts of its historic range (prior to any major human disturbance), each with viable populations that are ecologically functional, [2] [9] a score that may not be realistically attainable for many species even if they achieve their Recovery Potential. [3]

Conservation metrics

Example of four conservation metrics, in red, assessed in the IUCN Green Status of Species GreenStatusIUCNGraph.jpg
Example of four conservation metrics, in red, assessed in the IUCN Green Status of Species

A Green Status assessment also includes four conservation metrics that represent changes in Green Score in different conservation scenarios over periods of time. In the first version of the assessment, the first metric is Conservation Legacy, which measures the difference in the estimated change in Green Score from 1950 to present if no conservation actions had been undertaken (counterfactual scenario) to the actual change to present. If no conservation actions had occurred in this time, the Conservation Legacy would be 0%. Conservation Dependence, the second metric, assesses the change in Green Scores between the present and the short-term future, [3] defined as three generations of the species or 10 years, whichever is longer, in the first version of the assessment, [1] or 10 years alone in the second version, [3] if no conservation actions are undertaken and all current programs are immediately stopped. Conservation Gain, the third metric, is the change in Green Scores between the present and short-term future with current and planned conservation action. [4] : 11–12  Finally, Recovery Potential is the change in Green Score between the present and the long-term future, defined as 100 years after present, in an optimal conservation scenario. [3]

In the case of assessing Conservation Legacy, the spatial units used for calculating the component Green scores reflect indigenous range, such as the range the species occupied before 1500 (estimate of the beginning of European expansion) or 1750 (approximate beginning of the Industrial Revolution). [1] Expected additional range, such as habitats that a species may begin to occupy under anticipated climate warming scenarios, may be used in calculating long-term future Green scores. [4] : 7–8, 17 

While the Green Status and the Red List statuses showed a moderate negative correlation among species assessed in a Green Status pilot, with progressively more depleted species being more likely to be threatened with extinction, among conservation metrics, only Recovery Potential showed differences between IUCN Red List categories, with currently imperiled species generally possessing a higher Recovery Potential than the species of Least Concern. [3]

Green Status

The Green Status or Species Recovery Category is expressed in words in the second version of the Green Status Assessment. It is based on the Green Score, also known as the Species Recovery Score, which is a point estimate (SRSbest), with a corresponding confidence interval (bounded by SRSmax and SRSmin). The present-day Green Status or Species Recovery Category is defined as follows: [4] : 13 

Species Recovery CategoryCriteria
IndeterminateSRSmax − SRSmin > 40%
Non-depletedSRSbest = 100% and Conservation Legacy = 0%
Fully recoveredSRSbest = 100%
Slightly depletedSRSbest > 80%
Moderately depletedSRSbest > 50%
Largely depletedSRSbest > 20%
Critically depletedSRSbest > 0%
Extinct in the wildSRSbest = 0%

The conservation metrics are also expressed as point estimates with their own confidence intervals and verbal descriptors. They assess the effectiveness of conservation measures as measured by predicted changes in species' Green Scores over time. The verbal descriptors have criteria based on absolute change in Green Score (magnitude of the conservation metric), change relative to the baseline present-day Green Score or any benefit that prevents extinction, in cases of species with high conservation needs. The metrics can have zero and negative values. [4] : 14–15 

In the case of the Conservation Dependence and Conservation Gain metrics, "false negative" values have been attributed to use of a static Green Score baseline that does not indicate whether the species is projected to decline or recover if threats to a species change in the short term. [3] Version 2.0 of the Green Status of Species assessment introduced a dynamic current baseline that can be used for the calculation of Conservation Dependence and Gain, using the predicted Green Score at 10 years given current conservation actions and those that are expected to go into effect within one year of the Green Status assessment. [4] : 11–12 

See also

Related Research Articles

This is an index of conservation topics. It is an alphabetical index of articles relating to conservation biology and conservation of the natural environment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IUCN Red List</span> Inventory of the global conservation status of biological species

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is an inventory of the global conservation status and extinction risk of biological species. A series of Regional Red Lists, which assess the risk of extinction to species within a political management unit, are also produced by countries and organizations.

Conservation status is a measure used in conservation biology to assess an ecoregion's degree of habitat alteration and habitat conservation. It is used to set priorities for conservation.

Population viability analysis (PVA) is a species-specific method of risk assessment frequently used in conservation biology. It is traditionally defined as the process that determines the probability that a population will go extinct within a given number of years. More recently, PVA has been described as a marriage of ecology and statistics that brings together species characteristics and environmental variability to forecast population health and extinction risk. Each PVA is individually developed for a target population or species, and consequently, each PVA is unique. The larger goal in mind when conducting a PVA is to ensure that the population of a species is self-sustaining over the long term.

Local extinction, also extirpation, is the termination of a species in a chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere. Local extinctions are contrasted with global extinctions.

The conservation status of a group of organisms indicates whether the group still exists and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservation status: not simply the number of individuals remaining, but the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, and known threats. Various systems of conservation status are in use at international, multi-country, national and local levels, as well as for consumer use such as sustainable seafood advisory lists and certification. The two international systems are by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Least-concern species</span> IUCN conservation category

A least-concern species is a species that has been evaluated and categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as not being a focus of wildlife conservation because the specific species is still plentiful in the wild. They do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or conservation dependent.

An endangered species recovery plan, also known as a species recovery plan, species action plan, species conservation action, or simply recovery plan, is a document describing the current status, threats and intended methods for increasing rare and endangered species population sizes. Recovery plans act as a foundation from which to build a conservation effort to preserve animals which are under threat of extinction. More than 320 species have died out and the world is continuing a rate of 1 species becoming extinct every two years. Climate change is also linked to several issues relating to extinct species and animals' quality of life.

Functional extinction is the extinction of a species or other taxon such that:

  1. It disappears from the fossil record, or historic reports of its existence cease;
  2. The reduced population no longer plays a significant role in ecosystem function;
  3. The population is no longer viable. There are no individuals able to reproduce, or the small population of breeding individuals will not be able to sustain itself due to inbreeding depression and genetic drift, which leads to a loss of fitness.

Wendy Foden is a conservation biologist, best known for her work on climate change impacts on biodiversity loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extinct in the wild</span> IUCN conservation category

A species that is extinct in the wild (EW) is one that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as only consisting of living members kept in captivity or as a naturalized population outside its historic range. Classification requires exhaustive surveys conducted within the species' known habitat with consideration given to seasonality, time of day, and life cycle. Once a species is classified as EW, the only way for it to be downgraded is through reintroduction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red List Index</span> Conservation status indicator

The Red List Index (RLI), based on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, is an indicator of the changing state of global biodiversity. It defines the conservation status of major species groups, and measures trends in extinction risk over time. By conducting conservation assessments at regular intervals, changes in the threat status of species in a taxonomic group can be used to monitor trends in extinction risk. RLIs have been calculated for birds and amphibians, using changes in threat status for species in each of the groups.

In spatial ecology and macroecology, scaling pattern of occupancy (SPO), also known as the area-of-occupancy (AOO) is the way in which species distribution changes across spatial scales. In physical geography and image analysis, it is similar to the modifiable areal unit problem. Simon A. Levin (1992) states that the problem of relating phenomena across scales is the central problem in biology and in all of science. Understanding the SPO is thus one central theme in ecology.

A Regional Red List is a report of the threatened status of species within a certain country or region. It is based on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, an inventory of the conservation status of species on a global scale. Regional Red Lists assess the risk of extinction to species within a political management unit and therefore may feed directly into national and regional planning. This project is coordinated by the Zoological Society of London, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and partners in national governments, universities and organizations throughout the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endangered species</span> Species of organisms facing a very high risk of extinction

An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, invasive species, and climate change. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List lists the global conservation status of many species, and various other agencies assess the status of species within particular areas. Many nations have laws that protect conservation-reliant species which, for example, forbid hunting, restrict land development, or create protected areas. Some endangered species are the target of extensive conservation efforts such as captive breeding and habitat restoration.

A not evaluated (NE) species is one which has been categorized under the IUCN Red List of threatened species as not yet having been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A species which is uncategorized and cannot be found in the IUCN repository is also considered 'not evaluated'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Index of biodiversity articles</span>

This is a list of topics in biodiversity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ecosystem collapse</span> Ecological communities abruptly losing biodiversity, often irreversibly

An ecosystem, short for ecological system, is defined as a collection of interacting organisms within a biophysical environment. Ecosystems are never static, and are continually subject to both stabilizing and destabilizing processes. Stabilizing processes allow ecosystems to adequately respond to destabilizing changes, or perturbations, in ecological conditions, or to recover from degradation induced by them: yet, if destabilizing processes become strong enough or fast enough to cross a critical threshold within that ecosystem, often described as an ecological 'tipping point', then an ecosystem collapse. occurs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endangered species (IUCN status)</span> Species which have been categorized as very likely to become extinct in the near future

Endangered species, as classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), are species which have been categorized as very likely to become extinct in their known native ranges in the near future. On the IUCN Red List, endangered is the second-most severe conservation status for wild populations in the IUCN's schema after critically endangered. In 2012, the IUCN Red List featured 3,079 animal and 2,655 plant species as endangered worldwide. The figures for 1998 were 1,102 and 1,197 respectively.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Akçakaya HR, Bennett EL, Brooks TM, Grace MK, Heath A, Hedges S, et al. (2018). "Quantifying species recovery and conservation success to develop an IUCN Green List of Species". Conservation Biology. 32 (5): 1128–1138. Bibcode:2018ConBi..32.1128A. doi: 10.1111/cobi.13112 . hdl: 20.500.11850/295559 . PMID   29578251.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "The IUCN Green Status of Species". IUCN Red List. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Grace MK, Akçakaya HR, Bennett EL, Brooks TM, Heath A, Hedges S, et al. (2021). "Testing a global standard for quantifying species recovery and assessing conservation impact". Conservation Biology. 35 (6): 1833–1849. Bibcode:2021ConBi..35.1833G. doi: 10.1111/cobi.13756 . hdl: 10919/108163 . PMID   34289517.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 IUCN SSC Species Conservation Success Task Force (2021). IUCN Green Status of Species: A global standard for measuring species recovery and assessing conservation impact. Version 2.0. Gland, Switzerland: International Union for Conservation of Nature. doi:10.2305/IUCN.CH.2021.02.en. ISBN   978-2-8317-2094-4 . Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  5. ↑ WCC 2012 Res 041 Development of objective criteria for a Green List of species, ecosystems and protected areas. World Conservation Congress. IUCN Library System. Jeju, South Korea: International Union for Conservation of Nature. September 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  6. 1 2 Dudley N, Timmins H, eds. (2021). "A survey of user attitudes towards the proposed IUCN Green Status of Species". Resources. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  7. ↑ Grace MK, Bennett EL, Akçakaya HR, Hilton-Taylor C, Hoffmann M, Jenkins R, Milner-Gulland EJ, Nieto A, Young RP, Long B (September 2021). "IUCN launches Green Status of Species: a new standard for species recovery". Oryx. 55 (5): 651–652. doi: 10.1017/S0030605321000880 . S2CID   237417834.
  8. ↑ Pigot AL, Bregman T, Sheard C, Daly B, Etienne RS, Tobias JA (2016). "Quantifying species contributions to ecosystem processes: a global assessment of functional trait and phylogenetic metrics across avian seed-dispersal networks". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 283 (1844). doi:10.1098/rspb.2016.1597. PMC   5204145 . PMID   27928035. 20161597.
  9. 1 2 "Measuring Recovery with the IUCN Green Status of Species". IUCN Red List. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  10. ↑ Hudson, M.A.; Cunningham, A.; Stephenson, P.J. (2022). "Leptodactylus fallax (Green Status assessment)". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T57125A5712520241. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
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