Umbrella species

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Giant pandas are considered an umbrella species. Beauval - Panda geant 06.jpg
Giant pandas are considered an umbrella species.

Umbrella species are species selected for making conservation-related decisions, typically because protecting these species indirectly protects the many other species that make up the ecological community of its habitat (the umbrella effect). Species conservation can be subjective because it is hard to determine the status of many species. The umbrella species is often either a flagship species whose conservation benefits other species [1] : 280  or a keystone species which may be targeted for conservation due to its impact on an ecosystem. Umbrella species can be used to help select the locations of potential reserves, find the minimum size of these conservation areas or reserves, and to determine the composition, structure, and processes of ecosystems. [2]

Contents

Definitions

Two commonly used definitions are:

Other descriptions include:

Animals may also be considered umbrella species if they are charismatic. The hope is that species that appeal to popular audiences, such as pandas, will attract support for habitat conservation in general. [7]

In land use management

In the two decades after its inception, the use of umbrella species as a conservation tool has been highly debated. The term was first used by Bruce Wilcox in 1984, [8] who defined an umbrella species as one whose minimum area requirements are at least as comprehensive of the rest of the community for which protection is sought through the establishment and management of a protected area.

Some scientists have found that the use of an umbrella species approach can provide a more streamlined way to manage ecological communities. [9] [10] Others have proposed that umbrella species in combination with other tools will more effectively protect other species in land management reserves than using umbrella species alone. [10] [11] Individual invertebrate species can be good umbrella species because they can protect older, unique ecosystems. There have been cases where umbrella species have protected a large amount of area which has been beneficial to surrounding species. Dunk, Zielinski and Welsh (2006) reported that the reserves in Northern California (the Klamath-Siskiyou forests), set aside for the northern spotted owl, also protect mollusks and salamanders within that habitat. They found that the reserves set aside for the northern spotted owl "serve as a reasonable coarse-filter umbrella species for the taxa evaluated", which were mollusks and salamanders. [12]

Gilby and colleagues (2017) found that using threatened species as umbrellas or "surrogates" for management targets could improve conservation outcomes in coastal areas. [13]

Wildlife corridors

The concept of an umbrella species is further utilized to create wildlife corridors with what are termed focal species. These focal species are chosen for a number of reasons and fall into several types, generally measured by their potential for an umbrella effect. By carefully choosing species based on this criterion, a linked or networked habitat can be created from single-species corridors. [14] These criteria are determined with the assistance of geographic information systems on the larger scale. Regardless of the location or scale of conservation, the umbrella effect is a measurement of a species' impact on others and is an important part of determining an approach.

In the Endangered Species Act (US)

The bay checkerspot butterfly has been on the Endangered Species List since 1987. Launer and Murphy (1994) tried to determine whether this butterfly could be considered an umbrella species in protecting the native grassland it inhabits. They discovered that the Endangered Species Act has a loophole excluding federally protected plants on private property. However, the California Environmental Quality Act reinforces state conservation regulations. [6] Using the Endangered Species Act to protect termed umbrella species and their habitats can be controversial because they are not as well enforced in some states as others (such as California) to protect overall biodiversity.

Examples

Protecting a species like the canebrake has practical applications, as protection measures would have broad environmental value because of an umbrella effect. That is, protecting the rattlesnakes would ensure protection of other wildlife species that use the same habitats but are less sensitive to development or require fewer resources. [19]

— Kimberly Andrews

See also

Related Research Articles

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Brisbane Water National Park is a national park on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. The national park is situated 70 kilometres (43 mi) north of Sydney and 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southwest of Gosford. It consists the Brisbane Water and Mooney Mooney Creek waterways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mooloolah River National Park</span> Protected area in Queensland, Australia

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

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keystone species</span> Species with a large effect on its environment

A keystone species is a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its natural environment relative to its abundance. The concept was introduced in 1969 by the zoologist Robert T. Paine. Keystone species play a critical role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community, affecting many other organisms in an ecosystem and helping to determine the types and numbers of various other species in the community. Without keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether. Some keystone species, such as the wolf and lion, are also apex predators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Habitat conservation</span> Management practice for protecting types of environments

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vernal pool</span> Seasonal pools of water that provide habitat

Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are seasonal pools of water that provide habitat for distinctive plants and animals. They are considered to be a distinctive type of wetland usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species unable to withstand competition or predation by fish. Certain tropical fish lineages have however adapted to this habitat specifically.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Gate Biosphere Network</span>

The Golden Gate Biosphere Network is a voluntary coalition of federal, state and local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, universities, and private partners within the Golden Gate Biosphere region. The Network aims to protect the region's biodiversity and conserve its natural resources. The Network has been part of the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme since 1988.GGBN is also part of the US Biosphere Network as well as EuroMAB. It is recognized by UNESCO for its "significance for biological diversity conversation" and organizational efforts involving municipal authorities and private interests.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shortgrass prairie</span> Ecosystem located on the North American Great Plains

The shortgrass prairie is an ecosystem located in the Great Plains of North America. The two most dominant grasses in the shortgrass prairie are blue grama and buffalograss, the two less dominant grasses in the prairie are greasegrass and sideoats grama. The prairie was formerly maintained by grazing pressure of American bison, which is the keystone species. Due to its semiarid climate, the shortgrass prairie receives on average less precipitation than that of the tall and mixed grass prairies to the east.

Great Valley Grasslands State Park is a state park of California, United States, preserving a parcel of remnant native grassland in the San Joaquin Valley. Such a temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome was once widespread throughout the whole Central Valley. The 2,826-acre (1,144 ha) park was established in 1982. Largely undeveloped, it was formed by combining two former state park units: San Luis Island and Fremont Ford State Recreation Area. Its chief attractions for visitors are spring wildflowers, fishing, and wildlife watching.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edith's checkerspot</span> Species of butterfly

Edith's checkerspot is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is a resident species of western North America and among the subspecies, entomologists have long been intrigued by their many phenotypic variations in coloration, wing length, and overall body size. Most populations are monophagous and rely on plants including Plantago erecta and Orthocarpus densiflorus as their host species in developing from eggs through to larvae, pupae, and mature butterflies. Males exhibit polygyny whereas females rarely mate more than once. Males devote most of their attention to mate acquisition, and such mate locating strategies such as hilltopping behavior have developed. Climate change and habitat destruction have impacted certain subspecies. Three subspecies in particular, Euphydryas editha quino, Euphydryas editha bayensis and Euphydryas editha taylori, are currently under protection via the Endangered Species Act.

<i>Castilleja levisecta</i> Species of flowering plant

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bay checkerspot butterfly</span> Subspecies of butterfly

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The Kangaroo River Nature Reserve, part of the Kangaroo Valley Group of Nature Reserves, is a protected nature reserve that is located on the floor of the Kangaroo Valley in the Southern Highlands and South Coast regions of New South Wales in eastern Australia. The reserve is situated approximately 150 kilometres (93 mi) south of Sydney, 50 kilometres (31 mi) southwest of Wollongong and 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) northwest of Nowra. The reserve has a protective covenant placed upon it with purpose to ensure the protection of the natural heritage of this area. National parks in the area include the Morton National Park and the Budderoo National Park. Other nature reserves in the area include the Barren Grounds Nature Reserve, and the Cambewarra Range, Barrengarry and Rodway nature reserves – the latter three part of the Kangaroo Valley Group of Nature Reserves.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glenrock State Conservation Area</span> Nature reserve in New South Wales, Australia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patagonia National Park (Chile)</span> National park in Chile

Patagonia National Park Is a National Park in Chile with a natural path where people formally walk on tracks

References

  1. ↑ Sherman, David M. 2002. Tending animals in the global village: A guide to international veterinary medicine. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN   978-0-683-18051-0
  2. ↑ Roberge, Jean-Michel; Angelstam, Per (2004). "Usefulness of the Umbrella Species Concept as a Conservation Tool". Conservation Biology. 18 (1): 76–85. doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.2004.00450.x. S2CID   73650330.
  3. ↑ Groom, Martha (2006). Principles of conservation biology. Sinauer Associates. ISBN   978-0-87893-597-0. OCLC   70686894.
  4. ↑ Ozaki, Kenichi; Isono, Masahiro; Kawahara, Takayuki; Iida, Shigeo; Kudo, Takuma; Fukuyama, Kenji (2006). "A Mechanistic Approach to Evaluation of Umbrella Species as Conservation Surrogates". Conservation Biology. 20 (5): 1507–1515. doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.2006.00444.x. PMID   17002768. S2CID   8383041.
  5. ↑ "Glossary". NOAA. 2007. Retrieved 22 April 2018.
  6. 1 2 Launer, Alan E.; Murphy, Dennis D. (1994). "Umbrella species and the conservation of habitat fragments: A case of a threatened butterfly and a vanishing grassland ecosystem". Biological Conservation. 69 (2): 145–153. doi:10.1016/0006-3207(94)90054-x.
  7. ↑ Nuwer, Rachel (2021-02-25). "For Shielding Endangered Neighbors, Pandas Make Flimsy Umbrellas". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  8. ↑ Wilcox, Bruce A. 1984. "In situ conservation of genetic resources: Determinants of minimum area requirements." In National Parks, Conservation and Development, Proceedings of the World Congress on National Parks. J.A. McNeely and K.R. Miller, Smithsonian Institution Press, pp. 18–30.
  9. ↑ Caro, T. M. (2003). "Umbrella species: critique and lessons from East Africa". Animal Conservation. 6 (2): 171–181. doi:10.1017/S1367943003003214. ISSN   1367-9430.
  10. 1 2 Fleishman, Erica; Blair, Robert B.; Murphy, Dennis D. (2001). "Empirical Validation of a Method for Umbrella Species Selection". Ecological Applications. 11 (5): 1489–1501. doi:10.1890/1051-0761(2001)011[1489:EVOAMF]2.0.CO;2. ISSN   1051-0761.
  11. ↑ Stuber, Erica F.; Fontaine, Joseph J. (2018). "Ecological neighborhoods as a framework for umbrella species selection". Biological Conservation. 223: 112–119. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2018.04.026. ISSN   0006-3207.
  12. ↑ Dunk, Jeffrey R., William J. Zielinkski and Hartwell H. Walsh, Jr. 2006. "Evaluating reserves for species richness and representation in northern California." Diversity and Distributions, Vol. 12, 434–442.
  13. ↑ Gilby, B.L., Olds, A.D., Connolly, R.M., Yabsley, N.A., Maxwell, P.S., Tibbetts, I.R., Schoeman, D.S. and Schlacher, T.A. (2017). "Umbrellas can work under water: Using threatened species as indicator and management surrogates can improve coastal conservation". Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 199: 132–140.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ↑ Majka, Dan. September 18, 2007. Selecting focal species. Retrieved April 15, 2008.
  15. ↑ "Russia's Tough Tigers - National Zoo| FONZ". nationalzoo.si.edu. Archived from the original on 2016-02-20. Retrieved 2016-02-03.
  16. ↑ On the Right Way to Right Whale: Protections in the Gulf of Maine—Case Study (pdf)
  17. ↑ National Geographic, 27 juillet 2021 The surprising ways sharks keep the ocean healthy
  18. ↑ Figel, J. J.; Castañeda, F.; Calderon, A. P.; de la Torre, A.; García-Padilla, E. & Noss, R.F. (2018). "Threatened amphibians sheltered under the big cat's umbrella: conservation of jaguars Panthera onca (Carnivora: Felidae) and endemic herpetofauna in Central America". Revista de Biología Tropical. 66 (4): 1741–1753. doi: 10.15517/rbt.v66i4.32544 .
  19. ↑ Gibbons, Whit. March 4, 2007. Preserve wildlife before it is lost to us forever. Retrieved April 14, 2008.

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