Antarctic biogeography revisited: updating the Antarctic Conservation Biogeographic Regions

• Published in: Diversity and Distributions
• Main Authors: Terauds, Aleks, Lee, Jasmine R.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing 2016
• Subjects: Antarctic biodiversity; Antarctic Conservation Biogeographic Regions; Biogeographical zones; Conservation planning; Multivariate analyses; Spatial ecology; 1105 Ecology; Evolution; Behavior and Systematics; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:398941

The Antarctic Conservation Biogeographic Regions (ACBRs), originally proposed in 2012, are now established as an important tool in Antarctic science, conservation, management and policy. Here, we provide a revised version of the ACBRs, reflecting updates in underlying spatial layers, together with the results of new analyses justifying the inclusion of a 16th bioregion. This updated version now covers all ice-free areas of Antarctica and is publicly available through the Australian Antarctic Data Centre. In light of the interest in the ACBRs across a variety of research fields, we also provide a new set of summary statistics for the updated spatial layer, including landscape metrics, climate data, protected area coverage and an overview of human activity. The updated ACBRs represent a contemporary, practical and evidence-based foundation for understanding, conserving and managing Antarctic biodiversity at a continental scale.