Threat management priorities for conserving Antarctic biodiversity

• Published in: PLOS Biology
• Main Authors: Lee, Jasmine R., Terauds, Aleks, Carwardine, Josie, Shaw, Justine, D., Fuller, Richard A., Possingham, Hugh, Chown, Steven, L, Convey, Peter, Gilbert, Neil, Hughes, Kevin A., McIvor, Ewan, Robinson, Sharon A., Ropert‐coudert, Yan, Bergstrom, Dana, M., Biersma, Elisabeth M., Christian, Claire, Cowan, Don A., Frenot, Yves, Jenouvrier, Stéphanie, Kelley, Lisa, Lee, Michael, J., Lynch, Heather J., Njåstad, Birgit, Quesada, Antonio, Roura, Ricardo M., Shaw, E. Ashley, Stanwell-Smith, Damon, Tsujimoto, Megumu, Wall, Diana, H., Wilmotte, Annick, Chades, Iadine
• Other Authors: School of Biological Sciences Brisbane, The University of Queensland (UQ All campuses : Brisbane, Dutton Park Gatton, Herston, St Lucia and other locations ), CSIRO Entomology, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Canberra (CSIRO), British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), Australian Government, Department of the Environment and Energy, Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future, School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Constantia Consulting Ltd Christchurch, New Zealand, University of Wollongong Australia, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics Pretoria, South Africa, University of Pretoria South Africa, Ecosystèmes, biodiversité, évolution Rennes (ECOBIO), Université de Rennes (UR)-Institut Ecologie et Environnement - CNRS Ecologie et Environnement (INEE-CNRS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Rennes (OSUR), Université de Rennes (UR)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Rennes 2 (UR2)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Rennes 2 (UR2)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, Reel Time Gaming Australia, Department of Ecology and Evolution NY, USA, Stony Brook University SUNY (SBU), State University of New York (SUNY)-State University of New York (SUNY), Norwegian Polar Institute, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Institute of Ecology and Evolution Oregon, USA, University of Oregon, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies Kanagawa, Japan, Keio University Tokyo, Department of Biology and School of Global Environmental Sustainability CO, USA, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, InBios-Centre for Protein Engineering, Université de Liège
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2022
• Subjects: [SDE]Environmental Sciences; Antarctic; Antarc*; Emperor penguins
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-03906003; https://hal.science/hal-03906003/document; https://hal.science/hal-03906003/file/Lee_PTM_MainText_revised_Rnd3.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001921

International audience Antarctic terrestrial biodiversity faces multiple threats, from invasive species to climate change. Yet no large-scale assessments of threat management strategies exist. Applying a structured participatory approach, we demonstrate that existing conservation efforts are insufficient in a changing world, estimating that 65% (at best 37%, at worst 97%) of native terrestrial taxa and land-associated seabirds are likely to decline by 2100 under current trajectories. Emperor penguins are identified as the most vulnerable taxon, followed by other seabirds and dry soil nematodes. We find that implementing 10 key threat management strategies in parallel, at an estimated present-day equivalent annual cost of US$23 million, could benefit up to 84% of Antarctic taxa. Climate change is identified as the most pervasive threat to Antarctic biodiversity and influencing global policy to effectively limit climate change is the most beneficial conservation strategy. However, minimising impacts of human activities and improved planning and management of new infrastructure projects are cost-effective and will help to minimise regional threats. Simultaneous global and regional efforts are critical to secure Antarctic biodiversity for future generations.