Endangered ecosystems : An approach beyond the conservation of species

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  • Saeki Ikuyo
    Network Center of Forest and Grassland Survey, Monitoring Sites 1000 Project, Japan Wildlife Research Center:Friends of Rare Organisms and Ecosystems:(Present office)Tomakomai Experimental Forest, Hokkaido University
  • Yokogawa Masashi
    Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University:Friends of Rare Organisms and Ecosystems
  • Sashimura Naoko
    Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo:Friends of Rare Organisms and Ecosystems
  • Ashizawa Kazuya
    Organization for the Strategic Coordination of Research and Intellectual Property, Meiji University:Friends of Rare Organisms and Ecosystems
  • Ohtani Masato
    Forest Tree Breeding Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute:Friends of Rare Organisms and Ecosystems
  • Kawano Nobuki
    Biodiversity Center, Ministry of the Environment of Japan:Friends of Rare Organisms and Ecosystems
  • Akashi Kohji
    Iida City Museum:Friends of Rare Organisms and Ecosystems
  • Furumoto Ryo
    Forest Tree Breeding Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute:Friends of Rare Organisms and Ecosystems

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Other Title
  • 絶滅危惧生態系 : 種を超えた保全のアプローチ
  • ゼツメツ キグ セイタイケイ : タネ オ コエタ ホゼン ノ アプローチ

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Description

Recognizing rare and endangered species and seeking their preservation is today the primary approach in conserving biological diversity. Although such efforts have achieved significant gains, there are undeniable limitations to this species-based approach. Here, we introduce the concept of "endangered ecosystems" (i.e., endangered spaces), which promotes the conservation of whole ecosystems and, thereby, the organisms that are inseparable from them. This ecosystem approach is important as a basis for conserving nature in a comprehensive way. An increasing number of conservation projects apply this concept in practice. In reviewing 22 examples from the red lists of ecosystems, landforms, and communities, we found 10 major features of endangered ecosystems: decreasing in area; intrinsically rare; declining ecological processes and function; associated with significant fragmentation; facing major threats from development; having high species diversity; providing good habitat for rare and endangered species; having a large, intact wilderness area; representative of a geographic region; and having high cultural and aesthetic values. The concept of endangered ecosystems is expected to overcome the limitations of the species-by-species conservation approach. In addition, it would assist in the preservation of ecosystems that lack protection from traditional legislative means; promote scientific research into ecological processes and functions; and motivate engagement among land managers, researchers, and public stakeholders to accelerate conservation planning in geographic regions.

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