Wildlife population trends in protected areas predicted by national socio-economic metrics and body size

Megan D. Barnes (), Ian D. Craigie (), Luke B. Harrison, Jonas Geldmann, Ben Collen, Sarah Whitmee, Andrew Balmford, Neil D. Burgess, Thomas Brooks, Marc Hockings and Stephen Woodley
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Megan D. Barnes: School of Geography Planning and Environmental Management, the University of Queensland
Ian D. Craigie: Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University
Luke B. Harrison: Redpath Museum, McGill University
Jonas Geldmann: Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen
Ben Collen: Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London
Sarah Whitmee: Indicators and Assessment Unit, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park
Andrew Balmford: Conservation Science Group, University of Cambridge
Neil D. Burgess: Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen
Thomas Brooks: International Union for Conservation of Nature, 28 rue Mauverney
Marc Hockings: School of Geography Planning and Environmental Management, the University of Queensland
Stephen Woodley: Woodley and Associates

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Ensuring that protected areas (PAs) maintain the biodiversity within their boundaries is fundamental in achieving global conservation goals. Despite this objective, wildlife abundance changes in PAs are patchily documented and poorly understood. Here, we use linear mixed effect models to explore correlates of population change in 1,902 populations of birds and mammals from 447 PAs globally. On an average, we find PAs are maintaining populations of monitored birds and mammals within their boundaries. Wildlife population trends are more positive in PAs located in countries with higher development scores, and for larger-bodied species. These results suggest that active management can consistently overcome disadvantages of lower reproductive rates and more severe threats experienced by larger species of birds and mammals. The link between wildlife trends and national development shows that the social and economic conditions supporting PAs are critical for the successful maintenance of their wildlife populations.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12747

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