Landscape-scale benefits of protected areas for tropical biodiversity

Jedediah F. Brodie (), Jayasilan Mohd-Azlan, Cheng Chen, Oliver R. Wearn, Mairin C. M. Deith, James G. C. Ball, Eleanor M. Slade, David F. R. P. Burslem, Shu Woan Teoh, Peter J. Williams, An Nguyen, Jonathan H. Moore, Scott J. Goetz, Patrick Burns, Patrick Jantz, Christopher R. Hakkenberg, Zaneta M. Kaszta, Sam Cushman, David Coomes, Olga E. Helmy, Glen Reynolds, Jon Paul Rodríguez, Walter Jetz and Matthew Scott Luskin
Additional contact information
Jedediah F. Brodie: University of Montana
Jayasilan Mohd-Azlan: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Cheng Chen: University of British Columbia
Oliver R. Wearn: Fauna and Flora International—Vietnam Programme
Mairin C. M. Deith: University of British Columbia
James G. C. Ball: University of Cambridge
Eleanor M. Slade: Nanyang Technological University
David F. R. P. Burslem: University of Aberdeen
Shu Woan Teoh: University of Montana
Peter J. Williams: University of Montana
An Nguyen: Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research
Jonathan H. Moore: Southern University of Science and Technology
Scott J. Goetz: Northern Arizona University
Patrick Burns: Northern Arizona University
Patrick Jantz: Northern Arizona University
Christopher R. Hakkenberg: Northern Arizona University
Zaneta M. Kaszta: Northern Arizona University
Sam Cushman: University of Oxford
David Coomes: University of Cambridge
Olga E. Helmy: University of Montana
Glen Reynolds: Danum Valley Field Centre
Jon Paul Rodríguez: Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Investigation (IVIC) and Provita
Walter Jetz: Yale University
Matthew Scott Luskin: University of Queensland

Nature, 2023, vol. 620, issue 7975, 807-812

Abstract: Abstract The United Nations recently agreed to major expansions of global protected areas (PAs) to slow biodiversity declines1. However, although reserves often reduce habitat loss, their efficacy at preserving animal diversity and their influence on biodiversity in surrounding unprotected areas remain unclear2–5. Unregulated hunting can empty PAs of large animals6, illegal tree felling can degrade habitat quality7, and parks can simply displace disturbances such as logging and hunting to unprotected areas of the landscape8 (a phenomenon called leakage). Alternatively, well-functioning PAs could enhance animal diversity within reserves as well as in nearby unprotected sites9 (an effect called spillover). Here we test whether PAs across mega-diverse Southeast Asia contribute to vertebrate conservation inside and outside their boundaries. Reserves increased all facets of bird diversity. Large reserves were also associated with substantially enhanced mammal diversity in the adjacent unprotected landscape. Rather than PAs generating leakage that deteriorated ecological conditions elsewhere, our results are consistent with PAs inducing spillover that benefits biodiversity in surrounding areas. These findings support the United Nations goal of achieving 30% PA coverage by 2030 by demonstrating that PAs are associated with higher vertebrate diversity both inside their boundaries and in the broader landscape.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06410-z

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