For the survival of critically endangered species it is extremely important that the
range of protected habitat types should be enlarged. According to different recommendations of environmental organizations the protected area of all habitat types
should exceed the 10% level at regional and global scales. In many cases, the
protection of the diversity of habitat types at the landscape scale is the best measure
to preserve species diversity. For protecting all species on Earth this alone, however,
would definitely not be enough.
Keywords Endemism · Threats · Habitat classification · Seed banks · Botanical
gardens · Zoos · Aquariums · Global assessment · Europe
1 Introduction
Many species in different regions of the world are threatened with extinction. Due to
their evolutionary history and ecological requirements they are more or less strongly
connected to specific regions and habitat types.
The purpose of the analyses is to find out where in the world and in which habitat
types threatened species are concentrated. Furthermore, we want to quantify the
threats in relation to numbers of threatened and endemic species. For example, how
strong is the impact of climate change in comparison with land use change?
For such a quantification scheme it is necessary to classify the habitat types in the
first instance.
2 Material and Methods
2.1 Habitat Classification
An uncountable number of scientific definitions for terms such as forest, swamp, or
grassland exists. For example, forests are normally characterized by woody plants
(timber) with a height of at least 5 or 10 m and a minimum tree crown cover of
10, 30, or 50%, respectively (see different FAO definitions on the internet). Also the
characteristics and limits of tropical rainforests have been defined in different ways
with respect to latitudes, climate classification, mean temperature, temperature of the
coldest month, precipitation rate, length of the dry season, structure, height, diversity
of tree layers, specific biological characteristics, and other aspects.
Why should it be important to define habitats or ecosystem types? People
normally know what a river, a forest or a coastal dune is. What is the problem if a
certain vegetation type in SW Australia is called swamp and the same would be
defined as wet heath by somebody else? How exact should such definitions be? What
is their impact on legal or political processes?
Distribution and Habitat Affinity of Endemic and Threatened Species: Global and. . .
235
range of protected habitat types should be enlarged. According to different recommendations of environmental organizations the protected area of all habitat types
should exceed the 10% level at regional and global scales. In many cases, the
protection of the diversity of habitat types at the landscape scale is the best measure
to preserve species diversity. For protecting all species on Earth this alone, however,
would definitely not be enough.
Keywords Endemism · Threats · Habitat classification · Seed banks · Botanical
gardens · Zoos · Aquariums · Global assessment · Europe
1 Introduction
Many species in different regions of the world are threatened with extinction. Due to
their evolutionary history and ecological requirements they are more or less strongly
connected to specific regions and habitat types.
The purpose of the analyses is to find out where in the world and in which habitat
types threatened species are concentrated. Furthermore, we want to quantify the
threats in relation to numbers of threatened and endemic species. For example, how
strong is the impact of climate change in comparison with land use change?
For such a quantification scheme it is necessary to classify the habitat types in the
first instance.
2 Material and Methods
2.1 Habitat Classification
An uncountable number of scientific definitions for terms such as forest, swamp, or
grassland exists. For example, forests are normally characterized by woody plants
(timber) with a height of at least 5 or 10 m and a minimum tree crown cover of
10, 30, or 50%, respectively (see different FAO definitions on the internet). Also the
characteristics and limits of tropical rainforests have been defined in different ways
with respect to latitudes, climate classification, mean temperature, temperature of the
coldest month, precipitation rate, length of the dry season, structure, height, diversity
of tree layers, specific biological characteristics, and other aspects.
Why should it be important to define habitats or ecosystem types? People
normally know what a river, a forest or a coastal dune is. What is the problem if a
certain vegetation type in SW Australia is called swamp and the same would be
defined as wet heath by somebody else? How exact should such definitions be? What
is their impact on legal or political processes?
Distribution and Habitat Affinity of Endemic and Threatened Species: Global and. . .
235