Global conservation priorities for marine turtles

Wallace, Bryan P., DiMatteo, Andrew D., Bolten, Alan B., Chaloupka, Milani Y., Hutchinson, Brian J., Abreu-Grobois, F. Alberto, Mortimer, Jeanne A., Seminoff, Jeffrey A., Amorocho, Diego, Bjorndal, Karen A., Bourjea, Jerome, Bowen, Brian W., Duenas, Raquel Briseno, Casale, Paolo, Choudhury, B. C., Costa, Alice, Dutton, Peter H., Fallabrino, Alejandro, Finkbeiner, Elena M., Girard, Alexandre, Girondot, Marc, Hamann, Mark, Hurley, Brendan J., Lopez-Mendilaharsu, Milagros, Marcovaldi, Maria Angela, Musick, John A., Nel, Ronel, Pilcher, Nicolas J., Troeng, Sebestian, Witherington, Blair and Mast, Roderic B. (2011) Global conservation priorities for marine turtles. PLoS One, 6 9: 1-14. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0024510


Author Wallace, Bryan P.
DiMatteo, Andrew D.
Bolten, Alan B.
Chaloupka, Milani Y.
Hutchinson, Brian J.
Abreu-Grobois, F. Alberto
Mortimer, Jeanne A.
Seminoff, Jeffrey A.
Amorocho, Diego
Bjorndal, Karen A.
Bourjea, Jerome
Bowen, Brian W.
Duenas, Raquel Briseno
Casale, Paolo
Choudhury, B. C.
Costa, Alice
Dutton, Peter H.
Fallabrino, Alejandro
Finkbeiner, Elena M.
Girard, Alexandre
Girondot, Marc
Hamann, Mark
Hurley, Brendan J.
Lopez-Mendilaharsu, Milagros
Marcovaldi, Maria Angela
Musick, John A.
Nel, Ronel
Pilcher, Nicolas J.
Troeng, Sebestian
Witherington, Blair
Mast, Roderic B.
Title Global conservation priorities for marine turtles
Journal name PLoS One   Check publisher's open access policy
ISSN 1932-6203
Publication date 2011-09-01
Sub-type Article (original research)
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0024510
Open Access Status DOI
Volume 6
Issue 9
Start page 1
End page 14
Total pages 14
Place of publication San Francisco, CA, United States
Publisher Public Library of Science
Language eng
Subject 1300 Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
1100 Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Abstract Where conservation resources are limited and conservation targets are diverse, robust yet flexible priority-setting frameworks are vital. Priority-setting is especially important for geographically widespread species with distinct populations subject to multiple threats that operate on different spatial and temporal scales. Marine turtles are widely distributed and exhibit intra-specific variations in population sizes and trends, as well as reproduction and morphology. However, current global extinction risk assessment frameworks do not assess conservation status of spatially and biologically distinct marine turtle Regional Management Units (RMUs), and thus do not capture variations in population trends, impacts of threats, or necessary conservation actions across individual populations. To address this issue, we developed a new assessment framework that allowed us to evaluate, compare and organize marine turtle RMUs according to status and threats criteria. Because conservation priorities can vary widely (i.e. from avoiding imminent extinction to maintaining long-term monitoring efforts) we developed a "conservation priorities portfolio" system using categories of paired risk and threats scores for all RMUs (n=58). We performed these assessments and rankings globally, by species, by ocean basin, and by recognized geopolitical bodies to identify patterns in risk, threats, and data gaps at different scales. This process resulted in characterization of risk and threats to all marine turtle RMUs, including identification of the world’s 11 most endangered marine turtle RMUs based on highest risk and threats scores. This system also highlighted important gaps in available information that is crucial for accurate conservation assessments. Overall, this priority-setting framework can provide guidance for research and conservation priorities at multiple relevant scales, and should serve as a model for conservation status assessments and priority setting for widespread, long-lived taxa.
Keyword Leatherback Turtle
Sea-Turtles
Population
Management
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Confirmed Code
Institutional Status UQ

Document type: Journal Article
Sub-type: Article (original research)
Collections: Official 2012 Collection
School of Biological Sciences Publications
 
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