Conserving small natural features with large ecological roles: A synthetic overview

Hunter, Malcolm L. and Acuna, Vicenc and Bauer, Dana Marie and Bell, Kathleen P. and Calhoun, Aram J. K. and Felipe-Lucia, Maria R. and Fitzsimons, James A. and Gonzalez, Eduardo and Kinnison, Michael and Lindenmayer, David and Lundquist, Carolyn J. and Medellin, Rodrigo A. and Nelson, Erik J. and Poschlod, Peter (2017) Conserving small natural features with large ecological roles: A synthetic overview. BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION, 211. pp. 88-95. ISSN 0006-3207, 1873-2917

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Abstract

Small Natural Features (SNFs) are analogous to keystone species in that they have ecological importance that is disproportionate to their size. Thus the recognition and management of SNFs can be an efficient way to conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services. In particular, while the size of SNFs can engender threats (e.g., they are often overlooked and are relatively vulnerable to complete destruction), small size also leads to special conservation opportunities (e.g., integration with resource uses such as forestry or fisheries). Commonly, SNF conservation begins with education and inventory to form a foundation for appropriate, targeted protection and/or sustainable management. However, in cases of severe degradation or loss, more intensive activities such as restoration or creation may be required. Diverse approaches to conservation action are possible. For example, sometimes SNF conservation is undertaken incidentally to other efforts or on a voluntary basis; sometimes it involves substantial economic incentives or restrictive regulations. In general, the required investment for SNF conservation is likely to be smaller than that for larger areas, with disproportionate benefits given the substantial spatio-temporal influence of these features. In practice, conservation of SNFs should be complementary to traditional, larger-scale, forms of conservation by fostering creative, constructive efforts to conserve some seemingly minor features; features that have previously unknown or unappreciated roles critical to their broader ecosystems and to biodiversity. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: AUSTRALIAN ARID ZONE; BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION; CLIMATE-CHANGE; ECOSYSTEM SERVICES; FOOD WEBS; MANAGEMENT; RIVER; LANDSCAPES; CONNECTIVITY; PRINCIPLES; Keystone species; Keystone; Meso-filter; Ecosystem services; Biodiversity
Subjects: 500 Science > 570 Life sciences
500 Science > 580 Botanical sciences
Divisions: Biology, Preclinical Medicine > Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften
Biology, Preclinical Medicine > Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften > Lehrstuhl für Botanik
Depositing User: Dr. Gernot Deinzer
Date Deposited: 14 Dec 2018 13:16
Last Modified: 15 Feb 2019 08:40
URI: https://pred.uni-regensburg.de/id/eprint/1610

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