image: Mountain waves of the Himalayas. view more
Credit: PNAS
Researchers report the distribution of mountainous protected areas (PAs) across elevations. Mountain ranges harbor large numbers of plant and animal species, and the elevational ranges of these species are known to shift in response to climate change. PAs will be better able to accommodate such shifts and include increased biodiversity if the PAs span a broad range of elevations. Paul Elsen and colleagues analyzed the elevational distributions of more than 40,000 PAs in more than 1,000 mountain ranges worldwide to determine areas where further protection may be needed. Considering only the strictest PAs-those classified as category I-IV by the International Union for Conservation of Nature-nearly 40% of mountain ranges had no PAs, approximately 50% did not meet the Convention on Biological Diversity's Aichi Target 11 goal of protecting at least 17% of land area, and approximately 75% failed to meet the 17% threshold for half of their elevational range. Inclusion of less stringent PAs increased the extent of elevational protection on most continents. Given the existing relationship between geographic protection and elevational protection, meeting the 17% threshold for all elevations would require protecting approximately half of all mountainous area. However, planning that prioritizes elevational protection could reduce the amount of new PAs required to reach the 17% target, according to the authors.
###
Article #17-20141: "Global patterns of protection of elevational gradients in mountain ranges," by Paul R. Elsen, William B. Monahan, and Adina M. Merenlender.
MEDIA CONTACT: Paul R. Elsen, University of California, Berkeley, CA; tel: 530-514-8758; e-mail: <pelsen@berkeley.edu>
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences