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What is a protected area (PA) according to the IUCN?
A legally managed land or sea area dedicated to the protection of biodiversity and cultural resources.
Why must protected areas be large?
To accommodate wide-ranging species, ecological disturbances, and metapopulation dynamics.
What are the five main management approaches to protected areas?
• Establish PAs • Create networks • Effective management • Implement conservation beyond PAs • Restore degraded habitats
What is a biodiversity hotspot?
A small area with exceptionally high levels of endemic species under threat from human activity.
What are three priority criteria for identifying areas for protection?
• Distinctiveness (irreplaceability) • Vulnerability to endangerment • Utility to humans
What is the goal of gap analysis?
To identify biodiversity not protected by existing reserves and guide future PA planning.
What are the three steps in creating new PAs?
• Identify priority species and communities • Determine necessary areas for protection • Link new PAs to existing networks
What is GIS and how does it aid in conservation planning?
A mapping system that combines spatial data (e.g., land use, species range) to identify conservation gaps and guide PA design.
What is a limitation of gap analysis?
It assumes vegetation cover predicts species distribution and does not replace field verification (ground-truthing).
What are the three principles of reserve design?
• Representative: protect varied ecosystems • Resilient: withstand future threats • Redundant: multiple areas protect the same values
What is “faunal relaxation”?
The gradual extinction of species in a reserve due to insufficient size or isolation.
What did Newmark’s study reveal about species loss in parks?
Small and older parks lose more species over time, particularly large mammals.
What are some unresolved questions in reserve design?
• Single large vs. several small reserves • Ideal number of individuals to prevent extinction • Optimal shape and connectivity between reserves
What factors often determine PA placement globally?
Human settlement patterns, land value, political will, and historical context.