The evolution of EDGE: incorporating scientific advances into phylogenetically- informed conservation prioritisation
Dr. Nisha Owen EDGE of Existence Programme Manager The agony of choice Conservation bias
Threatened Keystone Umbrella
Landscape Flagship Cultural value
Evolutionary Distinctiveness (ED) A measure of value ED EDGE = 1 A 2.23 1 1
2 1 1 B 2.23 1 3 ln(1+ED)+GE*ln(2) 2 2 C 2.73 5 1 1 D 2.4 2 1 2 E 2.4 1 1 F 2.75 0.5 4.5 1 G 2.75 2 0.5 1
5 4 3 2 1 0 Node age/MYBP Global Endangerment (GE)
Isaac et al. 2007 GE measures urgency of action Evolutionarily Distinct…
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Slide 8 EvolutionarilyEvolutionarily Distinct… Distinct…
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Slide 9 Evolutionarily Distinct…
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Slide 10 The Challenge
• unique species representing entire branches of the tree of life • on the verge of extinction • overlooked by the conservation agenda
ZSL’s EDGE of Existence programme: the only global conservation initiative focusing on species that are Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered
EDGE species
• Distinct in the way they look, live, behave & in genetic make-up • Complementary conservation approach
• Need phylogenetic tree + adequate IUCN assessments
Per taxonomic group: -> EDGE species (median ED & threatened) -> top 100 -> high ED + DD / NE / NT species EDGE lists
2007 2008 2011 Isaac et. al 2012 Curnick et. al 2015
2014 2016/2017 Jetz et. al 2014 Gumbs et. al in prep … EDGE Reptiles
Clade All Red Listed # imputed spp (phylogeny) species species Crocodilians 25 23 2 (Oaks 2011) Squamates + 10,020 4,079 265 (Tonini et al. 2016) tuatara Testudines 346 219 214 (Hedges et al. 2015)
Credit: Vladimir Wrangel Credit: Nick Page Credit: Ryan M. Bolton
Gumbs et. al in prep Updated EDGE Lists Clade All Red Listed # imputed spp (phylogeny) species species Amphibians 7,488 4,857 4,213 (Pyron 2014) Birds 10,960 10,960 967 (Jetz et al. 2014) Mammals 5,454 4,479 539 (Kuhn et al. 2011)
Gumbs et. al in prep Slide 16 Slide 17 ED: 16.61 Slide 18
OUR VISION The diversity of life is secured for future generations through locally led conservation initiatives
THE SOLUTION • SCIENCE: a scientific approach for setting conservation priorities • CAPACITY-BUILDING: supporting the next generation of conservation leaders • CONSERVATION: of neglected EDGE species • AWARENESS-RAISING: of the most distinct and threatened species on the planet ---- > maintaining the diversity of life EDGE Fellowships
Protect EDGE species by building conservation capacity in-country
EDGE Fellows: • 2-year project on top-priority EDGE species • £10,000 grant • Training courses, support & mentoring • Produce survival blueprint for their species
• 68 Fellowship projects • 36 countries • 63 EDGE species Impact (species) Discovery of new species and populations • Horton plains red slender loris • Togo slippery frog
Conservation strategies, legislation and protected areas • Togo slippery frog • Sheath-tailed bat
Down-listing species on the red list • Ambystoma salamanders
Innovative technology Match funding in the EDGE Fellowship Data from 26 EDGE Fellows Impact (Fellows) £985,500 Fellows- • 100% of surveyed Fellows work in sourced conservation match funding
• 80% leverage matched funding for their Fellowships EDGE investment in £489,000 Fellowship • 76% still work on their EDGE species
• 70% publish in scientific journals Continuing to work on their EDGE species • 100% pass on their knowledge to peers 10% Still work on and colleagues EDGE sp. 14% - 500+ university students Study changed - 250+ gov. employees focus 76% - 160+ conservation employees Downlisted - 65+ teachers
EDGE 2.0
Cutting-EDGE science: 2017 workshop on phylogenetically informed conservation to assess and refine EDGE prioritisation protocol – Addressing uncertainty • Extinction probabilities & limited RL assessments • Incomplete / unresolved phylogenies – Incorporating complementarity (EDGE lineages)
• robust prioritisation lists • lists for new taxonomic groups • enabling regular list updates (new species / assessments)
EDGE Zones Conserving EDGE species?
Sitas et al. 2009
Washington et al. 2015 Slide 29 www.edgeofexistence.orgSlide 30