Quantitative tools for implementing the new definition of significant portion of the range in the U.S. Endangered Species Act |
| |
| Authors: | Julia E Earl Sam Nicol Ruscena Wiederholt Jay E Diffendorfer Darius Semmens D T Tyler Flockhart Brady J Mattsson Gary McCracken D Ryan Norris Wayne E Thogmartin Laura López‐Hoffman |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. School of Biological Sciences, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, U.S.A.;2. CSIRO Land and Water, Dutton Park, Australia;3. Everglades Foundation, Palmetto Bay, FL 33157, U.S.A.;4. U.S. Geological Survey, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Denver, CO 80225, U.S.A.;5. Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada;6. Institute of Silviculture, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria;7. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, U.S.A.;8. U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, La Crosse, WI 54603, U.S.A.;9. School of Natural Resources & the Environment, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, U.S.A.;10. Udall Center for Studies of Public Policy, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, U.S.A. |
| |
| Abstract: | In 2014, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service announced a new policy interpretation for the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). According to the act, a species must be listed as threatened or endangered if it is determined to be threatened or endangered in a significant portion of its range (SPR). The 2014 policy seeks to provide consistency by establishing that a portion of the range should be considered significant if the associated individuals’ “removal would cause the entire species to become endangered or threatened.” We reviewed 20 quantitative techniques used to assess whether a portion of a species’ range is significant according to the new guidance. Our assessments are based on the 3R criteria—redundancy (i.e., buffering from catastrophe), resiliency (i.e., ability to withstand stochasticity), and representation (i.e., ability to evolve)—that the FWS uses to determine if a species merits listing. We identified data needs for each quantitative technique and considered which methods could be implemented given the data limitations typical of rare species. We also identified proxies for the 3Rs that may be used with limited data. To assess potential data availability, we evaluated 7 example species by accessing data in their species status assessments, which document all the information used during a listing decision. In all species, an SPR could be evaluated with at least one metric for each of the 3Rs robustly or with substantial assumptions. Resiliency assessments appeared most constrained by limited data, and many species lacked information on connectivity between subpopulations, genetic variation, and spatial variability in vital rates. These data gaps will likely make SPR assessments for species with complex life histories or that cross national boundaries difficult. Although we reviewed techniques for the ESA, other countries require identification of significant areas and could benefit from this research. |
| |
| Keywords: | adaptive capacity endangered extinction risk population viability threatened species capacidad adaptativa en peligro especies amenazadas riesgo de extinció n viabilidad poblacional |
|
|
