Why is species information important?

1. A Comprehensive Species-Level Analysis of Biodiversity and Patterns of Threat in the Eastern Tropical Pacific M.T. Comeros, B.A. Polidoro, T. Brooks, K.E. Carpenter, G. Edgar, S. Henderson, J. Sanciangco, D.R. Robertson

2. Why is species information important? • Biodiversity, understanding ecological processes, etc. • Presence of threatened species in conservation initiatives: • Designation of critical habitat • Establishment of no-take zones • Creation or improved management of MPAs • Regulation of resource extraction or coastal development

3. 2002 2003 2000 2006 2004 The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Most globally used standard for assessing threats and species-level probability of extinction (www.iucnredlist.org) IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: 40 year history

4. IUCN Red List = Global Species Database • SPECIES ASSESSMENT (Species level information) • Taxonomy • Distribution (maps and GIS analysis) • Population information and status • Habitat, ecology and life history • Major threats (over-fishing, bycatch, trade, climate change, invasive species, coastal development, etc. ) • Conservation measures (in place and needed) • Trade and use (CITES) • Livelihoods • → Assign Red List Category

5. Extinct (EX) IUCN Red List Categories Extinct in the Wild (EW) Critically Endangered (CR) Endangered (EN) THREATENED Vulnerable (VU) Near Threatened (NT) Least Concern (LC) Data Deficient (DD) Not Evaluated (NE)

6. Status of Marine Species Assessed on IUCN Red List • 2007: less than 4% (1,400 of 41,500 species) were marine species (seabirds, marine mammals, sea turtles, selected fishes, selected sharks and rays) • Global Marine Species Assessment (GMSA) • Joint initiative of IUCN and Conservation International • Assess 20,000 marine species by 2012 • All corals, seagrasses, mangroves, macroalgae • All 15,000 marine fishes • All species of sea snakes, complete families of selected molluscs, sea cucumbers and other invertebrates

7. Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP): Completed Assessments • 180 updated marine mammal, some sharks and rays, seabird, marine turtle assessments • 1,128 new species assessments (all shorefish, corals, mangroves, seagrasses, all remaining sharks and rays)

8. Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP): Completed Assessments • 10 expert-driven workshops over 4 years • Collaboration with IUCN Species Specialist Groups • Over 200 scientific experts • Data publically available on 2009 Red List (Fall Launch)

9. 18% ETP Species Endemism

10. Summary of ETP Red List Categories 22%

11. Threatened Species Richness: Marine Mammals, Sea Turtles, Seabirds Sea Turtle Nesting Sites Albatross Petrels Shearwater • Endemic mammals, • Seabird and Turtle • Breeding sites

12. Threatened Species Richness: + fish, corals, mangroves, seagrasses, sharks Gulf of California Costa Rica/Panama coast: Oceanic offshore islands: Now 64 threatened species present in Galapagos MPA gap analysis % species protected % range protected

13. Population Size Time Interpretation of Red List Criteria for Mitigating Threats Extinction Risk Theory (Mace et al. 2008) • Small population exposed to threats and in decline, or very small populations that are inherently threatened. 2) Widespread or large populations that are declining at a rate faster than reproductive capacity to recover.

14. THREATENED CATEGORIES CRITERIA A Population reduction Restricted range & decline B Critically Endangered (CR) Small population size & decline C Quantitative thresholds Endangered (EN) Very small population with threats D Vulnerable (VU) E Quantitative analysis Nature of the Criteria

15. Threatened Habitat Species Richness:Corals, Seagrasses, Mangroves Primary threats: Costa Rica/Panama coast Coastal Development Mangrove Removal Pollution Loss of coral cover Oceanic offshore islands High endemism Loss of coral cover

16. Threatened ShorefishSpecies Richness Primary threats: Costa Rica/Panama coast Habitat Loss (mangroves) Coastal Development Oceanic offshore islands High endemism El Nino events Gulf of California overfishing/aquaculture cessation of Colorado River

17. Critically Endangered Species • Nine newly listed CR species • Low population size • No resilience to changing conditions or to major threats operating within small range • 1 Marine Mammal Phocoena sinus (Vaquita) • 2 Corals Millipora bochmai, Siderastria glynni • 6 Shorefishes Azurina eupalama (Galapagos – El Nino) Gobulus birdsongi (Panama-mangroves) Paraclinus walkeri (Baja - Pollution) Totoaba macdonaldi (GOC-estuaries)

18. Data Deficient Shorefishes • Data Deficient doesn’t • mean a species is NOT • under threat • commercial species • cryptic species • taxonomic confusion • wide-ranging pelagics

19. Summary and Conclusions • Comprehensive multi-trophic species assessments can form the foundation for site and species-specific marine conservation priorities Species Action Plans Gaps in MPA coverage Actions needed to mitigate threats (EBM approach) Modeling Legislation/Policy • Understanding the Criterion and Data supporting multiple species Red List assessments can better identify regional and local patterns of THREAT, research needs, and comprehensive actions required. • IUCN Red List assessments are updated every 5-10 years, and can be important indicators of conservation action.

20. Thank you!