Global patterns of endemism and the conservation of biodiversity.

Abstract

The approach to conservation of biodiversity by the International Council for Bird Preservation Biodiversity Project is described. The assumption is made that centres of endemism are priorities for the conservation of biodiversity. Birds were selected as a high priority target group, since most species are known and described, and are present throughout all major ecosystems of the world. Distributions of all species with breeding ranges restricted to 50,000km², or less, were chosen as the study group. The analysis revealed that 2,497 species (26 per cent of all birds) were shown to occur in 221 endemic bird areas (EBAs) which cover about 5 per cent of the world's land area. Two questions were asked of the results: (1) Is there congruence of patterns of endemism between different animal and plant groups? (2) Are endemic birds good indicators for areas of endemism in other plant and animal groups? Through a regional assessment of the 221 EBAs it is shown that there is good congruence between global patterns of endemism in birds and other taxa, although exceptions were noted for the several groups of organisms in the UK and plants in the neotropics. It is argued that the 221 EBAs should be conserved as a first priority, and that the International Council for Bird Preservation Biodiversity Project is justifiable since collection of more sophisticated data will take longer than conservation can wait.