The evolution of EDGE: incorporating scientific advances into - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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 Flagship Landscape Cultural value

Evolutionary Distinctiveness (ED) A measure of value EDGE = ED 1 A 2.23 1 ln(1+ED)+GE*ln(2) 1 2 1 B 2.23 1 1 3 C 2.73 2 2 5 1 D 2.4 1 2 1 E 2.4 2 1 1 F 2.75 0.5 1 4.5 G 2.75 2 0.5 1 5 4 3 2 1 0 Node age/MYBP Global Endangerment (GE) GE measures urgency of action Isaac et al. 2007

Evolutionarily Distinct… B C A time Slide 8

Evolutionarily Distinct… Evolutionarily Distinct… B C A time Slide 9

Evolutionarily Distinct… B C A time 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 2008 2007 2011 Isaac et. al 2012 Curnick et. al 2015 2016/2017 2014 … 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: Ryan M. Bolton Credit: Nick Page 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

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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 match conservation funding • 80% leverage matched funding for EDGE their Fellowships 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

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www.edgeofexistence.org Slide 30