A certain type of Borneo elephant, the pygmy variety. Research conducted at The University of Queensland has demonstrated that the existence of large national parks not only amplifies bird diversity within their confines but also substantially augments mammal diversity in neighboring unprotected regions. Image Credit: Mike & Valerie Mille
In biodiversity-laden areas such as Southeast Asia, large national parks play a crucial role in enhancing mammal diversity in adjacent unprotected regions, underlining their significance in biodiversity conservation plans.
Recent studies disclose the substantial advantages of large national parks in fostering biodiversity. These parks do not only fortify bird diversity within their limits but also escalate mammal diversity in unprotected regions nearby.
Dr. Matthew Luskin of The University of Queensland explained that the research, employing over 2,000 cameras and bird assessments throughout Southeast Asia, unveils for the first time the global advantage of enlarging protected lands beyond the park borders.
“Though expanding protected areas can be complex and costly, our findings affirm that the effort is unequivocally justified,” stated Dr. Luskin.
The existing knowledge confirms that protected zones can mitigate logging, visible through satellite images, but the concealed information is the animal count within the forest.
Similarly, marine parks are known for biodiversity spillover, where fish reproduce successfully within the park, and their progeny diffuse, aiding surrounding ecosystems.
“What remained unknown was the effectiveness of land-based parks in offering biodiversity spillover, or whether they simply shift biodiversity losses to adjacent areas,” Luskin explained.
A congregation of Borneo pygmy elephants. Image Credit: Mike & Valerie Mille
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Research Outcomes and Implications for Conservation
“Large parks, in particular, are beneficial to land mammals,” said Dr. Luskin.
When juxtaposing unprotected areas close to large reserves with those that do not border large reserves, it was discovered that large reserves generated a surge in mammal diversity, as much as 194 percent.
The findings are hailed as a crucial conservation victory for the Southeast Asian region, which is plagued by various threats, predominantly hunting and deforestation.
Dr. Luskin voiced concerns over hunting in Southeast Asia, often blamed for assumed diversity reduction outside parks. He acknowledged that the restriction of hunting within parks does not necessarily drive it to unprotected areas, thus nullifying the overall advantage.
He further noted that large parks likely aid animals like tigers or elephants, that traverse entire landscapes, covering both protected and unprotected regions.
Recommendations for Upcoming Conservation Initiatives
The study’s lead author, Dr. Jedediah Brodie of the University of Montana and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, emphasized the need for future park designs to consider greater size as a critical element.
“This aligns well with the UN’s objective of protecting 30 percent of all land by 2030,” Dr. Brodie noted.
Considering the consistent observation of higher bird diversity in larger parks, these findings bolster the establishment of fewer but larger parks over numerous smaller ones.
Going forward, the researchers intend to assess changes in mammal and bird numbers within and outside parks, and to extend their study to other areas, including Australia.
“The possibility that parks may even support mammal numbers more than diversity is certainly intriguing, and the team is eager to explore the correlation between park types and biodiversity to secure the best conservation results,” Dr. Brodie said.
This investigation was published on August 23 in the scientific journal Nature.
Reference: “Landscape-scale benefits of protected areas for tropical biodiversity” by Jedediah F. Brodie, Jayasilan Mohd-Azlan, Cheng Chen, Oliver R. Wearn, Mairin C. M. Deith, James G. C. Ball, Eleanor M. Slade, David F. R. P. Burslem, Shu Woan Teoh, Peter J. Williams, An Nguyen, Jonathan H. Moore, Scott J. Goetz, Patrick Burns, Patrick Jantz, Christopher R. Hakkenberg, Zaneta M. Kaszta, Sam Cushman, David Coomes, Olga E. Helmy, Glen Reynolds, Jon Paul Rodríguez, Walter Jetz, and Matthew Scott Luskin, 23 August 2023, Nature.
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06410-z
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about fokus keyword: biodiversity conservation
What does the research reveal about large national parks and biodiversity?
The research from The University of Queensland reveals that large national parks not only enhance bird diversity within their boundaries but also significantly increase mammal diversity in adjacent unprotected areas. Specifically, large reserves can generate up to a 194 percent boost in mammal diversity in nearby unprotected regions.
How was the research conducted?
The study involved using over 2,000 cameras and bird surveys across Southeast Asia, allowing researchers to compare unprotected areas near large reserves to unprotected areas that didn’t border large reserves.
What are the implications for conservation in Southeast Asia?
The findings provide a significant conservation win for the region, indicating the crucial role of large reserves in boosting mammal diversity. The research highlights the need for future park designs to prioritize larger sizes, aligning with global conservation goals like the UN’s 30 by 2030 plan.
What are the threats to biodiversity in the Southeast Asian region?
The region is under threat from a multitude of factors, namely hunting and deforestation. The research showed that parks limit hunting to an extent that doesn’t completely remove animals, highlighting their role in mitigating these threats.
How do large national parks influence hunting?
Though hunters are mobile and can be found inside and outside parks, the research found that large parks limit hunting to an extent that doesn’t completely remove these animals, supporting wide-ranging animals like tigers or elephants.
What are the future research goals and recommendations?
Moving forward, researchers aim to quantify shifts in the abundance of mammals and birds inside and outside of parks and expand their work to other regions, including Australia. Recommendations include pushing for larger park sizes as a key factor in conservation planning and supporting the creation of fewer larger parks compared to many smaller ones.
5 comments
Great research, but how do we ensure that these large parks are implemented? Government involvement? It’s not so simple.
I’m not a scientist but this makes sense. large areas protecting animals helps those outside too, right? great to see research backing up common sense!
This study is a real eye-opener. I never thought national parks could have such an influence on areas outside their boundaries. Conservation should be a top priority!
i think more attention needs to be paid to local communities. What do they think about the large parks and the hunting bans? It’s their land as well.
This is good news. But what about the threat of deforestation & hunting, it seems like a never ending battle? how do we tackle those problems, any ideas.