The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Mapping standards for
IUCN Red List assessments Vineet Katariya
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2 Visual representation of the species distribution To inform
Red List assessments EOO/AOO To identify conservation priorities A
first step in identifying priority areas for protection (KBAs, PAs)
Purpose of including species maps on the Red List
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3 Known or inferred limits of the species distribution range
Distribution depicted as polygons Means species probably only
occurs within the polygon Does not mean species is distributed
equally within the polygon or occurs everywhere in the polygon What
are we mapping?
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4 Mapping Protocols The protocols differ slightly for species
in different ecosystems: Terrestrial Marine Freshwater
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5 1.Plot observation / locality data points 2.Expand the
distribution considering knowledge of habitat preferences 3.Remove
unsuitable/unoccupied habitat based on availability of suitable
habitat, elevation limits, climate/temperature restrictions, other
expert knowledge Mapping terrestrial species
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6 Preferred habitat is broadleaved, evergreen and deciduous
forest. Dark green: Tree cover, broad leaved and ever green Light
green: Tree cover, broadleaved, deciduous & closed
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7 Consider other factors that may limit the distribution (e.g.
elevation, temperature, natural physical barriers) Mapping
terrestrial species Extrapolation of observation records and expert
knowledge suggests that the species is limited to these 2 habitat
types. Extrapolation of observation records and expert knowledge
suggests that the species is limited to these 2 habitat types.
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8 Mapping terrestrial species Purple: Managed an cultivated
land Exclude unsuitable habitat
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9 EOO AOO Extent of Suitable Habitat (ESH) Mapping terrestrial
species Inferred range ?
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10 Mapping terrestrial species Final Species distribution
map
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11 Examples of unacceptable maps
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12 10 km If there are less than 3 points, a minimum convex
polygon cannot be created. Use habitat information to inform the
map OR If no habitat data is available and experts have no idea
where the species might be found, draw a circle with a 10 km
(radius) buffer as a polygon around the points. For coastal
species, must exclude the sea (clip to the coastline). For small
islands, capture the whole island Mapping terrestrial species
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13 Mapping Marine species 1.Mapped using essentially the same
process as terrestrial species 2.Bathymetry can be used to
delineate species ranges limited by depth (much as elevation is
used for terrestrial species). 3.For coastal species: draw a buffer
of 50 km around the coastline.
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14 Mapping Freshwater Species Species are mapped to catchments
as they are considered to be the minimum management unit for
freshwater conservation. 1.Add known observation/ locality points
to map 2.Intersect points with catchment layer to identify Extant
catchments 3.Use expert knowledge to identify presence codes for
other catchments 4.Redefine range to take into account
environmental factors, if necessary, and to buffer around rivers
and estuaries.
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15 Base layer : WWF Hydrosheds (average basin size of 100 km2)
Mapping Freshwater Species
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16 1. Plot known observation/location point data on the basins.
Mapping Freshwater Species
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17 2. Select those basins as native extant. Mapping Freshwater
Species
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18 3. Use expert opinion and published data to define probably
extant (inferred) basins. Mapping Freshwater Species
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19 Mapping Freshwater Species For species found only in a main
river channel and not in the tributaries: use a 10 km buffer (20 km
wide).
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20 Mapping Freshwater Species For species only found in
brackish water, estuaries and costal lagoons: add a 10 km buffer
(10 km in width).
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21 Requirements for all maps: Data required in GIS format
(Shapefile, Mapinfo, KMZ) Files are named by the scientific name:
genus_species All polygons should be smoothed and checked for
irregularities before being submitted. Attributes are required with
spatial data. GIS data required in Geographic coordinates
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22 Extent of occurrence (Criteria A and B) The area contained
within the shortest continuous imaginary boundary which can be
drawn to encompass all the known, inferred or projected sites of
present occurrence of a taxon, excluding cases of vagrancy. This
measure may exclude discontinuities or disjunctions within the
overall distributions of taxa (e.g. large areas of obviously
unsuitable habitat). Extent of occurrence can often be measured by
a minimum convex polygon (the smallest polygon in which no internal
angle exceeds 180 degrees and which contains all the sites of
occurrence).
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23 Area of occupancy (Criteria A, B and D) The area within its
'extent of occurrence which is occupied by a taxon, excluding cases
of vagrancy. The measure reflects the fact that a taxon will not
usually occur throughout the area of its extent of occurrence,
which may contain unsuitable or unoccupied habitats. In some cases
(e.g. irreplaceable colonial nesting sites, crucial feeding sites
for migratory taxa) the area of occupancy is the smallest area
essential at any stage to the survival of existing populations of a
taxon. The size of the area of occupancy will be a function of the
scale at which it is measured, and should be at a scale appropriate
to relevant biological aspects of the taxon, the nature of threats
and the available data.
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24 Extent of Occurrence and Area of Occupancy (A) is the
spatial distribution of known, inferred or projected sites of
occurrence. (B) shows one possible boundary to the EXTENT OF
OCCURRENCE, which is the measured area within this boundary. (C)
shows one measure of AREA OF OCCUPANCY which can be measured by the
sum of the occupied grid squares.
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25 Data attributes requirements
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26 Coded values for Presence, Origin & Seasonality
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27 Presence 1.Extant The species is known or thought very
likely to occur presently in the area, usually encompassing current
or recent (post 1980) localities where suitable habitat at
appropriate altitudes remains. 2.Probably Extant The species
presence is considered probable, either based on extrapolations of
known records, or realistic inferences (e.g., based on distribution
of suitable habitat at appropriate altitudes and proximity to areas
where it is known or thought very likely to remain Extant).
Probably Extant ranges often extend beyond areas where the species
is Extant, or may fall between them. 3.Possibly Extant: The species
may possibly occur, and should be searched for, but there are no
known records and less than probably occurrence. Possibly Extant
ranges often extend beyond areas where the species is Extant (q.v.)
or Probably Extant (q.v.), or may fall between them. 4.Possibly
Extinct The species was formerly known or thought very likely to
occur in the area, but it is most likely now extirpated from the
area because habitat loss/other threats are thought likely to have
extirpated the species and/or owing to a lack of records in the
last 30 years. 5.Extinct The species was formerly known or thought
very likely to occur in the area, but there have been no records in
the last 30 years and it is almost certain that the species no
longer occurs, and/or habitat loss/other threats have almost
certainly extirpated the species. 6.Presence Uncertain The species
was formerly known or thought very likely to occur in the area but
it is no longer known whether it still occurs (usually because
there have been no recent surveys). Notes: 1. These codes are
mutually exclusive; a polygon coded as Extant cannot also be coded
as Extinct. 2. To obtain the total historical range of a species,
one would sum polygons for Extant, Probably Extant, Possibly
Extinct, Extinct and Presence Uncertain, but not Possibly
Extant.
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28 1.Native The species is/was native to the area
2.Reintroduced - The species is/was reintroduced through either
direct or indirect human activity. 3.Introduced The species is/was
introduced outside of its historical distribution range through
either direct or indirect human activity. 4.Vagrant The species
is/was recorded once or sporadically, but it is known not to be
native to the area. 5.Origin Uncertain - The species provenance in
an area is not known (it may be native, reintroduced or introduced)
Notes: These codes are mutually exclusive; a polygon coded as
Native cannot also be coded as Introduced. Origin
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29 1.Resident the species is/was known or thought very likely
to be resident throughout the year 2.Breeding Season The species
is/was known or thought very likely to occur regularly during the
breeding season and to breed. 3.Non-breeding Season The species
is/was known or thought very likely to occur regularly during the
non-breeding season. In the Eurasian and North American contexts,
this encompasses winter. 4.Passage The species is/was known or
thought very likely to occur regularly during a relatively short
period(s) of the year on migration between breeding and
non-breeding ranges. 5.Seasonal Occurrence Uncertain The species
is/was present, but it is not known if it is present during part or
all of the year. Seasonality