Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS)

Data Policy
Persons | Institutes | Publications | Projects | Datasets
[ report an error in this record ]basket (1): add | show Print this page
one publication added to basket [327821]
Antarctica’s wilderness fails to capture continent’s biodiversity
Leihy, R.I.; Coetzee, B.W.T.; Morgan, F.; Raymond, B.; Shaw, J.D.; Terauds, A.; Bastmeijer, K.; Chown, S.L. (2020). Antarctica’s wilderness fails to capture continent’s biodiversity. Nature (Lond.) 583(7817): 567-571. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2506-3
In: Nature: International Weekly Journal of Science. Nature Publishing Group: London. ISSN 0028-0836; e-ISSN 1476-4687
Peer reviewed article  
Available in  Authors 
Authors  Top 
  • Leihy, R.I.
  • Coetzee, B.W.T.
  • Morgan, F.
  • Raymond, B.
  • Shaw, J.D.
  • Terauds, A.
  • Bastmeijer, K.
  • Chown, S.L.
Abstract
    Recent assessments of Earth’s dwindling wilderness have emphasized that Antarctica is a crucial wilderness in need of protection. Yet human impacts on the continent are widespread, the extent of its wilderness unquantified and the importance thereof for biodiversity conservation unknown. Here we assemble a comprehensive record of human activity (approximately 2.7 million records, spanning 200 years) and use it to quantify the extent of Antarctica’s wilderness and its representation of biodiversity. We show that 99.6% of the continent’s area can still be considered wilderness, but this area captures few biodiversity features. Pristine areas, free from human interference, cover a much smaller area (less than 32% of Antarctica) and are declining as human activity escalates. Urgent expansion of Antarctica’s network of specially protected areas7 can both reverse this trend and secure the continent’s biodiversity.
All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors 
[Back]

WoRMS

Using WoRMS

Tools

Connect with us

This service is powered by LifeWatch Belgium
Learn more»
Website and databases developed and hosted by Flanders Marine Institute · Page generated on 2024-11-22 08:39:22+01:00 · Privacy and cookie policy