Transcript Supporting information

Supporting information
for
IUCN Red List assessments
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
Components of an IUCN Red List assessment
1. Red List category and criteria
• Purple Skimmer Libellula jesseana
• Vulnerable A2a;B2ab(iii)
2. Documentation supporting the
category and criteria
• Population size, trend and status; range;
threats; conservation measures; etc.
3. Map of species’ distribution
Supporting information
Purposes of supporting information:
1. Support and justify each Red List assessment.
2. Permit basic analysis of Red List status across
species (including calculating the Red List
Index).
3. Allow the Red List website to function properly
(allow users to search and find information on
the website).
Supporting information
Full documentation is an essential part
of a Red List assessment
The Red List is a scientific publication, regularly used and cited
all around the world.
Scientific paper standards (stand-alone pdf versions of each
assessment) require documentation standards be maintained.
The Red List informs conservation decisions: these must be
based on well-documented information.
Proper documentation allows for informed reassessments.
Without proper documentation, the Red List is just a list – the
documentation contains the useful information.
Supporting information
Red List Documentation
• All species in the Red List have supporting documentation.
• Justifies the selected category and criteria.
• Allows analysis of Red List data (information coded using
standard Classification Schemes).
− Taxonomy including authority details.
− Common names
− Red List Category and Criteria
− Countries of occurrence
− Map of distribution
− Rationale for the assessment
(supporting the criteria used)
− Habitat preferences (text & codes)
− Major Threats (text and codes)
− Conservation Measures in place &
needed (text and codes)
− Citations list
− Reasons for any category changes
− Names of assessors
Supporting information
Regional Red List Documentation
Supporting information
How can Red List Assessors ensure
assessments are high quality?







Understand the Categories & Criteria and apply them properly
Justify the assessments with thorough supporting data
Follow the documentation standards
Provide relevant references
Submit a good map
Double check for consistency and for errors
Work with other relevant groups doing Red List assessments
Supporting information
Documentation on the Red List website
Lyre Head Lizard (Lyriocephalus scutatus)
Lyre Head Lizard Lyriocephalus scutatus
Lyre Head Lizard Lyriocephalus scutatus
Lyre Head Lizard Lyriocephalus scutatus
Lyre Head Lizard Lyriocephalus scutatus
Supporting information
Supporting information
text fields in SIS
Supporting information
Taxonomic Notes:
• Described recent taxonomic changes.
• Summarize current taxonomic doubts or debates about the validity or
identity of the taxon.
• Undescribed species: provide details of who is working on a
description and where the type specimens are held.
Distribution:
• Summarize current global range & describe known historic range.
Population:
• Summarize data available for population size estimate and information
to indicate current population trend (including subpopulations and
specific parts of the range).
• If no quantitative information: record if species is common, abundant,
rare, etc.
Supporting information
Habitats & Ecology:
• Describe habitats & ecological requirements the species needs to
survive.
• Behavioural or life cycle factors that make the species particularly
vulnerable to specific threats.
• Does not need to be extensive – behaviour, diet, etc. not required
unless relevant to Red List assessment (e.g., it has a particular life
cycle, growth pattern or behaviour that makes it vulnerable to
specific threats).
Use & Trade:
• If applicable, summarize how used (e.g. killing
individuals, harvesting parts without affecting the
living individual) and what for (e.g. food, fibre).
• Indicate if this use is a threat or is sustainable.
Supporting information
Threats:
• Describe threats affecting the global population and how these affect
individuals (converting habitat, degrading habitat, killing individuals,
removing individuals from the wild, etc.).
• If no threats, state this.
• If threats are unknown, state this and give the reason why (data have
not been sought out, species and its specific requirements are not well
known, human activities are occurring in the area but the effects of
these on the species are not known, etc.)
• Do not list all human activities occurring in the area without referring to
how this affects (or is likely to affect) the species.
Supporting information
Conservation Actions:
• Document conservation and research actions currently in place for the
species (record specific protected areas, international conventions, or
national legislation, etc. that affect the species).
• Document essential and realistic conservation and research actions
required to improve the species’ status.
Assessment Rationale:
• Justify the category and criteria used for the assessment.
• Use key issues highlighted elsewhere in the account to
summarize why the species qualifies for the
category assigned to it.
• Do not simply repeat the criteria thresholds.
Report actual estimates used for data
(e.g. EOO, AOO, population size).
Supporting information
In general, please…
• Enter text in all documentation fields
• Use “normal” language
• No one word answers
• Complete sentences please!
• Be specific (e.g. EOO = 4600 km² not EOO < 5000 km²)
• Enter references properly (check SIS before doing so!)
• Follow citation standards
• Follow IUCN style guidelines
and Red List terminology
• Use consistency checklist
Classification Schemes
Coded Threats & Conservation Actions
Threats
Research Needed
Conservation
Actions Needed
Supporting information
Range map tools and guidance
Mapping Wiki:
http://speciesmapping.pbworks.com
Supporting information
Taxonomic concepts and the
IUCN Red List
Supporting information
Taxonomy is a complicated world!
• All Red List taxa should be validly published using the
appropriate international nomenclatural codes:
• International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN)
• International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (IBZN)
• General standard world checklists used for nomenclature on
the Red List (with some deviations by SGs)
• See “Information Sources & Quality” page on Red List
website for a full list.
Supporting information
CHANGING TAXONOMIC CONCEPTS
One taxonomist’s bag of
apples
=
Another taxonomist’s trip to the
greengrocer
Supporting information
CHANGING TAXONOMIC CONCEPTS
2005: Species = LC
2010: Species = EN
The taxonomic concept has changed since 2005, so the 2010 assessment
should not include the 2005 assessment as part of its assessment history.