1. Prioritization of Marine Turtle Management Projects: A Protocol that Accounts for Threats to Different Life History Stages.
- Author
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Klein, Carissa J., Beher, Jutta, Chaloupka, Milani, Hamann, Mark, Limpus, Colin, and Possingham, Hugh P.
- Subjects
SEA turtles ,POPULATION ,NATATOR depressus ,LIFE history theory ,RATE of return - Abstract
Project prioritization protocols are an important tool for allocating conservation resources efficiently, and have been applied to a range of species and ecosystems. Current approaches are inadequate when applied to species with distinct threats impacting different and/or multiple life history stages, such as sea turtles. We develop a model that integrates the benefit of any management project on a population by way of its expected population growth rate, including projects targeting different and/or multiple life history stages. To illustrate its utility, we prioritize projects for investment relevant to Australia's eastern population of Flatback turtle ( Natator depressus). We rely upon expert-elicitation to estimate individual benefit parameters, feasibility, and cost, and calculate the cost-effectiveness of each project. The most cost-effective project was not the most feasible, cheapest, or most beneficial. Our approach will help managers make efficient decisions that account for the full range of threats operating on a population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
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