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The terrestrial and marine biotypes of Madagascar are critical priorities for conservation, with almost unparalleled levels of endemism, species diversity and human threat for a land area of its size. Field inventories and molecular-based research conducted from the mid 1980s to present have greatly expanded knowledge of the country's biota, for some groups with nearly exponential growth in measures of species diversity. I provide updated measures of estimated species diversity between a book with 289 contributors, published in 2003 (The Natural History of Madagascar), and a full-scale update with 539 contributors, published in 2022 (The New Natural History of Madagascar). I compare biodiversity information presented in the new book with data from the earlier book, providing insight into scientific advancements, and revised estimates of species richness and endemism of a range of taxonomic groups.

The terrestrial and marine biotypes of Madagascar are critical priorities for conservation, with almost unparalleled levels of endemism, species diversity and human threat for a land area of its size. Field inventories and molecular-based research conducted from the mid 1980s to present have greatly expanded knowledge of the country's biota, for some groups with nearly exponential growth in measures of species diversity. I provide updated measures of estimated species diversity between a book with 289 contributors, published in 2003 (The Natural History of Madagascar), and a full-scale update with 539 contributors, published in 2022 (The New Natural History of Madagascar). I compare biodiversity information presented in the new book with data from the earlier book, providing insight into scientific advancements, and revised estimates of species richness and endemism of a range of taxonomic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As conservation resources decline and numbers of threatened species increase, prioritizing species for conservation is increasingly important, and prioritizing based on attributes may be the most efficient approach. Despite the importance of biodiversity as a legacy to future generations, children's preferences for species attributes have never been considered. We surveyed 3rd and 5th grade students, typically 8–10 years old, in North Carolina, USA, to determine how children prioritize conservation of species based on attributes. We asked the students to rank five species attributes, allocate money to species with each attribute, and choose between each species attribute and endemism in terms of their importance for conservation. Children prioritized species that are important in nature and those whose numbers are declining over species with other attributes, whereas research suggests that adults prioritize endemic species over most other types. Our results suggest children prioritize biodiversity conservation differently from adults, and in ways that may be more conducive to biodiversity conservation in cases where endemism is not directly related to species endangerment, and we suggest the perspectives of children be considered more fully within biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The identification and protection of Alliance for Zero Extinction sites at the national level is of great importance to safeguard biodiversity and achieve the targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity for 2020. Here we identify priority species and sites for the Brazilian flora. We evaluated the protection status of each site, taking into account whether or not it was located within a protected area, and the anthropogenic pressure on the site, using human density and gross domestic product as surrogates. We identified a total of 234 trigger species at 140 sites. Most of the sites are located in the Atlantic Forest and the Cerrado; only 21 are within protected areas. There was no relationship of human density and annual gross domestic product per capita with the level of site protection. The low proportion of Alliance for Zero Extinction sites protected shows that Brazil is lagging behind in global conservation efforts to protect such sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation of species listed in the Bern Convention and European Directive 1992/43/EEC (so-called policy species) is mandatory for European Union (EU) countries. We assessed the conservation status of Italian policy species, based on the IUCN categories and criteria, to evaluate the effectiveness of existing protection measures at the national level. Among the 203 vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens evaluated, 41.9% are categorized as threatened, and one is already extinct, indicating that the protection measures for policy species are inadequate. Our results for the Italian policy species are consistent with those of an assessment at the EU level. Conservation priorities should be established at both the national and regional scales. An effective conservation strategy is needed, and in situ and ex situ actions focused on threatened species should be promoted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiji's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan encourages refinements to conservation priorities based on analyses of new information. Here we propose a network of Priority Forests for Conservation based on a synthesis of new studies and data that have become available since legislation of the Action Plan in 2001. For selection of Priority Forests we considered minimum-area requirements for some native species, representation goals for Fiji's habitats and species assemblages, key ecological processes and the practical realities of conservation areas in Fiji. Forty Priority Forests that cover 23% of Fiji's total land area and 58% of Fiji's remaining native forest were identified. The analysis confirms the majority of conservation priority areas previously identified, recommends several new areas, and supports the Government of Fiji's policy goal of protecting 40% of remaining natural forests to achieve the goals of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and sustain ecosystem services for Fijian communities and economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nature Conservancy takes a strategic and systematic approach to conservation planning. Ecoregional assessments are used to set goals and identify geographical priorities, and Conservation Action Planning is used to develop strategic plans for conservation areas. This study demonstrates how these planning processes were applied at the seascape scale based on a case study of Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea. Conservation Action Planning was used to identify key threats and strategies, and systematic conservation planning (similar to that used for ecoregional assessments) was used to design a network of marine protected areas to be resilient to the threat of climate change. The design was based on an assessment of biodiversity and socio-economic values, and identified 14 Areas of Interest that meet specific conservation goals. A detailed community- based planning process is now underway with local communities that own and manage these areas to refine and implement the marine protected area network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing numbers of fee-paying volunteers now travel from the UK to work on conservation projects in middle and low income countries. The time and resources they commit have important implications for international conservation practice. This article provides an overview of this sector, comprising data on its size, value and key organizations. I map the scope of volunteer-led conservation in 2007 in terms of the countries, species and habitats prioritized for attention, and identify distinct geographical and taxonomic partialities towards particular taxa, countries and habitats. I outline how conservation priorities are established and reflect on two factors that help account for the identified partialities: the history and politics of international conservation and the cultural preferences of volunteers. In conclusion I argue that volunteering can help international conservation but is not a panacea for comprehensive efforts to protect threatened biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]