![]() ![]() These biases could, however, have profound consequences in the context of the current biodiversity crisis, for which choices must be made in conservation efforts to preserve biological diversity and ecosystem functioning and services.įor instance, a tremendous amount of effort has been invested in studying the relationship between biological diversity and ecosystem functioning (BDEF), and the consensus that species richness positively influences ecosystem functioning 7 has emerged. ![]() Although commonly accepted, this idea has not yet fully percolated into biological conservation programmes and ecological research agendas 6. However, conservationists have long recognized that flagship species campaigns should be used with caution because they could bias conservation toward a limited range of species 4. For instance, flagship species (aesthetically appealing, and generally with a large body mass 4) are intended to promote public awareness and to raise funds for conservation programs 5. A simple and intuitive example of these biases is the tendency of the general public and scientists to take more interest in beautiful and attractive species 3. However, our individual relationship with biodiversity is strongly biased by our capacity to analyse and interpret natural phenomena as well as by our cultural heritage and social background characteristics 1, 2. The human perception of nature is one of the building blocks of conservation policies. There is thus an urgent need to increase the attention of scientists and the general public towards less attractive species to better appreciate and protect the species that crucially support functional diversity in endangered ecosystems. Our results highlight the extent to which species aesthetic values’ may be disconnected from their ecological values and could be misleading for conservation purposes. We present evidence indicating that the least attractive coral reef fishes have a much higher functional richness than the most attractive species. the amount of functional space filled, by groups of fishes based on their perceived attractiveness. Based on these preferences, we compared the functional richness, i.e. Here we show the results of an online photographic questionnaire completed by 8,000 participants whereby preferences were assessed for a set of 116 reef fishes. Coral reefs might be particularly affected by this issue as they are key ecosystems that provide many services, such as aesthetic and cultural benefits attracting millions of tourists each year. This dynamic could have tremendous consequences on people’s willingness to preserve biodiversity. However, species that are perceived as beautiful receive more attention than less attractive species. The biodiversity crisis has spurred scientists to assess all facets of biodiversity so that stakeholders can establish protection programs.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |