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Biodiversity has been subjected to increasing anthropogenic pressures. It is critical to understand the different processes that govern community assembly and species coexistence under biogeographic processes and anthropogenic events. Pheasants (Aves: Phasianidae) are highly threatened birds and China supports the richest pheasant species worldwide. Unravelling the spatial patterns and underlying factors associated with multi-dimensional biodiversity of species richness (SR), functional diversity (FD), and phylogenetic diversity (PD) of pheasants in China is helpful to understand not only the processes that govern pheasant community assembly and species coexistence, but also pheasant biodiversity conservation. We used a total of 45 pheasant species in China and analyzed the SR, FD, PD, and functional and phylogenetic structures by integrating species distribution maps, functional traits and phylogenies based on 50 ​km ​× ​50 ​km grid cells. We further used simultaneous autoregressive (SAR) models to explore the factors that determined these patterns. The southern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), Hengduan Mountains, southwestern Mountains, the east of the Qilian Mountains, the Qinling, southern China displayed higher SR, FD, and PD, which were determined by elevation, habitat heterogeneity, temperature seasonality, and vegetation cover. Elevation primarily determined the functional and phylogenetic structures of the pheasant communities. Assemblages in the highlands were marked by functional and phylogenetic clustering, particularly in the QTP, whereas the lowlands in eastern China comprised community overdispersion. Clustered pheasant assemblages were composed of young lineages. Patterns of functional and phylogenetic structures and richness-controlled functional and phylogenetic diversity differed between regions, suggesting that phylogenetic structures are not a good proxy for identifying functional structures. We revealed the significant role of elevation in pheasant community assemblages in China. Highlands interacted with community clustering, whereas lowlands interacted with overdispersion, supporting the environmental filtering hypothesis. Biogeographical drivers other than anthropogenic factor determined biodiversity of pheasants at the present scale of China. This study provides complementary background resources for multi-dimensional pheasant biodiversity and provides insights into avian biodiversity patterns in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 60 Species Action Plans have been published by the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of IUCN—The World Conservation Union. They are designed to assess the status of threatened species and their habitats, and provide prioritised recommendations for action, but there is debate about the effectiveness of such plans in stimulating conservation action and research. We evaluated three Action Plans covering a group of large terrestrial birds, published in 1995. Of 54 projects suggested in these plans, 33 had been initiated in the 5 years since publication, and 35 specific conservation actions were undertaken. Forty-five peer-reviewed papers were published, and at least 88 other outputs in the form of symposium presentations, posters and popular articles were produced. Although it is impossible to demonstrate the effectiveness of species action planning through rigorous scientific assessment, these results indicate a substantial amount of conservation-relevant activity directly attributable to the process. They also highlight the need for a clear definition of the role of Action Plans. We suggest that many of the criticisms directed toward species action plans result from an over-optimistic view of their power to catalyse action, and conclude by presenting a new model describing their niche within the wider context of conservation biology and policy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Conservation planning plays an instrumental role in facilitating progress towards biodiversity targets by providing practitioners with the tools required to allocate resources and implement actions. However, the utility of a burgeoning scientific literature to on-the-ground conservation has been questioned. Given such criticisms, and the lack of progress towards the global Aichi Biodiversity Targets, we aim to assess the contribution of scientific research to the field of conservation planning. We applied topic modelling to a body of literature consisting of 4471 articles pertaining to conservation planning published between 2000 and 2016. We quantified changes in topic popularity, and assessed the extent to which different topics were addressed within the same articles. We found that research into the status of species and habitats was most prevalent, the process of action planning received considerably less attention, and implementation attracted the least research of all. The scientific literature was thus dominated by biological rather than socio-political research, and furthermore showed a general lack of inter-disciplinary research, which is problematic given that ultimately it is the socio-political context that will determine the success of conservation efforts. The number of publications on implementation and monitoring declined over time, suggesting a waning interest in publishing evidence of plan effectiveness, and that limited efforts have been made to address the “implementation crisis”. We suggest that filling research gaps, through integration of the social sciences and placing greater value on evidence syntheses, would push scientific research towards greater applicability and help to provide the necessary information to achieve global biodiversity targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activity is accelerating biodiversity loss despite international commitments to prevent extinction and habitat degradation. To bend the curve, international goals must be translated into national targets and actions. Tools to do this are highly needed, but scarce. We present a first attempt to operationalize national Red Lists by using the quantitative criteria of risk assessment as quantifiable objectives in a Red to Green framework. The framework allows for a systematic setting of conservation goals, with quantifiable conservation objectives, and identifying conservation actions to achieve these objectives. We developed an index of conservation outcome, modified from the Red List Index, to quantify the potential conservation outcomes of implementing suggested conservation actions. We tested the framework and index on 123 Red Listed species and habitats prioritized for conservation by the Norwegian government. The policy-defined goal was to downlist them by one Red List category by 2035. We identified land use change as the greatest threat. For 70% of species and 20% of habitats, knowledge was insufficient to recommend conservation actions. Further, due to unmanageable threats, alternative, lower-ambitioned goals were suggested for 30% of the species. Our case show that reaching national goals is difficult, but possible if main constraints are resolved. Through a systematic assessment of knowledge and conservation actions, the framework forms a solid foundation for developing national action plans for biodiversity conservation, allowing for prioritization and implementation of conservation actions and reporting on progress. This is an important first step to reach national targets defined from international goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]