Key Biodiversity Areas

Key Biodiversity Areas ( KBA, dt: , key areas of biodiversity ' ) are those areas of biodiversity, which are essential important for globally threatened and endemic animal and plant species.

  • 2.1 Protection Categories
  • 2.2 Gap Analysis of KBAs

Basics

Key Biodiversity Areas are for the conservation of biodiversity is important, therefore particularly worthy of protection. The receipt of this strategically selected areas reduces the ongoing loss of natural habitats as the main cause of global Artenschwunds.Sie provide a basis for systematic conservation planning, which provides for the designation of strategic and effective support of existing and especially of potential conservation areas. The KBA status of an area does not constitute a legal reserve category, but based on a purely scientific assessment of the area.

Key Biodiversity Areas are in contrast to biodiversity hotspot much smaller area and thus potentially (ie unless they are designated as protected areas) easier to manage. While hotspots refer to entire regions, several KBAs in a region can form a hotspot. This is, for example, to watch for Eastern African Montan, a biodiversity hotspot of global significance: A study by BirdLife International in collaboration with a number of other organizations has 310 Key Biodiversity Areas identified for this hotspot, many of whom are from climate change or the move away from traditional forms of land use are threatened.

Identification and delineation of KBAs

Key Biodiversity Areas are based on 4 criteria identified which relate to all types of groups across all biogeographic regions and for which a reserve is the appropriate means:

  • Occurrence of globally threatened species,
  • Occurrence of species with limited distribution ( endemic )
  • Accumulation of species in a given area for a certain phase in their life cycle (eg resting places for migratory waterbirds, walking routes of mammals or fish),
  • Communities of species ( biocenosis ), on a particular biome ( Ecoregion ) are limited.

The first criterion refers to the aspect of the vulnerability of the species, while the latter three relate to the various aspects of the indispensability or uniqueness of habitats and species. The principles of vulnerability and indispensability of the biodiversity of a protected area are common ingredients in systematic conservation planning. Key Biodiversity Areas combine natural habitats together ( habitat network ) or are large enough to secure viable populations of the species concerned and support. The spatial delineation of KBAs is variable and based next to nature conservation also on pragmatic point of view, ie as is the management potential and how clearly possible to differentiate in terms of administrative units, ownership and use of the character areas to be protected. Where no pre-defined units exist, should be adapted to the habitat of the species in question the management of the protected area to be established. For this reason, there is no minimum or maximum size of KBAs.

Approach of KBAs

  • Inclusion of existing systems of protected areas and considering all taxonomic groups for which there is scientific information.
  • Biodiversity is protected area-based, ie it will be selected representative areas that support key habitats and species.
  • In identifying KBAs existing or new data (scientific literature, online databases, herbaria, museums, fieldwork, maps / atlases distribution area of the species ) are already being used or charged. These data also include other conservation initiatives that focus on specific groups of species, such as Important Bird Areas ( IBAs ), Important Plant Areas ( IPAs ) or Important Mammal Areas ( IMA ).

Prioritization of conservation measures using KBAs

The global context is particularly relevant in KBAs. For example, if a plant or animal species threatened worldwide and used in potential KBA, then it is worth especially where the protection of this species, which is the area a high priority on ( uniqueness ). Is a kind of threatened regional, but not global, then the field will be given a lower priority. Particularly vulnerable are defined as areas where biodiversity is endangered in the near future, so for their preservation quick action is required. This will use the information provided by the international Red List of Threatened Species IUCN.

This prioritization is not not used to determine which natural areas are to be protected, including its biological diversity as well, but which of them need acute care and protection first. In many places, the resources for conservation are severely limited. Therefore, it is important to use them strategically on the basis of such prioritization in order to make an effective and efficient contribution to the preservation of biodiversity.

KBAs and protected areas

The IUCN considers protected areas as one of the most important and effective tools to protect biodiversity, as the species to be protected from their greatest threat - the loss of their habitat. The concept of KBAs builds on this knowledge and extensive experience in this regard.

The recognition of an area as a KBA justified from an environmental specialist perspective at the same time the designation as a corresponding reserve. KBAs usually form a subset of existing or potential conservation areas. Many KBAs already have a protection status. However, some protected areas do not meet the criteria of a KBA, but possibly for other reasons, such as local cultural or natural values ​​, designated as protected areas.

Categories of protection

Key Biodiversity Areas are no protection category in the strict sense, but rather a framework for the following areas more diverse botanical rich:

  • Identified by BirdLife International - Important Bird Area (IBA )
  • Important Plant Area (IPA) - managed by the UNESCO
  • Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area in the High Seas ( EBSA ), a begriffenes in construction program of UNEP
  • Freshwater Key Biodiversity Areas ( FWKBA, former Important Sites for Freshwater Biodiversity ) - befindliches in construction program of the IUCN -SSC
  • Alliance for Zero Extinction sites ( AZE )
  • Prime Butterfly Areas ( PBA) - in construction

The KBA concept is a holistic approach to the considered species spectrum compared to these older specific conservation initiatives. IBAs have already been launched in the 70s to life, resulting in the subsequent initiatives formed with the involvement of other species groups.

Gap analysis of KBAs

The IUCN 2007 led through a gap analysis of Key Biodiversity Areas in order to pursue the goal of an international set, " reduce the loss of biodiversity [ to ], with a significant reduction in the rate of loss by 2010 " - but this was missed. The objectives of the gap analysis are:

  • Strategic expansion of the existing network of protected areas through a comprehensive, representative and complementary extension
  • Strengthening and consolidation of existing protected areas through effective management
Range (biology) Bird migration Biotope Culture 2010 Biodiversity Target
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