Effects of protected areas on survival of threatened gibbons in China

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Effects of protected areas on survival of threatened gibbons in China

Zhang, L; Turvey, ST; Chapman, C; Fan, P; (2021) Effects of protected areas on survival of threatened gibbons in China. Conservation Biology , 35 (4) pp. 1288-1298. 10.1111/cobi.13664. Green open access

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Abstract

Establishing protected areas (PAs) is an essential strategy to reduce biodiversity loss. However, many PAs do not provide adequate protection due to poor funding, inadequate staffing and equipment, and ineffective management. As part of China's recent economic growth, the Chinese government has significantly increased investment in nature reserves over the past 20 years, providing a unique opportunity to evaluate whether PAs can protect threatened species effectively. We compiled data from published literature on populations of gibbons (Hylobatidae), a threatened taxon with cultural significance, that occurred in Chinese reserves after 1980. We evaluated the ability of these PAs to maintain gibbon habitat and populations by comparing forest cover and human disturbance between reserves and their surrounding areas and modeling the impact of reserve characteristics on gibbon population trends. We also assessed the perspective of reserve staff concerning PA management effectiveness through an online survey. Reserves effectively protected gibbon habitat by reducing forest loss and human disturbance; however, half the reserves lost their gibbon populations since being established. Gibbons were more likely to survive in reserves established more recently, at higher elevation, with less forest loss and lower human impact, and that have been relatively well studied. A larger initial population size in the 1980s was positively associated with gibbon persistence. Although staff of all reserves reported increased investment and improved management over the past 20–30 years, no relationship was found between management effectiveness and gibbon population trends. We suggest early and emphatic intervention is critical to stop population decline and prevent extinction.

Type:	Article
Title:	Effects of protected areas on survival of threatened gibbons in China
Open access status:	An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI:	10.1111/cobi.13664
Publisher version:	https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13664
Language:	English
Additional information:	This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords:	brake effect, gibbon habitat, Hylobatidae, nature reserve, population trends, protected area management effectiveness, efectividad en el manejo de áreas protegidas, efecto de frenado, gibón hábitat, Hylobatidae, reserva natural, tendencias poblacionales
UCL classification:	UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > Div of Biosciences
URI:	https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10113936