Assessing national conservation priorities: an improved red list of British butterflies

摘要: Abstract An objective method of determining national conservation priorities is vital to use scarce resources effectively, but no yet widely accepted. The ‘Conservation Cube’ Avery et al. (1995: Ibis 137, 232–239), which includes three biological axes (National Status; International Importance; and European/global status), tested for a highly threatened group animals, British butterflies. results are compared with Red Lists constructed using old new IUCN criteria. A feature both procedures the evaluation threat due rate decline, thresholds suggested assess decline butterflies from published 10-km grid square distribution maps. analysis shows that almost half (49%) 59 resident extinct or threatened: 8% extinct; 12% high priority largely owing their rapid decline; whereas 29% medium moderate rates decline. Most species qualify as Vulnerable under criteria UK guidelines, many fail qualify. We suggest all globally classified at least level two Lower Risk categories created: Internationally Significant Moderate Decline. would then form comparable, rational procedure identifying applicable animal groups distributional data available.