Can species data only be appropriately used to conserve biodiversity

摘要: Despite widely acknowledged handicaps of the species approach to identifying priority conservation areas, many workers continue use these flawed techniques as backbone their analyses. Species-based approaches address only a small part biological diversity by ignoring different levels organisation well functional linkages among levels. These data are often biased and incomplete used in preference dealing with higher though latter may be readily available. Within framework Noss's [(1990) Conservation Biology 4: 355–364] hierarchical definition biodiversity (and Scott etal. [(1993) Wildlife Monographs 123: 1–31] gap analysis), we propose top-down model broad organisational first, finer-scale distributions last. Note that do not discard approach, but merely argue for its at stage when, our opinion, it adds most value prioritisation exercise. The is flexible so additional information, particularly those related threats diversity, can added when they