The Protection of Endemic and Small-ranged Mammal Diversity in Central America

摘要: BackgroundProtected areas are the cornerstone of biodiversity conservation. Not all species are of equal concern for conservation. Endemic and small-ranged species (fig. 1) are likely to face a higher risk of extinction than generalist species with larger ranges. Range size is one of the most important factors predisposing a species to extinction (Manne & Pimm 2001). If the concern is preventing extinctions, then perhaps species with small ranges should be a priority (eg, Ceballos 2007). To explore the potential of protected areas to conserve biodiversity in Central America, we evaluated how inclusive they are of the region’s endemic and small-ranged mammal diversity.