Comprehensive conservation assessments reveal high extinction risks across Atlantic Forest trees
Science, vol. 383, pp. 219–225
Abstract
Biodiversity is declining globally, yet many biodiversity hotspots still lack comprehensive species conservation assessments. Using multiple International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List criteria to evaluate extinction risks and millions of herbarium and forest inventory records, we present automated conservation assessments for all tree species of the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot, including ~1100 heretofore unassessed species. About 65% of all species and 82% of endemic species are classified as threatened. We rediscovered five species classified as Extinct on the IUCN Red List and identified 13 endemics as possibly extinct. Uncertainties in species information had little influence on the assessments, but using fewer Red List criteria severely underestimated threat levels. We suggest that the conservation status of tropical forests worldwide is worse than previously reported.
Authors 10
-
Naturalis Biodiversity Center · Universidade de São Paulo
Affiliation as printed
Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, ESALQ, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Pádua Dias, 11, 13418-900 Piracicaba, Brazil
Tropical Botany, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, Netherlands
-
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement · Université de Montpellier · Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement · UMR Botanique et Modélisation de l’Architecture des Plantes et des végétations · Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
Affiliation as printed
Botanique et Modélisation de l’Architecture des Plantes et des Végétations (AMAP), Université de Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, INRAE, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
-
Universidade Regional de Blumenau
Affiliation as printed
Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Regional de Blumenau, Rua Antônio da Veiga, 140, 89030-903 Blumenau, Brazil
-
Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro
Affiliation as printed
Centro Nacional de Conservação da Flora (IUCN SSC Brazil Plant Red List Authority), Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Pacheco Leão, 915, 22460-030 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
-
Universidade Regional de Blumenau
Affiliation as printed
Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Universidade Regional de Blumenau, Rua São Paulo, 3250, 89030-000 Blumenau, Brazil
-
Affiliation as printed
Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, trav. 14, 321, 05508-090 São Paulo, Brazil
-
Affiliation as printed
Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, trav. 14, 321, 05508-090 São Paulo, Brazil
-
Affiliation as printed
Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, ESALQ, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Pádua Dias, 11, 13418-900 Piracicaba, Brazil
-
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro · Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro
Affiliation as printed
Centro Nacional de Conservação da Flora (IUCN SSC Brazil Plant Red List Authority), Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Pacheco Leão, 915, 22460-030 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Departamento de Biologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Marquês de São Vicente 225, 22451-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
-
Naturalis Biodiversity Center · Utrecht University
Affiliation as printed
Quantitative Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, Netherlands
Tropical Botany, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, Netherlands
Cited by 74 stored of 74
No patents citing this paper on Lens.org (checked 2026-10-11).