Conservation priorities for endangered trees facing multiple threats around the world

Abstract

Climate change and intense anthropogenic activities are hastening the loss of biodiversity globally. Conservation of species on the verge of extinction is one of the band‐aid solutions for the world's limited resources. Trees are the foundation of the forest ecosystem, and their extirpation will result in the extinction of numerous accompanying species as well as significant damage to ecosystem functions. However, the distribution, vulnerability and extinction risks of globally endangered trees remain unknown. Here, we mapped the global distribution of 1686 endangered tree species listed in the IUCN Red List and identified conservation priority for them based on species richness, life‐history traits, evolutionary distinctiveness, future climate change and the intensity of human activities. We also evaluated the impacts of various vulnerabilities on these endangered tree species and evaluated the effectiveness of protection based on the percentage of the species' range that is contained inside protected areas. We discovered that these endangered species are distributed unevenly and globally, from the tropics to the temperate region. Most endangered tree species’ native occurrences are rarely conserved, and only 153 species have received full protection. The diversity hotspots are mostly found in the tropics, and 79.06% of them are highly vulnerable. We identify 253 priority areas around the world with high threat intensity and insufficient protection that require immediate action. In particular, 43.42% of unprotected tree species in priority areas lack recommended conservation measures or any mitigation strategy. These conservation priority areas and unprotected trees serve as a guideline for future enforced management underpinning the post‐2020 global biodiversity framework.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved