Lawpluys an important role in shaping lund management decisions. The success of efforts to conserve biodiversity thus depends to a large degree on how well scienttfic knowledge is translated into public policy. IJnfortunute(y, the Endangered ,Ypecies Act, the IJnited States's strongest Iegul tool for consm!ing hiOdilJerSlt~, contuins serious biological flaws. The statute itselx us well us agency regulutions and policies that implement the luu: include proitisions that fail to account accurately ,for important biologicul concepts such us ecosystem conservation, patch dynumics, and the probabilistic nature of stochustic threats to a species'pc.rsistence. Moreover, the procedures of federul agencies charged with implementing the Endungwed Species Act in some cases make it difficult for interested outside reviewers to evaluate the agencies' scientific findings and methodologp. However, the Endangered Species Act also gives interested indiiiiduals and groups seueral opportunities to provide input into the process of managing threatened and endangered species. Consmiation biologists should practice focused advocacy 19-y taking advantage of such opportunities to steer law in u more biologically sound direction.Resumen: Lus lqws juegun un p p e l importunte a1 dark ,formu u las deci.$iones sohre el man+ de la tima El exito de 10s esfiwrzos puru conseruur la biodiversidad depende en huenu purte de yue tun hien seu truducido el conocimiento cient
The U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) defines an endangered species as one "at risk of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range." The prevailing interpretation of this phrase, which focuses exclusively on the overall viability of listed species without regard to their geographic distribution, has led to development of listing and recovery criteria with fundamental conceptual, legal, and practical shortcomings. The ESA's concept of endangerment is broader than the biological concept of extinction risk in that the "esthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational, and scientific" values provided by species are not necessarily furthered by a species mere existence, but rather by a species presence across much of its former range. The concept of "significant portion of range" thus implies an additional geographic component to recovery that may enhance viability, but also offers independent benefits that Congress intended the act to achieve. Although the ESA differs from other major endangered-species protection laws because it acknowledges the distinct contribution of geography to recovery, it resembles the "representation, resiliency, and redundancy" conservation-planning framework commonly referenced in recovery plans. To address representation, listing and recovery standards should consider not only what proportion of its former range a species inhabits, but the types of habitats a species occupies and the ecological role it plays there. Recovery planning for formerly widely distributed species (e.g., the gray wolf [Canis lupus]) exemplifies how the geographic component implicit in the ESA's definition of endangerment should be considered in determining recovery goals through identification of ecologically significant types or niche variation within the extent of listed species, subspecies, or "distinct population segments." By linking listing and recovery standards to niche and ecosystem concepts, the concept of ecologically significant type offers a scientific framework that promotes more coherent dialogue concerning the societal decisions surrounding recovery of endangered species.
Government agencies faced with politically controversial decisions often discount or ignore scientific information, whether from agency staff or nongovernmental scientists. Recent developments in scientific integrity (the ability to perform, use, communicate, and
Many species listed under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA) face continuing threats and will require intervention to address those threats for decades.
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