A case study of surrogate species in aquatic conservation planning

Abstract

ABSTRACT1. The use of surrogate species (i.e. keystones, indicators, umbrellas) has been advocated for the conservation of target taxa and communities.2. A recent Habitat Conservation Plan, which provided conservation measures intended to protect multiple aquatic species of concern over a large area, established an important precedent for surrogate species in aquatic conservation pursuant to the US Endangered Species Act.3. The Habitat Conservation Plan's application of federally threatened bull trout was evaluated as an umbrella species for westslope cutthroat trout, which is in decline but not listed under the Act. Approximately 75% of known westslope cutthroat trout strongholds are not captured within bull trout strongholds west of the continental divide. The Habitat Conservation Plan failed to evaluate the suitability of this umbrella species and consequently failed to cover important priority areas for westslope cutthroat trout conservation.4. This case study highlights the feasibility and importance of formally validating assumptions of surrogate species utility in multi-species conservation planning.

Cross-taxon congruence in a trekking corridor of Sikkim Himalayas: Surrogate analysis for conservation planning

“…Among the vast majority of target taxa used as surrogates (see Cardoso et al, 2004;Hitt & Frissell, 2004;Kati et al, 2004;Saetersdala et al, 2003), birds and butterflies have been considered as a good predictors of any given available habitat quality (Aigner et al, 1998;Debinski & Brussard, 1994;Githiru et al, 2007). They relate to the changes in their associated habitats because they respond to available habitat structure (Betrus, et al, 2005;Fleishman et al, 2005;MacGregorFors 2008;MacNally & Fleishman (2002); PadoaSchioppa et al, 2006;Raman, 2001); represent several trophic feeding groups or guilds (Chettri et al, 2005;Diaz & Telleria, 1996;Steele et al, 1984) and are directly related to plant diversity as they provide diverse habitats to their associated companions (Haddad et al, 2001;Kati et al, 2004;Negi & Gadgil, 2002;Saetersdala et al, 2003;Schmit et al, 2005).…”

Umbrella potential of plants and dragonflies for wetland conservation: a quantitative case study using the umbrella index

“…Other studies have approached the umbrella subject or similar surrogate concepts in aquatic ecosystems (Lawler et al . 2003;Hitt & Frissell 2004) but not in wetlands.…”

Indicators for assessing environmental performance of watersheds in southern Alberta /

“…Watersheds containing areas known to be important for bull trout spawning and rearing have been given a higher classification for protection and are subject to less riparian forest logging than areas with a lower classification (Hitt and Frissell 2004).…”