Conservation Coaches Network
Workshop Presentation
1C. Identify and Rate
Critical Threats
(Stress-based
Threat Rating)
Adaptive Management Workshop
Presentations
1A-1B. Team, Scope, Vision
1B. Conservation Targets
1B. Viability Assessment
2A-1. Strategy Selection
2A-2. Results Chains
2A-3. Goals and Objectives
1C. Threat Rating
1D. Conceptual Models
2B. Monitoring
Plan
Conceptualize
Threats
This Presentation
• What are Stresses and Direct Threats
• How to Identify Stresses and Direct Threats
• How to Do a Stress-Based Threat Rating
Threats
What is a Stress?
Threats
• Stress: an impaired key ecological attribute
(KEA) of a target. A single stress can be caused
by multiple direct threats.
Target
Type of KEA
Key Ecological
Attribute (KEA)
Stress (Altered
KEA)
Forest
Size
Size of primary
forest
Habitat loss
Forest
Landscape
Context
Connectivity of
primary forest
Habitat
fragmentation
Wetland
Condition
Species
composition
Altered species
composition
Shorebirds
Condition
Reproductive rate Reduced
reproductive success
What is a Direct
Threat?
Threats
Direct Threats: Human-induced
actions or events that will
directly degrade one
Diver and
or more conservation
anchor
damage
targets
Direct threats are:
Legal but
unsustainable
fishing by local
fishermen
Coral
Reefs
– usually human activities, but they can be
– natural phenomena altered by human activities or
whose impact is increased by human activities
(e.g., disease transmitted by livestock)
Examples of
Direct Threats
Threats
Unsustainable
Logging
Unsustainable harvest
Operation of Dams
Exotic/Invasive Species
Incompatible
Livestock Grazing
Residential Development
Photo: Adrian Jones,
IAN Image Library
IUCN-CMP Classification
of Direct Threats
Threats
Available at
www.conservationmeasures.org
Salafsky et al. (2008).
Conservation Biology
Difference Between
Direct Threat & Stress?
Threats
• Stress: an impaired key ecological attribute of a
target. A single stress can be caused by multiple
direct threats.
Examples: habitat fragmentation, high mortality
•
Direct Threat: Human-induced actions or events that
will directly degrade one or more conservation targets. A
direct threat has at least one actor associated with it.
Example: residential development
Difference Between
Direct Threat & Stress?
Direct Threat
Example Stress(es)
Example Target Affected
Dams
Altered stream flows
Reduced reproductive success
of fish
Rivers and streams
Migratory fish
Threats
Unsustainable Erosion (Rivers and streams)
Logging
Sedimentation
Habitat destruction
Habitat fragmentation
Rivers and streams
Rivers and streams, Estuaries
Forests
Forests
Illegal Hunting Altered population structure
Monkeys, Rhinos
Unsustainable Sedimentation
Agriculture
Habitat destruction
Habitat fragmentation
Rivers and streams, Estuaries
Forests, Grasslands, Wetlands
Forests, Grasslands, Wetlands
Climate
change
Coral reefs
Shoreline habitat
Forests, Grasslands, Deserts
Coral bleaching
Rising sea levels
Reduced rainfall
Difference Between
Direct & Indirect Threats?
•
Threats
Direct threat: Human-induced actions or events that
will directly degrade one or more conservation targets. A
direct threat has at least one actor associated with it.
Example: residential development
• Indirect threat/contributing factor
(short
definition): an economic, cultural, societal, or institutional
factor which allows or encourages direct threats to occur
Examples: need for income, lack of knowledge, low capacity
This Presentation
Threats
• What are Stresses and Direct Threats
• How to Identify Stresses and Direct Threats
• How to Do a Stress-Based Threat Rating
How Do You Identify Stresses
and Direct Threats?
1. For one conservation target, review the key
ecological attributes (KEAs).
–
–
Target: Riparian habitat
KEAs: Spatial extent, connectivity of riparian corridor
2. Identify stresses by determining which KEAs
are altered. Stresses = altered KEAs.
–
Stresses: Habitat conversion, habitat fragmentation
3. Identify the direct threats causing the stresses.
Direct threats = sources of stress.
–
Direct threats: Development, Agriculture, Grazing
4. Link direct threats to targets
5. Link direct threats to relevant stresses
Our Example:
Swan Coastal Plain
Wetlands
Adapted from WWF Australia’s Wetlands Watch Project
Threats
1. Review KEAs for
One Target
KEAs for Seasonally Flooded Wetlands:
• Area of seasonally flooded wetlands of high
conservation value (HCV)
• Vegetative community structure
• Water level fluctuations
Threats
2. Identify Stresses
(Altered KEAs)
Threats
KEAs and Stresses for Seasonally Flooded
Wetlands:
• Area of seasonally flooded wetlands of high
conservation value (HCV) => Habitat loss
• Vegetative community structure => Altered
vegetative species composition
• Water level fluctuations => Altered hydrology
2. Identify Stresses
(Altered KEAs)
Inputting Stresses into Miradi
Threats
Double-click on
the target and
select the
“Stresses” tab
3. Identify Direct Threats
Causing Stresses
Threats
Stresses and Direct Threats Affecting
Seasonally Flooded Wetlands:
Stresses
Direct Threats
Habitat loss
• Illegal clearing of brush by landowners
• Clearing for (conversion to) residential &
infrastructure development
• Overgrazing
Altered vegetative
species
composition
• Invasive weeds
• Overgrazing
Altered hydrology
• Increased groundwater extraction
• Climate change (reduced rain)
2. Identify Stresses
– Another Example
Threats
KEAs and Stresses for Blue-Billed Ducks
• Reproductive success => Reduced reproductive
success
• Area of high conservation value habitat =>
Habitat loss
3. Identify Direct Threats
– Another Example
Stresses and Direct Threats Affecting
Blue-billed Ducks:
Stresses
Direct Threats
Reduced
reproductive
success
• Pesticides from agriculture
Habitat loss
• Clearing for residential & infrastructure
development
• Illegal clearing of brush by landowners
Threats
4. Identify Direct
Threats & Link Them
Threats
4. Identify Direct
Threats & Link Them
Threats
Invasive
weeds
4. Identify Direct
Threats & Link Them
Threats
Clearing for
residential &
infrastructure
Illegal clearing
by landowners
Increased
groundwater
extraction
4. Identify Direct
Threats & Link Them
Climate
change
Threats
Overgrazing
Pesticides
from
agriculture
When to Lump or Split
Direct Threats
Threats
Lump direct threats if:
• they are similar and are caused by the same actors
• they will require similar strategies
• you have a lot of direct threats
Example: all unsustainable fishing practices used by local fishers
Split if direct threats:
• are different and are caused by different actors
• will require different strategies
Example: unsustainable fishing practices used by local, small-scale fishers vs.
illegal practices used by industrial fishing boats
5. Link Direct Threats
to Relevant Stresses
Select Threat
Ratings
Check-box used to link
Invasive Weeds (direct
threat) to Altered
vegetative species
composition (stress)
Threats
Select Stress-based Threat
Rating Mode
Cursor is placed on the
box linking Invasive
Weeds (direct threat) to
Seasonally Flooded
Wetlands (target)
5. Link Direct Threats
to Relevant Stresses
Repeat for all direct threats.
In this case, Increased
Groundwater Extraction
(direct threat) affects
Seasonally Flooded
Wetlands (target)…
…by contributing to
Altered Hydrology
(stress)
Threats
This Presentation
• What are Stresses and Direct Threats
• How to Identify Stresses and Direct Threats
• How to Do a Stress-Based Threat Rating
Threats
Why Rate Threats?
Threats
• Limited resources
• Complex situations
• Applying a systematic methdology helps you
decide what threats to focus on
How to Do a Stressbased Threat Rating
1.
2.
3.
4.
Threats
Rate impact of stresses on targets
Rate effect of threats on stresses
Review and discuss summary ratings
Show highest stresses on overall
conceptual model
1. Rate Impact of
Stresses on Targets
Threats
Step 1: Rate impact of each stress
affecting it a target for:
– Scope
– Severity
Direct Threat
(Source of
Stress)
Scope
Stress
Severity
Conservation
Target
1. Rate Impact of Stresses
on Targets - Scope
Threats
Spatial proportion of the target affected within ten
years given continuation of current
circumstances and trends.
– For ecosystems: proportion of the target's
occurrence
– For species: proportion of the target’s population
1. Rate Impact of Stresses
on Targets - Scope
Threats
Scope: Spatial proportion of the target affected within ten
years given continuation of current circumstances and
trends
• Very High: The stress is likely to be pervasive in its scope,
affecting the target across all or most (71-100%) of its
occurrence/population.
• High: The stress is likely to be widespread in its scope,
affecting the target across much (31-70%) of its
occurrence/population.
• Medium: The stress is likely to be restricted in its scope,
affecting the target across some (11-30%) of its
occurrence/population.
• Low: The stress is likely to be very narrow in its scope, affecting
the target across a small proportion (1-10%) of its
occurrence/population.
Your Turn: Which of these
stresses has a larger scope?
Threats
Conservation Target: Forest
• Habitat conversion – loss of 10% of the forest
due to conversion to agricultural land
• Change in composition of the vegetation in 50%
of the forest, due to extraction of non-timber
forest products
1. Rate Impact of Stresses
on Targets - Severity
Threats
Within the scope, the level of damage given
continuation of current circumstances and
trends.
– For ecosystems: degree of destruction or
degradation of the target within the scope.
– For species: degree of reduction of the target
population within the scope.
1. Rate Impact of Stresses
on Targets - Severity
Threats
Severity - Within the scope, the level of damage given
continuation of current circumstances and trends.
• Very High: Within the scope, the stress is likely to destroy or
eliminate the target, or reduce its population by 71-100% within ten
years or three generations.
• High: Within the scope, the stress is likely to seriously
degrade/reduce the target or reduce its population by 31-70%
within ten years or three generations.
• Medium: Within the scope, the stress is likely to moderately
degrade/reduce the target or reduce its population by 11-30%
within ten years or three generations.
• Low: Within the scope, the stress is likely to only slightly
degrade/reduce the target or reduce its population by 1-10% within
ten years or three generations.
Your Turn: Which of these
Threats
stresses has higher severity?
Conservation Target: Forest
• Habitat conversion – loss of 10% of the forest
due to conversion to agricultural land
• Change in composition of the vegetation in 50%
of the forest, due to extraction of non-timber
forest products
1. Rate Impact of
Stresses on Targets
Threats
In Diagram view,
double-click on
target and go to
Stress tab
Select a stress
Rate the stress for
scope and severity
2. Rate Effect of Threats
on Stresses
Threats
Step 2: For each stress, rate the effect of
each relevant direct threat (source of stress)
for:
– Contribution
– Irreversibility
Direct Threat
(Source of
Stress)
Contribution
Stress
Irreversibility
Conservation
Target
2. Rate Effect of Threats
on Stresses -Contribution
Threats
Contribution – The expected contribution of the
source, acting alone, to the full expression of a
stress, given the continuation of current
circumstances.
2. Rate Effect of Threats
on Stresses -Contribution
Threats
Contribution – The expected contribution of the
source, acting alone, to the full expression of a
stress, given the continuation of current
circumstances.
• Very High: The threat is a very large contributor to the
particular stress.
• High: The threat is a large contributor to the particular
stress.
• Medium: The threat is a moderate contributor to the
particular stress.
• Low: The threat is a low contributor to the particular
stress.
2. Rate Effect of Threats
on Stresses -Irreversibility
Threats
Irreversibility - The degree to which the
effects of a threat can be reversed and the
target affected by the threat restored.
vs.
2. Rate Effect of Threats
on Stresses -Irreversibility
Threats
Irreversibility - The degree to which the effects of a threat can
be reversed and the target affected by the threat restored.
• Very High: The effects of the threat cannot be reversed and it is very
unlikely the target can be restored, and/or it would take more than 100
years to achieve this (e.g., wetlands converted to a shopping center).
• High: The effects of the threat can technically be reversed and the
target restored, but it is not practically affordable and/or it would take
21-100 years to achieve this (e.g., wetland converted to agriculture).
• Medium: The effects of the threat can be reversed and the target
restored with a reasonable commitment of resources and/or within 6-20
years (e.g., ditching and draining of wetland).
• Low: The effects of the threat are easily reversible and the target can
be easily restored at a relatively low cost and/or within 0-5 years (e.g.,
off-road vehicles trespassing in wetland).
Your Turn: Which of these
threats has the highest
irreversibility?
For habitat fragmentation (stress) of a forest
ecosystem (conservation target):
• A logging road
• Selective logging done by helicopter
• Residential development
Threats
2. Rate Effect of Threats
on Stresses
Threats
Use Threat Rating mode to
rate the effect of threats on
stresses
Increased Groundwater
Extraction has a VH
contribution to Altered
Hydrology, with H
Irreversibility
How to Do a Stressbased Threat Rating
1.
2.
3.
4.
Threats
Rate impact of stresses on targets
Rate effect of threats on stresses
Review and discuss summary ratings
Show highest stresses on overall
conceptual model
3. Review and Discuss
Summary Ratings
2 Prime Rule:
Need at least 2 of a level
Threats
3-5-7 Rule:
3 highs = 1 Very High
5 Mediums = 1 High
7 Lows = Medium
3. Review and Discuss
Summary Ratings
Threats
3. Review and Discuss
Summary Ratings
Once you have
rated all stresses
and direct
threats, Miradi
will indicate the
summary values
for threats in the
Diagram view
Threats
4. Show Highest
Stresses on Model
Select a stress
Select “Stress Visibility”
(slightly different on PC – this
is on a Mac)
In Diagram view,
double-click on a
target and select
“Stresses” tab
Select “Show Stress”
Threats
4. Show Highest Stresses on
Threats
Model
Include stresses needed
to understand the
relationship between the
Direct Threat and Target.
Also, you may want to
include the highest
stresses. But don’t
clutter the conceptual
model with too many
stresses.
Key Points to
Introduce this Step
Threats
There are two common types of threat ratings:
Stress-based threat rating:
•
Rates the scope and severity of stress to target
and the contribution and irreversibility of each direct
threat to stress
Simple threat rating:
•
Rates the scope, severity, irreversibility of direct
threat only
Key Points to
Introduce this Step
Threats
• A common threat taxonomy exists, and helps to
bring clarity to the discussion
• Miradi uses a rule-based system to develop
ratings