Evaluating the Effectiveness of Protected Areas in Conserving Endangered Species and Maintaining Ecological Balance

Abstract

Protected Areas (PAs) are the key tool of global policy concerning biodiversity protection, currently occupying about 15-17% of terrestrial areas and a significant portion of the oceans. Nevertheless, the issue of whether PA status leads to actual conservation of species and ecosystem operation rather than just paper protection is still open to empirical scrutiny. The present review presents results of global meta-analysis, systematic reviews, and monitoring to assess effectiveness of PA management in preventing habitat losses, maintaining species populations, and decreasing extinction risk. The evidence demonstrates that the creation of PAs significantly lowers habitat losses and increases local species diversity and their abundance in comparison with unprotected lands. Results of effects on species population trends and extinction risk are also largely positive and, nevertheless, quite diverse due to strong dependency on the quality of PA management, socio-economic factors, and taxonomy of species. Larger reviews of conservation actions prove the efficiency of PA establishment and management as one of the most efficient tools, but the vast number of valuable sites for biodiversity protection remain unprotected.