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Perspectives and pitfalls in preserving subterranean biodiversity through protected areas
npj Biodiversity2024
35 citations
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Mattia Saccò,
Mattia Saccò,
Alejandro Martínez,
Roman Alther,
Tiziana Di Lorenzo,
Florian Altermatt,
Diana M. P. Galassi,
Alejandro Martínez,
Stefano Mammola,
Alejandro Martínez,
Stefano Mammola,
Florian Altermatt,
Stefano Mammola,
Cene Fišer,
Nataša Mori,
Cene Fišer,
Cene Fišer,
Florian Altermatt,
Florian Altermatt,
Christian Griebler,
Roman Alther,
Francesco Cerasoli,
Isabel R. Amorim,
Florian Altermatt,
Alejandro Martínez,
Roman Alther,
Diana M. P. Galassi,
Roman Alther,
Nataša Mori,
David Sánchez‐Fernández
Raluca Ioana Băncilă,
Christian Griebler,
Nataša Mori,
Paulo A. V. Borges,
Christian Griebler,
Diana M. P. Galassi,
Nataša Mori,
Traian Brad,
Dávid Brankovits,
Alejandro Martínez,
Dávid Brankovits,
Cene Fišer,
Dávid Brankovits,
Cene Fišer,
Pedro Cardoso,
Christian Griebler,
Francesco Cerasoli,
Christian Griebler,
Claire A. Chauveau,
Claire A. Chauveau,
Florian Altermatt,
Teo Delić,
Tiziana Di Lorenzo,
Arnaud Faille,
Florian Malard,
Cene Fišer,
Florian Malard,
Alejandro Martínez,
Jean‐François Flot,
Alejandro Martínez,
Rosalina Gabriel,
Diana M. P. Galassi,
Laura Garzoli,
Christian Griebler,
Lara Konecny‐Dupré,
Alejandro Martínez,
Traian Brad,
Traian Brad,
Stefano Mammola,
Nataša Mori,
Pedro Cardoso,
Pedro Cardoso,
Veronica Nanni,
Žiga Ogorelec,
Susana Pallarés,
Alice Salussolia,
Tiziana Di Lorenzo,
Tiziana Di Lorenzo,
Mattia Saccò,
Diana M. P. Galassi,
Diana M. P. Galassi,
Fabio Stoch,
Ilaria Vaccarelli,
Maja Zagmajster,
Carina Zittra,
Melissa B. Meierhofer,
David Sánchez‐Fernández
Florian Malard,
David Sánchez‐Fernández
David Sánchez‐Fernández
Maja Zagmajster,
Maja Zagmajster,
David Sánchez‐Fernández
Summary
Researchers examine why standard land-based nature reserves often fail to protect the unique species living in caves, underground streams, and other subterranean ecosystems, which are threatened by groundwater extraction, pollution, and land-use change. The authors argue that dedicated protections for underground habitats are urgently needed, especially given the high endemism — species found nowhere else on Earth — in these environments.
Subterranean ecosystems (comprising terrestrial, semi-aquatic, and aquatic components) are increasingly threatened by human activities; however, the current network of surface-protected areas is inadequate to safeguard subterranean biodiversity. Establishing protected areas for subterranean ecosystems is challenging. First, there are technical obstacles in mapping three-dimensional ecosystems with uncertain boundaries. Second, the rarity and endemism of subterranean organisms, combined with a scarcity of taxonomists, delays the accumulation of essential biodiversity knowledge. Third, establishing agreements to preserve subterranean ecosystems requires collaboration among multiple actors with often competing interests. This perspective addresses the challenges of preserving subterranean biodiversity through protected areas. Even in the face of uncertainties, we suggest it is both timely and critical to assess general criteria for subterranean biodiversity protection and implement them based on precautionary principles. To this end, we examine the current status of European protected areas and discuss solutions to improve their coverage of subterranean ecosystems.