More than two-fifths of the protected land in a global biodiversity hotspot in southwest China is under intense human pressure

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 906; p. 167283
• Main Authors: Wang, Xiaoyi, Yang, Chen, Qiao, Huijie, Hu, Junhua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.01.2024
• Subjects: Anthropocene epoch; biodiversity; Biodiversity hotspot; China; conservation areas; Ecoregions; environment; habitat conservation; habitat destruction; Habitat loss; Hengduan Mountains; Human pressure; humans; Protected area; China; Human pressure; Biodiversity hotspot; Hengduan Mountains; Protected area; Habitat loss; Ecoregions
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167283

Habitat loss is the main threat to global biodiversity in the Anthropocene. To prevent this, protected areas are the most effective means for safeguarding biodiversity. However, extensive habitat protection under human pressure can undermine its effectiveness. Using the Hengduan Mountains, a global biodiversity hotspot in southwest China as an indicator, we assessed the extent and intensity of human pressure to highlight how these pressures have changed over time. We found that most ecoregions had high levels of intact habitat loss relative to areal protection by national nature reserves (NNRs). More than two-fifths of protected land is under intense human pressure, and lower elevation or smaller NNRs were subject to higher pressure. These increases have predominantly occurred in lower elevation NNRs, showing that elevation gradients correlate with increasing pressure. While protected areas are increasingly established, they are experiencing intense human pressure. Our findings provide useful insights for assessing resilience of protected areas and to prioritize areas where future conservation plans and actions should be focused in a changing world. [Display omitted] •Most ecoregions within Hengduan Mountains were under high levels of intact habitat loss.•Protected areas were under heterogeneous human pressure over time and space.•More than two-fifths of national nature reserves (NNRs) was under intense human pressure.•Lower elevation or smaller NNRs were under higher pressure.•Greater efforts are urgently needed to better protect ecoregions and manage NNRs.