Species ProgrammeAccess to knowledge about Mexican biodiversity

National Commission for the Knowlege and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO)

Patricia Koleff, Director of Analysis and PrioritiesBárbara Ayala, Coordinator of Priority Species Programme

1. Brief history- Need to generate and synthesize information from species at risk of extinction and of special economic and ecological value

- Get to know the conservation status of populations and inform policy-makers about its management.

Database on native species

Initial goals (2000-2010)

• Compile taxonomic, biological information, and primary literature.

• NOM-059-Semarnat-2001 “Mexican red list”.

• Provide species information through "fact sheets" available on CONABIO’s website.

Database Report

Information to evaluate the conservation status of species and their status in the Red list (NOM-059-Semarnat-2001)

Species Pages

45 projects on the study of native species at risk of extinction (ca. $700,000 US)Investment in human resource development, capacity building and knowledge generation

Contents are provided and reviewed by experts

TaxonomyDistributionNatural historyThreatsCommercial useConservation statusMap of current and potential distributionPicturesBibliography

2. 2011 Goals and current status

A. Develop clear criteria to identify information needs and gaps.B. Generate better knowledge about our priority species.C. Rely on good indicators to evaluate species conservation status.D. Promote and support monitoring efforts species populations.E. ID threats and conservation measures that can be taken to help

drive action.F. Inform policy-makers, conservation actions and the general

public.

Combine world-class knowledge, standards and tools to guide policies and inform action on the ground to conserve biodiversity.

3. Current status with respect to your goals

• 1,560 species pages (1,369 species at risk of extinction)• Linking information with digital cartography (species

occurrences and potential distribution)- Generate better knowledge about priority species

(700 new species pages in 2012)- ID good indicators to evaluate species conservation

status

Plantas

Reptiles

Aves

Mamíferos

Peces

Anfibios

Invertebrados

Hongos

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000

407/987

343/443

91/392

266/291

106/204

86/194

29/49

41/46

Fichas publicadas al 2010: 1,369 /Taxones en riesgo de extinción NOM-2010: 2,606

Species at risk of extinction

NeotropicalBirds

UBIPRO/ UNAM

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

CONABIO

• Monitoring ProgramsaVerAves www.aVerAves.org

• Citizen participation network :Mexican Birds Knowledge Network Avesmx.net www.avesmx.conabio.gob.mx

NeotropicalBirdswww.neotropical.birds.cornell.edu

Collaboration tools

Link existing collaborative projects

Alouatta palliataHistoric

Actual

Distribution

Priority species website

http://www.biodiversidad.gob.mx/especies/espPrioritaria.html

Priority Species Program• 2011 Species Program Team (5 people)• Better and more complete knowledge of Mexican biota.

Especially for the most vulnerable species that require detailed information for conservation and management.

And of priority species that maximize efforts and optimize conservation strategies in Mexico.

4. Organizational details

Knowledge generation: distribution, threats, conservation measures

Basic information for species with no data

• Start a fellows program• Specific projects for not well

known groups (e.g. fungi)• Literature reviews

Detail information for key species

• Develop conservation indicators

• Promote and support monitoring efforts of species populations.

• ID threats• ID conservation actions that

can be taken

• Incorporate population and monitoring data to assess recovery programs and species conservation status.Golden Eagle Monitoring

Priority Species

Species information system, online collaboration platform.New page on the website of species CONABIO

Information exchange with other platforms around the world.Encyclopedia of Life, EOL.

1,561 species pages sent to EOL 700 planned to be developed in 2012 (371 in progress)

Providing information to EOL Published pages at CONABIO Additional pages in

progress Priority

species Wild relatives Forestry Exotic invasive

species Priority

species + CITES

Exotic invasive species

Mammals 292 13 1Birds 194 6 140 Reptiles 370 5 4Amphibians 90 3 10Fishes 111 9 162Invertebrates 34 17 85Fungi 42 1Plants 428 19 70 63 90 100Corals (CITES) 141 Total 1,561 19 70 116 371 363

5. Challenges• Information exchange with other initiatives• Avoid duplicating efforts• Lack of Interoperability standards and documentation• Quality control• Use of information and increase impact on

conservation and management (e.g. NPA, species recovery programs, restoration programs, etc.)

• Implement a fellows program

6. Special opportunities

• Improve platforms to capture information• Improving outputs (application development)• Other products (e.g. species ID guides, invasive species,

wild relatives).• Interoperability standards (Plinian Core standards /TDWG)

more structured data greater capacity to search• BHL, digital libraries