Geography and Recovery under the U.S. Endangered Species Act

• Published in: Conservation biology Vol. 24; no. 2; pp. 395 - 403
• Main Authors: CARROLL, CARLOS, VUCETICH, JOHN A., NELSON, MICHAEL P., ROHLF, DANIEL J., PHILLIPS, MICHAEL K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01-04-2010; Wiley-Blackwell; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biogeography; Biological and medical sciences; Canis lupus; Conservation biology; Conservation of Natural Resources - legislation & jurisprudence; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Definitions; distribución geográfica; Ecology; Ecosystem; ecosystem protection; Ecosystems; Endangered & extinct species; Endangered species; Endangered Species - legislation & jurisprudence; especies amenazadas; Extinct species; Extinction, Biological; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; geographic distribution; geographical distribution; Geography - legislation & jurisprudence; Government Regulation; gray wolf; Homing Behavior; Legislation; lobo gris; Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking; Population Dynamics; Population ecology; population viability; protección de ecosistemas; representación; representation; Reviews; Species; Species extinction; Threatened species; United States; viabilidad poblacional; Wildlife conservation; Wolves; United States; United States > US; USA; Geography; Fissipedia; Carnivora; Endangered species; representation; gray wolf; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Restoration; Geographic distribution; ecosystem protection; Ecosystem; Endangered Species Act; population viability; Canis lupus; Protection; Population recovery; Viability
• ISSN: 0888-8892; 1523-1739
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2009.01435.x

The U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) defines an endangered species as one "at risk of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range." The prevailing interpretation of this phrase, which focuses exclusively on the overall viability of listed species without regard to their geographic distribution, has led to development of listing and recovery criteria with fundamental conceptual, legal, and practical shortcomings. The ESA's concept of endangerment is broader than the biological concept of extinction risk in that the "esthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational, and scientific" values provided by species are not necessarily furthered by a species mere existence, but rather by a species presence across much of its former range. The concept of "significant portion of range" thus implies an additional geographic component to recovery that may enhance viability, but also offers independent benefits that Congress intended the act to achieve. Although the ESA differs from other major endangered-species protection laws because it acknowledges the distinct contribution of geography to recovery, it resembles the "representation, resiliency, and redundancy" conservation-planning framework commonly referenced in recovery plans. To address representation, listing and recovery standards should consider not only what proportion of its former range a species inhabits, but the types of habitats a species occupies and the ecological role it plays there. Recovery planning for formerly widely distributed species (e.g., the gray wolf [Canis lupus]) exemplifies how the geographic component implicit in the ESA's definition of endangerment should be considered in determining recovery goals through identification of ecologically significant types or niche variation within the extent of listed species, subspecies, or "distinct population segments." By linking listing and recovery standards to niche and ecosystem concepts, the concept of ecologically significant type offers a scientific framework that promotes more coherent dialogue concerning the societal decisions surrounding recovery of endangered species.