Antarctica’s wilderness fails to capture continent’s biodiversity
Antarctica’s wilderness fails to capture continent’s biodiversity
复制标题
南极洲的荒野未能捕捉到大陆的生物多样性
作者：
Rachel I. Leihy;B. Coetzee;Fraser J. Morgan;B. Raymond;J. Shaw;A. Terauds;Kees Bastmeijer;S. Chown
Recent assessments of Earth’s dwindling wilderness have emphasized that Antarctica is a crucial wilderness in need of protection1,2. Yet human impacts on the continent are widespread3–5, the extent of its wilderness unquantified2 and the importance thereof for biodiversity conservation unknown. Here we assemble a comprehensive record of human activity (approximately 2.7 million records, spanning 200 years) and use it to quantify the extent of Antarctica’s wilderness and its representation of biodiversity. We show that 99.6% of the continent’s area can still be considered wilderness, but this area captures few biodiversity features. Pristine areas, free from human interference, cover a much smaller area (less than 32% of Antarctica) and are declining as human activity escalates6. Urgent expansion of Antarctica’s network of specially protected areas7 can both reverse this trend and secure the continent’s biodiversity8–10. Historical records reveal that although 99.6% of Antarctica is defined as wilderness, areas undisturbed by humans comprise less than 32%, largely in regions of low biodiversity.
影响因子：
64.8
作者：
S. Rintoul;S. Rintoul;S. Chown;R. DeConto;M. England;H. Fricker;V. Masson‐Delmotte;T. Naish;M. Siegert;J. Xavier;J. Xavier
通讯作者：
S. Rintoul;S. Rintoul;S. Chown;R. DeConto;M. England;H. Fricker;V. Masson‐Delmotte;T. Naish;M. Siegert;J. Xavier;J. Xavier