The evolution of EDGE: incorporating scientific advances into phylogenetically-

informed conservation prioritisation

Dr. Nisha Owen EDGE of Existence Programme Manager

The agony of choice

Conservation bias

Threatened

Flagship

Umbrella

Landscape

Keystone

Cultural value

Evolutionary Distinctiveness (ED) A measure of value

A B C D E F G

5 4 3 2 1 0

Node age/MYBP

ED

2.23 2.23 2.73 2.4 2.4 2.75 2.75

1

1

2

1

1

0.5

0.5

4.5

2

1

2

1

1

3 1

2

1

1 5

2

2

1

1

1

Global Endangerment (GE) GE measures urgency of action

EDGE =

ln(1+ED)+GE*ln(2)

Isaac et al. 2007

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tim

e

A

B C

Evolutionarily Distinct…

Evolutionarily Distinct…

Slide 9

tim

e

A

B C

Evolutionarily Distinct…

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A

B C

tim

e

Evolutionarily Distinct…

The Challenge

• unique species representing entire branches of the tree of life

• on the verge of extinction

• overlooked by the conservation agenda

ZSL’s EDGE of Existence programme: the only global conservation initiative focusing on species that are

Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered

EDGE species

• Distinct in the way they look, live, behave & in genetic make-up

• Complementary conservation approach

• Need phylogenetic tree + adequate IUCN assessments

Per taxonomic group:

-> EDGE species (median ED & threatened)

-> top 100

-> high ED + DD / NE / NT species

2007

2014

2011 2008

2016/2017 …

Isaac et. al 2012 Curnick et. al 2015

Jetz et. al 2014 Gumbs et. al in prep

EDGE lists

EDGE Reptiles

Credit: Ryan M. Bolton Credit: Vladimir Wrangel Credit: Nick Page

Clade All species

Red Listed species

# imputed spp (phylogeny)

Crocodilians 25 23 2 (Oaks 2011)

Squamates + tuatara

10,020 4,079 265 (Tonini et al. 2016)

Testudines 346 219 214 (Hedges et al. 2015)

Gumbs et. al in prep

Updated EDGE Lists Clade All

species Red Listed

species # imputed spp (phylogeny)

Amphibians 7,488 4,857 4,213 (Pyron 2014)

Birds 10,960 10,960 967 (Jetz et al. 2014)

Mammals 5,454 4,479 539 (Kuhn et al. 2011)

Gumbs et. al in prep

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Slide 17

Slide 18 ED: 16.61

OUR VISION The diversity of life is secured for future generations

through locally led conservation initiatives

THE SOLUTION

• SCIENCE: a scientific approach for setting conservation priorities

• CAPACITY-BUILDING: supporting the next generation of conservation leaders

• CONSERVATION: of neglected EDGE species

• AWARENESS-RAISING: of the most distinct and threatened species on the planet

---- > maintaining the diversity of life

EDGE Fellowships

Protect EDGE species by building conservation capacity in-country

EDGE Fellows: • 2-year project on top-priority EDGE species • £10,000 grant • Training courses, support & mentoring • Produce survival blueprint for their species

• 68 Fellowship projects • 36 countries • 63 EDGE species

Discovery of new species and populations • Horton plains red slender loris • Togo slippery frog Conservation strategies, legislation and protected areas • Togo slippery frog • Sheath-tailed bat

Down-listing species on the red list • Ambystoma salamanders Innovative technology

Impact (species)

Impact (Fellows)

• 100% of surveyed Fellows work in conservation

• 80% leverage matched funding for their Fellowships

• 76% still work on their EDGE species

• 70% publish in scientific journals

• 100% pass on their knowledge to peers and colleagues

- 500+ university students - 250+ gov. employees - 160+ conservation employees - 65+ teachers

76%

14%

10%

Continuing to work on their EDGE species

Still work onEDGE sp.

Study changedfocus

Downlisted

EDGE investment in Fellowship

Fellows- sourced match funding

£489,000

£985,500

Match funding in the EDGE Fellowship Data from 26 EDGE Fellows

EDGE 2.0

Cutting-EDGE science: 2017 workshop on phylogenetically informed conservation to assess and refine EDGE prioritisation protocol

– Addressing uncertainty

• Extinction probabilities & limited RL assessments

• Incomplete / unresolved phylogenies

– Incorporating complementarity (EDGE lineages)

• robust prioritisation lists

• lists for new taxonomic groups

• enabling regular list updates (new species / assessments)

EDGE Zones

Conserving EDGE species?

Sitas et al. 2009 Washington et al. 2015

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Slide 30 www.edgeofexistence.org