Identifying refugee species by linking global datasets on mammal distribution ranges and human impact

Abstract

A species whose conservation is at risk as a result of a declined fitness due to (pre-) historic anthropogenic confinement to suboptimal habitat are recognised as refugee species. The refugee status potential of only a handful of species have been assessed while a lot more unrecognised refugee species are expected to exist due to the global scale and increasing pressure of the anthropogenic driver. I conducted a global scale initial assessment with existing global datasets to identify potential refugee species among large herbivorous mammals. The assessment approximates the existing first phase refugee species identification assessment of Kerley et al. (2012) and evaluates the species’ range reduction, range diversity losses, compromised population fitness and associated anthropogenic pressure. Of the 79 included species 49 species could be assessed of which 18 species show a serious potential of being a refugee species. My research implies it is possible to use existing global datasets to identify species with an increased refugee status potential, although not all refugee species might be detected. Variables like the range decline and diversity losses are expected to be more efficient in the uncovering of refugee species than other variables, like the current anthropogenic land use. An improved and more elaborately tested version of my developed initial identification assessment could be used for the evaluation of more species.