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The role of the matrix in shaping extinction risk and conservation opportunities for terrestrial mammals
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Abstract |
Abstract
The global biodiversity crisis, driven primarily by habitat loss and fragmentation, has
traditionally led conservation efforts to focus almost exclusively on primary habitats. However,
the ecological importance of the matrix, defined as areas surrounding primary habitat, has
remained largely overlooked.
In this dissertation, I used global-scale spatial analyses coupled with statistical modeling
to (i) quantify how matrix condition influences the effects of habitat fragmentation on extinction
risk for terrestrial mammals, (ii) compare the predictive performance of alternative habitat
intactness models (patch-matrix, continuum, and hybrid models) for assessing extinction risk in
terrestrial mammals, and (iii) map global patterns of terrestrial mammal species richness within
the matrix to identify conservation opportunities beyond primary habitats.
My findings demonstrate that matrix condition plays a key mediating role in the
relationship between habitat fragmentation and extinction risk, with greater predictive power
than habitat loss or habitat amount alone. Moreover, I found that the predictive importance of
fragmentation increases as matrix condition deteriorates, suggesting that managing or restoring
the matrix represents a strategic conservation action to mitigate the negative effects of
fragmentation on biodiversity. Additionally, the hybrid habitat intactness model—which
integrates discrete habitat patches with continuous gradients of habitat quality—consistently
outperforms traditional patch-matrix and continuum models, regardless of species’ habitat
specialization. Notably, the magnitude of the relationship between habitat intactness and
extinction risk was greater when using the hybrid model, highlighting that integrating discrete
and continuous habitat representations can improve extinction risk analyses and provide valuable
insights for conservation. My results further reveal that hotspots of species richness within the matrix occupy only about 1% of Earth's terrestrial surface, yet could support more than half of all
terrestrial mammal species. Matrix areas identified as having high conservation potential—based
on overlapping richness hotspots—are primarily concentrated in tropical strongholds such as the
Amazon Basin, Colombian Tropical Andes, Brazilian Atlantic Forest, and Albertine Rift.
Importantly, many of these matrix areas face intense human pressures and remain inadequately
represented within existing protected areas and other area-based conservation measures,
underscoring their value as strategic opportunities for biodiversity conservation.
Collectively, my results highlight an urgent need for a paradigm shift in conservation
strategies that explicitly recognize, manage, and restore matrix areas as integral components of
global biodiversity conservation. Integrating the matrix into conservation planning closely aligns
with international biodiversity frameworks, particularly Target 2 of the Kunming-Montreal
Global Biodiversity Framework, which calls for restoring at least 30% of degraded terrestrial
ecosystems to enhance ecological integrity and connectivity. Such integration could substantially
improve biodiversity outcomes, ecosystem resilience, and landscape connectivity, ultimately
making critical contributions toward reversing global biodiversity declines. |
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Persons |
Persons
Author (aut): Ramírez-Delgado, Juan Pablo
Thesis advisor (ths): Venter, Oscar
Degree committee member (dgc): Johnson, Chris
Degree committee member (dgc): Di Marco, Moreno
Degree committee member (dgc): Watson, James E.M.
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DOI |
DOI
https://doi.org/10.24124/2025/30575
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Degree granting institution (dgg): University of Northern British Columbia. Natural Resources & Environmental Studies
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1 online resource (154 pages)
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born digital
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The role of the matrix in shaping extinction risk and conservation opportunities for terrestrial mammals
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