Wildlife Action Plan 2015 Revision Process White Paper
the reasons for a species’ decline may be difcult to discern when data are insufcient. Te lack of long-term data coupled with a need to develop policies that are often short-term responses can contribute to inefcient and inefective conservation measures (Mace and Purvis 2008) . Identifying where information is lacking or where uncertainty exists about the infor- mation available will improve decisions made about conservation needs and actions. Te Knowledge Gap category is similar in scope to the ‘Research Needed’ classifcation scheme outlined in the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (IUCN 2001) . Tis category was developed to identify and prioritize survey, monitoring, and research needs of species in North Carolina. While it could be justifed to rank every species at the highest priority, there are not sufcient resources to implement and achieve this level of efort. Reviewers should evaluate the needs of each species based on what can be achieved under existing programs or given available resources to develop new programs over the next 10 years. Survey, monitoring, and research data are needed before we can develop conservation actions that beneft species and preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services (Arponen 2012) . Conversely, a lack of data can also preclude preventative measures that protect a species or result in failure to restrict actions that will have a negative consequence for a species. 10. Statewide Distribution (survey priorities). Tis metric is an assessment of the knowl- edge base of a species’ distribution in North Carolina and represents new and continuing survey needs. As noted in Metric 6 (Range Size in North Carolina), suitable habitat may be available for a species but surveys have not been conducted to determine their presence. Te lack of information, both current and historic, about many species afects our ability to design or implement proactive or responsive conservation or management programs. Te lack of knowledge about distribution can prevent development of monitoring programs and future conservation recommendations. Scores are assigned based on the availability of data or knowledge about a species’ distribution in North Carolina.
What is the level of knowledge about statewide distribution?
(a) Distribution is uncertain, has been extrapolated from a few locations, or knowledge about distribution is limited to general range maps.
(b) Broad range limits or habitat associations are known but local occurrence cannot be predicted accurately.
(c) Distribution can be easily predicted based on known locations or known habitat associations have been documented throughout the state.
11. Statewide Population Trends (monitoring priorities). Monitoring programs can be developed after sufcient survey information is collected and statewide distribution is better understood for a species (Millsap et al. 1990) . Data collected through population
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2015 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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