Premium
African development corridors intersect key protected areas
Author(s) -
Sloan Sean,
Bertzky Bastian,
Laurance William F.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
african journal of ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.499
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1365-2028
pISSN - 0141-6707
DOI - 10.1111/aje.12377
Subject(s) - key (lock) , geography , content (measure theory) , development (topology) , computer science , world wide web , computer security , mathematics , mathematical analysis
[Extract] Unprecedented growth of mining and agriculture in Africa is encroaching on remaining habitats. Mining in Africa frequently occurs in proximity to protected areas (PAs), more than in other world regions (Duran, Rauch & Gaston, 2013), and at least 23 African PAs have been degazetted or downgraded as a result (Edwards et al., 2014). Even natural World Heritage Sites, the global pinnacle of conservation, suffer mining and oil/gas exploration and exploitation across 31 sites and 18 African countries (WWF, 2015), again more than other world regions (WWF, 2016). The anticipated expansion of transport 'development corridors' related to infrastructure and resource development could impact the ecological integrity of many other PAs as roads and rails link producers with reneries and ports over vast distances (Weng et al.,2013).