N deposition as a threat to the World’s protected areas under the Convention on Biological Diversity
This paper combines the world’s protected areas (PAs) under the Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD), common classification systems of ecosystem conservation status, and current knowledge on
ecosystem responses to nitrogen (N) deposition to determine areas most at risk. The results show that
40% (approx. 11% of total area) of PAs currently receive >10 kg N/ha/yr with projections for 2030
indicating that this situation is not expected to change. Furthermore, 950 PAs are projected to
receive >30 kg N/ha/yr by 2030 (approx. twice the 2000 number), of which 62 (approx. 11,300 km2) are
also Biodiversity Hotspots and G200 ecoregions; with forest and grassland ecosystems in Asia particularly
at risk. Many of these sites are known to be sensitive to N deposition effects, both in terms of
biodiversity changes and ecosystem services they provide. Urgent assessment of high risk areas identified
in this study is recommended to inform the conservation efforts of the CBD.
2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
BLEEKER Albert;
HICKS Kevin;
DENTENER Franciscus;
GALLOWAY James;
ERISMAN Jan Willem;
2011-11-21
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
JRC60868
0269-7491,
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC60868,
10.1016/j.envpol.2010.10.036,
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