Phylogenetic Diversity and the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity

Abstract

Sustainable use of biodiversity requires the use of biodiversity in a way that does not foreclose benefits for future generations. Biodiversity option values reflect this capacity to provide future benefits that are often unanticipated. The phylogenetic diversity measure, PD, quantifies the option values represented by different sets of species. PD can be interpreted as counting-up features of species. This allows species-level ecological indices to be converted to phylogenetic indices, including PD complementarity and PD endemism, and integrated into systematic conservation planning. PD’s power law relationship with species counts supports findings that initial species losses may retain high PD. This suggests that occasional loss of current-use species might not reduce overall PD. However, if species that are currently useful to society are concentrated in particular clades on the phylogeny, then their loss may imply high-PD loss. Conservation of current-use species can maintain overall PD and option values. However, systematic conservation planning results suggest that conservation of phylogenetically clumped current-use species, within a given conservation budget, can produce a tipping point in which the capacity to retain high-PD collapses.