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The state and conservation of Southeast Asian biodiversity

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Abstract

Southeast Asia is a region of conservation concern due to heavy losses of its native habitats. In this overview, we highlight the conservation importance of Southeast Asia by comparing its degree of species endemism and endangerment, and its rate of deforestation with other tropical regions (i.e., Meso-America, South America, and Sub-Saharan Africa). Southeast Asia contains the highest mean proportion of country-endemic bird (9%) and mammal species (11%). This region also has the highest proportion of threatened vascular plant, reptile, bird, and mammal species. Furthermore, not only is Southeast Asia’s annual deforestation rate the highest in the tropics, but it has also increased between the periods 1990–2000 and 2000–2005. This could result in projected losses of 13–85% of biodiversity in the region by 2100. Secondary habitat restoration, at least in certain countries, would allow for some amelioration of biodiversity loss and thus potentially lower the currently predicted extinction rates. Nonetheless, urgent conservation actions are needed. Conservation initiatives should include public education, sustaining livelihoods, and ways to enhance the sustainability of agriculture and increase the capacity of conservation institutions. Furthermore, these actions should be country-specific and not ignore areas heavily populated by humans, as they can also harbour high numbers of threatened species. We urge that cooperative conservation initiatives be undertaken and support (e.g., capacity-building) be given by more developed countries in the region and beyond.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National University of Singapore (R-154-000-331-112). We thank David J. W. Lane for inviting us to write this article, and two reviewers for comments. NSS thanks the Sarah and Daniel Hrdy Fellowship at Harvard University for support while this manuscript was revised.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117543, Republic of Singapore

    Navjot S. Sodhi, Mary Rose C. Posa & David Bickford

  2. Ecology, Behavior and Evolution Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, 92093-0116, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Tien Ming Lee

  3. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, 106A Guyot Hall, 08544-1003, Princeton, NJ, USA

    Lian Pin Koh

  4. Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, CHN G74.2, Universitätstrasse, 16 8092, Zurich, Switzerland

    Lian Pin Koh

  5. Research Institute for Climate Change and Sustainability, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia

    Barry W. Brook

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  1. Navjot S. Sodhi
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Correspondence to Navjot S. Sodhi.

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Sodhi, N.S., Posa, M.R.C., Lee, T.M. et al. The state and conservation of Southeast Asian biodiversity. Biodivers Conserv 19, 317–328 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-009-9607-5

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