Geographic Distribution of Endangered Species in the United States

TLDR

Geographic distribution data for endangered species in the United States were used to locate “hot spots” of threatened biodiversity. The analysis revealed that species‑specific hot spots rarely overlap, except where human activity degrades core habitats, and that protecting endangered plants simultaneously safeguards other taxa, while the presence of endangered birds and herptiles serves as a sensitive indicator of overall biodiversity; moreover, the land required to conserve all threatened species constitutes only a small fraction of the U.S.

Abstract

Geographic distribution data for endangered species in the United States were used to locate “hot spots” of threatened biodiversity. The hot spots for different species groups rarely overlap, except where anthropogenic activities reduce natural habitat in centers of endemism. Conserving endangered plant species maximizes the incidental protection of all other species groups. The presence of endangered birds and herptiles, however, provides a more sensitive indication of overall endangered biodiversity within any region. The amount of land that needs to be managed to protect currently endangered and threatened species in the United States is a relatively small proportion of the land mass.