Rarity-weighted richness: a simple and reliable alternative to integer programming and heuristic algorithms for minimum set and maximum coverage problems in conservation planning

PloS One
Fabio Albuquerque, Paul Beier

Abstract

Here we report that prioritizing sites in order of rarity-weighted richness (RWR) is a simple, reliable way to identify sites that represent all species in the fewest number of sites (minimum set problem) or to identify sites that represent the largest number of species within a given number of sites (maximum coverage problem). We compared the number of species represented in sites prioritized by RWR to numbers of species represented in sites prioritized by the Zonation software package for 11 datasets in which the size of individual planning units (sites) ranged from <1 ha to 2,500 km2. On average, RWR solutions were more efficient than Zonation solutions. Integer programming remains the only guaranteed way find an optimal solution, and heuristic algorithms remain superior for conservation prioritizations that consider compactness and multiple near-optimal solutions in addition to species representation. But because RWR can be implemented easily and quickly in R or a spreadsheet, it is an attractive alternative to integer programming or heuristic algorithms in some conservation prioritization contexts.

References

May 23, 2000·Nature·C R Margules, R L Pressey

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Citations

Feb 28, 2018·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·Jussi JyväsjärviTimo Muotka
May 9, 2018·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·Paul R Armsworth
Oct 28, 2018·Nature Communications·Cindy Q TangJordi López-Pujol
Aug 2, 2016·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·Helena TukiainenJan Hjort
Feb 26, 2020·PeerJ·Fabio Albuquerque, Yaiyr Astudillo-Scalia
Nov 24, 2016·Ecology and Evolution·Fábio Albuquerque, Paul Beier
Jan 1, 2017·Biodiversity and Conservation·Lynda DonaldsonIlya M D Maclean
Aug 16, 2016·Ecology and Evolution·Fábio Suzart de Albuquerque, Paul Beier

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Software Mentioned

Zonation
RWR
Marxan
NatureServe

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