South Atlantic hub
4 UK Overseas Territories
Continuous discoveries of unique species
add to necessary knowledge on diverse
biodiversity and in remote habitats:
Research crucial to guide protection
Ecosystem profile for the South Atlantic overseas region
Maria Taylor
SAERI
(South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute)
Context
Regional economic development trend
• Stable for FKL & ASI, variable for STH & TDC
• Population: Low, <8,500 people across all 4 territories
Environmental trends
• Highly impacted by invasive species (~934 species) and climatic change
Challenges faced
• Remote areas which are difficult and expensive to access
• Often lack of understanding about the region from outside organisations
and bodies
© Maria Taylor
© Emily Hancox
South Atlantic Hub
© Maria Taylor
Biological importance of the region
• Four highly diverse island ecosystems
spanning the South Atlantic ocean
• Range from cool-temperate to warm-tropical
systems
GDP (%)
2015-2016
© Megan Tierney
Falkland
Islands
St
Helena
Ascension Tristan da
Island
Cunha
Fisheries
34%
N/A
N/A*
11%
Tourism
~5%
47%
N/A
5%
Agriculture
2%
N/A
N/A
N/A
Other (Inc.
59%
53%
100%
84%
Development aid,
Military)
© Maria Taylor
* Fisheries are temporarily closed
South Atlantic Hub
Biological importance of the region
St Helena marine inshore ecosystem – Local
community reliant on it for:
• Food: ~62,000kg/year consumed
• Tourism: developing for whale sharks and
humpback whales
• Fisheries export: 2011/12 = 643,000kg exported;
2013/14 = 0kg exported
© Judith Brown
Falkland Islands – Squid species
• 2 species, Illex argentinus and Loligo gahi (left)
• Licenses sold to harvest these species
generate £10-30 million per annum
© SMSG
South Atlantic Hub
Existing biodiversity
• Total of 780 species to date = >50%
of all UK OT endemics
600
• Total number of endemics unknown
– lack of baseline data
400
• 15% threatened, set to rise to 54%
• 24 endemic species to be declared
extinct in St Helena
Number of known endemics across the
South Atlantic
500
Endemic
300
200
Predicted
threatened
100
Threatened
0
Ascension St Helena Tristan da
Island
Cunha
© David Pryce
© Andrew Darlow
© RBG Kew
South Atlantic Hub
Falkland
Islands
© D. Fox
Existing biodiversity
• Value of natural environment recognised across the region
• Almost all economies reliant on environmental resources
• Majority of territories terrestrial areas have some protection
 52% (excluding FKL)
• Lack of marine environment baseline data and funding 
generally low levels of protection and management
© Pete Convey
© Brian Gratwicke
© SMSG
South Atlantic Hub
© Judith Brown
© Amelie Auge
Threats and pressures on biodiversity
Some common threats between all regional territories:
- Climate change
- Invasive Alien Species (~934 sp.)
- Illegal fishing
- Biosecurity
- Resource management
Some threats being tackled are territory specific:
- Falkland Islands developing offshore oil and gas industry
- St Helena’s new airport development
However, there are NO long
term financial management
plans in place to deal with
these threats
© St Helena Gov.
South Atlantic Hub
Threats and pressures on biodiversity
Percentage perception of severity (%)
Top 3 perceived future threats by expert
stakeholders within the Falkland Islands
100
95
• Invasive species and
climate change among the
top perceived future
threats for all territories
• Lack of baseline
knowledge is a hindrance
to conducting meaningful
environmental work
90
85
80
75
Invasive alien
species
Shipping lanes Habitat shifting
Oil & gas
& alteration exploration and
development
• Exacerbating threats: lack
of long-term project
funding
South Atlantic Hub
Threats and pressures on biodiversity
Threatened invertebrates of St Helena:
Each square represents
one of the 416
invertebrate species
This threat evaluation
has been done against
the IUCN Red List and is
pending submission for
full status
= Extinct
= Critical – Possibly Extinct
= Critical
= Endangered
= Vulnerable
= Near Threatened
South Atlantic Hub
Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) – Falkland
Islands
Map of identified
KBAs (to date)
and existing
PAs
• 60 KBAs to
date: based on
existing
identified areas
*These KBAs are still
subject to change
through consultation
and newly acquired
data
South Atlantic Hub
KBAs – St Helena
Map of identified KBAs
(to date) and existing
PAs
• 75 KBAs to date
• Ongoing consultations
• Newly completed Red
List for plants due to
be used in the
prioritisation
• Marine KBAs due,
pending acquisition of
data
*These KBAs are still subject to change through consultation and newly acquired
data
South Atlantic Hub
KBAs – Ascension Island
Map of identified KBAs
(to date) and existing PAs
• 19 KBAs to date
• Biodiversity database
compilation ongoing
• To be completed by the
end of 2015 and added to
the already identified KBAs
• Consultations for KBA
prioritization ongoing
*These KBAs are still subject to change through consultation and newly acquired
data
South Atlantic Hub
Current conservation activities
Tristan da Cunha:
Removal of invasive carnivorous mouse population
on Gough Island
© Ross Wanless
• House mice feed on the endemic Tristan Albatross [CR]
• Identified by the RSPB as the top priority for action
Ascension Island:
Ascension Island Marine Sustainability (AIMS) project
• Increasing Ascensions marine biodiversity
knowledge and fisheries science capacity
• Developing a Biodiversity Action Plan for
marine taxa
© SMSG
South Atlantic Hub
Current investments in conservation
EU Level
Regional Level
Local Level
None, except BEST
Darwin Plus grants - UK
OT’s heavily reliant on
this funding
•
•
Local governments are invested
in environmental work BUT
majority of staff externally funded
Only 50% of the territories have
NGOs based on them
Darwin Plus has invested >£5 million in the South Atlantic territories
over 17 years
Ongoing externally funded projects
(past) - Darwin Plus and OTEP
Falkland
Islands
Ascension
Island
St Helena
Tristan da
Cunha
Terrestrial
2 (8)
1 (1)
3 (12)
- (1)
Marine
1 (4)
1 (3)
1 (3)
1 (4)
Cross-territory
1 (4)
1 (2)
-
- (3)
Other
1 (4)
- (1)
1 (2)
- (1)
South Atlantic Hub
Current investments in conservation
St Helena: Securing St Helena’s rare cloud forest flora & invertebrates
• Relevance: <1km2 supports 119 endemic plant and
invertebrate species that aren’t found anywhere else on the
island
• Problem: Risk to be completely lost in the next 5 years
• Aim/solution: Restore keystone endemic tree
species and create seed collections
• Investment: >£630,000
external funds currently
invested in multiple
ongoing projects
© Maria Taylor
South Atlantic Hub
© Judith Brown
Critical areas for action & investment needs
Invasive species control & Biosecurity
© Phil Lambdon
© EPD
•
Invasive species: New Zealand flax (STH), the
European earwig (FKL) and rodents (ALL)
•
Highly sensitive and vulnerable endemic species:
He Cabbage tree (STH), Cobb’s wren (FKL),
Tristan Albatross (TDC)
•
Without adequate investment could result in
widespread loss of species
Climate change impact assessments
• Climate change impacts relatively unknown for
most the region
• Island systems highly susceptible to effects,
like sea level rise
• Lack of current funding throughout the region
South Atlantic Hub
© Maria Taylor
Critical areas for action & investment needs
Existing Government conservation investment 2015/2016:
800000
- External Funding
700000
- Government Funding
600000
This is the current level of
investment when the region is
majorly lacking in baseline
knowledge
Amount (£)
500000
400000
300000
200000
100000
0
St Helena
Ascension Island Falkland Islands Tristan da Cunha
E.g. lack of comprehensive list
of species, habitat maps,
marine biodiversity knowledge
South Atlantic Hub
Priorities & investment niches
BASELINE DATA COLLECTION
Need to know what you have before you can protect it
Invasive species eradication
Inevitable loss of species in the next 5 years if no action is taken
Understanding impacts of a
changing climate
Currently few studies, unknown how the majority of endemics will
respond
South Atlantic Hub
Priorities & investment niches
Surveying of habitats, especially marine
environment, to better inform action and
management plans
Eradication/control of invasive plants and
small mammals crucial on all islands
Appropriate and enforced biosecurity
measures
Terrestrial habitat restoration
South Atlantic Hub
South Atlantic Hub
Contact us in the South Atlantic hub
Paul BRICKLE
Megan TIERNEY
Maria TAYLOR
BEST III South
Atlantic Hub
Coordinator
BEST III South
Atlantic Hub
Expert
BEST III South
Atlantic Hub
Ecosystem Profile
Expert
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
South Atlantic Environmental Reserach Institute (SAERI)
http://www.south-atlantic-research.org/
Link to online ecosystem profile platform:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/best/regions/south_atla
ntic_en.htm