Optimal investment in conservation of species

Abstract

1. Factors that have been considered when deciding how to invest resources in conservation of species include the efficacy and cost of management, the importance of the species, the level of threat, and the timeframe over which results are to be achieved. However, it is unclear how each of these different factors should be weighted and combined when making a decision. 2. We examine how the probabilities of species changing in IUCN Red List categories are influenced by expenditure of resources. We use these relationships to determine optimal investment strategies, using Australian birds as a case study. 3. The optimal level of investment in different species depends critically on whether mana..