SETTING CONSERVATION PRIORITIES FOR THREATENED SPECIES - A JOINT GROUPING AND SEQUENCING METHOD

The Fynbos and Karoo Biomes in South Africa have the highest concentra tion of threatened plant species of any temperate region in the world. The limited resources available for conserving these species should b e used with carefully analysed priorities which take account of a comp lex suite of criteria. A two-stage analysis is described for this, emp loying the Uniter computer program which clusters and sequences threat ened species using evaluated priority criteria. In the first stage, th e criteria are aspects of the need for conserving the species and in t he second, their biological and practical ease of conservation. The sp ecies with similar profiles we grouped together, making the sequences more information-rich and a better guide for conservation planning. Th e methods are demonstrated using 20 Endangered and Vulnerable species from the Cape Peninsula.