Probabilistic classification rules for setting conservation priorities

Decision rule sets are used widely to classify the conservation status of s pecies. These classifications are intended to approximate the relative degr ee of threat faced by different species. They are important because they pl ay a role in setting conservation priorities. It is suggested that such rul e sets should take into account estimates of the statistical distribution a nd confidence intervals reported for each of the parameters. Examples are p rovided for three threatened Australian plant species. (C) 1999 Published b y Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.