Representativeness Assessment and Identification of Priorities for the Protection of Terrestrial Ecosystems in Chilean Patagonia

Protected area systems are the primary tool to guarantee the conservation of biodiversity and the multiple ecosystem services vital for human well-being. The protected area system is even more relevant in Chilean Patagonia, since it is one of the most pristine areas of the planet, with a great diversity of ecosystems, species richness and diversity. The identification of conservation gaps and priorities is a first step in the evaluation of a protection system. Chilean Patagonia has been described as a zone with a large amount of protected area, but some of its ecosystems have been identified as under-represented in protected areas. This chapter analyzes the representativeness of the system of protected areas in Chilean Patagonia, including an assessment of priorities for in situ protection of the terrestrial system. The results show underrepresentation of ecosystem and faunal species diversity in Chilean Patagonia. The current network of protected areas represents only 20% of terrestrial ecosystems. A bias in representation is identified towards higher altitude zones, glaciers-ice fields and areas of lower opportunity cost in the region. Protection gaps indicate a representation of less than 17% (Aichi Target 11) in steppe and deciduous forest ecosystems. The representation of faunal diversity is not adequately considered by the current protection network, including areas where less than 30% of the total diversity is concentrated. The priority areas identified are concentrated in the northern zone of Patagonia (Chiloé and Palena province), steppes and in the steppe-deciduous forest-steppe transition zone, both in the Aysén and Magallanes Regions. The gaps in representation prevent adequate adaptation to the conservation challenges that arise with the impact of climate change. Effects of this include the loss of biodiversity components and the redistribution of species and ecosystems. Recommendations are proposed to improve this type of representativeness assessment at different time horizons. Participatory instances should be sought for the definition of conservation targets and goals which analyze terrestrial and marine environments as an integrated study area. The current deficits in the representation of these ecosystems show the urgent need to address the gaps in representation of the current network of Patagonian protected areas and the need to improve the representation of under-represented ecosystems.