Protecting a single endangered species and meeting multiple conservation goals: An approach with Guaiacum sanctum in Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Aim New protected areas should consider safeguarding high conservation value sites based on multiple criteria and not just the presence of a single endangered or charismatic species. However, the extent to which complementary criteria coincide is usually unknown. We use the case of Guaiacum sanctum (Zygopyllaceae), an endangered timber tree species, to explore whether the protection of forests where this species is most abundant would meet other complementary conservation goals, such as capturing regional plant biodiversity, protecting other threatened/endemic species or safeguarding ecosystem services. Location Yucatan Peninsula, southern Mexico. Methods We conducted an analysis of the structure, composition and diversity of tree communities (including stems ≥5cmdbh) at eight G. sanctum forest sites. We identified endemic and threatened tree species and quantified above-ground tree biomass and carbon storage in these G. sanctum forests. Results Guaiacum sanctum forests contain 35-59 tree species on plots as small as 1000m ². The species composition of tree communities changed rapidly (high β-diversity) across soil boundaries and rainfall regimes. Twenty-one endemic and eight threatened tree species were recorded in our inventories. Individuals of G. sanctum represented up to 55% of the above-ground carbon for trees ≥5cmdbh. The high basal area of G. sanctum forests plus the high wood density, abundance, large size and longevity (more than 500years) of G. sanctum and other tree species enhance the potential importance of these forests for carbon storage. Main conclusions A conservation strategy focused on protecting important populations of G. sanctum in the Yucatan Peninsula would have significant co-benefits for conservation of regional tree species biodiversity and provision of critical ecosystem services. Our study illustrates a multiple criteria approach useful for the selection of areas with high conservation value on the basis of endemic, threatened species, species richness and ecosystem services.