In 1988, the Endangered Species Act was amended to require that recovery plans include objective criteria for delisting. In this paper, we characterized (1) temporal trends in the use of recovery criteria; (2) patterns of use for different categories of recovery criteria; (3) variability in the use of criteria by taxa and plan type; and (4) the relationship between categories of recovery criteria (population size, population trends, habitat fragmentation, demography, and legal/policy/ other) and population status (i.e., declining, stable, improving). Of the 181 species (in 135 recovery plans) analyzed, 91% include at least one criterion, and 81% include at least one quantitative criterion. The total number of recovery criteria specified in plans increased significantly for species with plans approved after 1990. However, the number of recovery criteria characterized as having an unclear relationship to biological information also increased significantly for plans approved after 1990. Population size was the most quantitative and frequently used criterion, and there was a significant increase in the number of "population size" and "population trend" criteria with quantitative metrics after 1990. Species characterized as improving were more likely to include a very clear relationship to biological information. More recovery criteria are being developed for species in recent plans, and there is some evidence that species with improving status have a larger number of recovery criteria.
Ecological Applications is concerned broadly with the applications of ecological science to environmental problems. It publishes papers that develop scientific principles to support environmental decision-making, as well as papers that discuss the application of ecological concepts to environmental issues, policy, and management. Papers may report on experimental tests, actual applications, scientific decision support techniques, economic analyses, social implications of environmental issues, or other relevant topics. Statistical or experimental methods papers that support research and applications are welcome. Papers submitted to Ecological Applications should be accessible to both scholars and practitioners.
Wiley is a global provider of content and content-enabled workflow solutions in areas of scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly research; professional development; and education. Our core businesses produce scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, reference works, books, database services, and advertising; professional books, subscription products, certification and training services and online applications; and education content and services including integrated online teaching and learning resources for undergraduate and graduate students and lifelong learners. Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has been a valued source of information and understanding for more than 200 years, helping people around the world meet their needs and fulfill their aspirations. Wiley has published the works of more than 450 Nobel laureates in all categories: Literature, Economics, Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, and Peace. Wiley has partnerships with many of the world’s leading societies and publishes over 1,500 peer-reviewed journals and 1,500+ new books annually in print and online, as well as databases, major reference works and laboratory protocols in STMS subjects. With a growing open access offering, Wiley is committed to the widest possible dissemination of and access to the content we publish and supports all sustainable models of access. Our online platform, Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) is one of the world’s most extensive multidisciplinary collections of online resources, covering life, health, social and physical sciences, and humanities.
This item is part of a JSTOR Collection.
For terms and use, please refer to our
Ecological Applications
© 2002 Wiley