title: Clarifying misconceptions of extinction risk assessment with the IUCN Red List.
abstract: The identification of species at risk of extinction is a central goal of conservation. As the use of data compiled for IUCN Red List assessments expands, a number of misconceptions regarding the purpose, application and use of the IUCN Red List categories and criteria have arisen. We outline five such classes of misconception; the most consequential drive proposals for adapted versions of the criteria, rendering assessments among species incomparable. A key challenge for the future will be to recognize the point where understanding has developed so markedly that it is time for the next generation of the Red List criteria. We do not believe we are there yet but, recognizing the need for scrutiny and continued development of Red Listing, conclude by suggesting areas where additional research could be valuable in improving the understanding of extinction risk among species.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, London, UK b.collen@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2564-4243
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Collen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Earth to Ocean Research Group, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Nicholas K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Dulvy
authors.affiliation: Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Gaston
authors.affiliation: Swedish Species Information Centre (ArtDatabanken), Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Gärdenfors
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Keith
authors.affiliation: School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98915-5020, USA.
authors.forename: André E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Punt
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Helen M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Regan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Böhm
authors.affiliation: Wildlife Conservation Society-Global Conservation Program, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hedges
authors.affiliation: IUCN Mollusc Specialist Group, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seddon
authors.affiliation: BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK Department of Zoology, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Stuart H M
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Butchart
authors.affiliation: IUCN, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hilton-Taylor
authors.affiliation: IUCN, Cambridge, UK UNEP-WCMC, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.affiliation: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, UK School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
authors.forename: Steven P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Bachman
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
authors.forename: H Reşit
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Akçakaya
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D056727:Endangered Species; D056890:Eukaryota; D053476:Extinction, Biological; D011157:Population Dynamics; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*
keywords: climate change; geographical range; population decline; rarity; spatial autocorrelation; uncertainty