The article "Effectiveness of the global protected area network in representing species diversity" by Rodrigues et al. (2004) assesses the effectiveness of the global protected area network in conserving biodiversity. The study combines five global datasets on species distribution and protected areas to conduct a gap analysis. It finds that 12% of all species analyzed are not represented in any protected area, with threatened and restricted-range species being particularly underrepresented. The analysis highlights that uniform conservation targets based on percentage of area protected are inadequate, as they do not account for the uneven distribution of biodiversity. The study suggests that conservation strategies should focus on regions with higher endemism and prioritize areas where the urgency for conservation action is greatest. The results emphasize the need for a more strategic approach to expanding the global protected area network to better represent and protect species diversity.The article "Effectiveness of the global protected area network in representing species diversity" by Rodrigues et al. (2004) assesses the effectiveness of the global protected area network in conserving biodiversity. The study combines five global datasets on species distribution and protected areas to conduct a gap analysis. It finds that 12% of all species analyzed are not represented in any protected area, with threatened and restricted-range species being particularly underrepresented. The analysis highlights that uniform conservation targets based on percentage of area protected are inadequate, as they do not account for the uneven distribution of biodiversity. The study suggests that conservation strategies should focus on regions with higher endemism and prioritize areas where the urgency for conservation action is greatest. The results emphasize the need for a more strategic approach to expanding the global protected area network to better represent and protect species diversity.