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. 2017 Apr 5;67(6):534–545. doi: 10.1093/biosci/bix014

Table 1.

Progress toward Nature Needs Half by biome, showing the number of ecoregions in each category, based on habitat protected and habitat remaining.

Biome name and number Percentage of Earth's terrestrial area Mean percentage of protected within biome (1) Half Protected (2) Nature Could Reach Half (3) Nature Could Recover (4) Nature Imperiled Total
Forested biomes
1. Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests 14.4 12 24 116 46 44 230
2. Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests 2.9 8 2 8 20 26 56
3. Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests 0.5 12 1 6 7 1 15
4. Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests 9.3 10 7 21 30 25 83
5. Temperate conifer forests 2.8 17 2 16 19 10 47
6. Boreal forests or taiga 11.4 9 1 23 2 0 26
14. Mangroves 0.2 26 3 8 6 2 19
Forested biome subtotal 41.5 13 40 198 130 108 476
Nonforested biomes
7. Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands 15.8 15 5 14 18 20 57
8. Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands 7.8 4 0 11 13 24 48
9. Flooded Grasslands and Savannas 0.9 32 8 4 9 4 25
10. Montane grasslands and shrublands 3.6 25 9 11 14 12 46
11. Tundra 8.7 8 26 24 0 1 51
12. Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub 2.4 18 2 5 25 8 40
13. Deserts and xeric shrublands 19.3 6 8 46 19 30 103
Nonforested biome subtotal 58.5 10 58 115 98 99 370
Total 100 12 98 313 228 207 846

Note: The ecoregion data can be found in supplemental tables S1 and S2. (1) Half Protected: 50% or more of the total ecoregion area is protected. (2) Nature Could Reach Half: Less than 50% of the total ecoregion area is protected, but the sum of the total ecoregion protected and unprotected natural habitat remaining is 50% or more. (3) Nature Could Recover: The sum of the amount of natural habitat remaining and the amount of the ecoregion that is protected is less than 50% but more than 20%. (4) Nature Imperiled: The sum of the amount of natural habitat remaining and the amount of the ecoregion that is protected is less than or equal to 20%.