A global parasite conservation plan
Colin J. Carlson, Skylar Hopkins, Kayce C. Bell, Jorge Doña, Stephanie S. Godfrey, Mackenzie L. Kwak, Kevin D. Lafferty, Melinda L. Moir, Kelly A. Speer, Giovanni Strona, Mark E. Torchin, Chelsea L. Wood
Abstract
Found throughout the tree of life and in every ecosystem, parasites are some of the most diverse, ecologically important animals on Earth—but in almost all cases, the least protected by wildlife or ecosystem conservation efforts. For decades, ecologists have been calling for research to understand parasites' important ecological role, and increasingly, to protect as many species from extinction as possible. However, most conservationists still work within priority systems for funding and effort that exclude or ignore parasites, or treat parasites as an obstacle to be overcome. Our working group identified 12 goals for the next decade that could advance parasite biodiversity conservation through an ambitious mix of research, advocacy, and management. • Parasite conservation is a rapidly growing field but needs coordinated priorities and metrics of success. • We propose a global plan for parasite conservation over the next decade. • Our proposal includes 12 ambitious goals broadly capturing conservation research, practice, and outreach.