A Global GIS Analysis of Primate Diversity and Biogeography: Assessing Trends in Habitat Loss and Extinction Risk to Inform Primate Conservation

Biodiversity is crucial for the healthy functioning of ecosystems. Terrestrial biodiversity is disproportionately concentrated in the tropics, and tropical rainforests in particular. Tropical tree cover loss is therefore central to the biodiversity crisis, and unfortunately it is continuing at alarming rates and showing no signs of slowing. This forest loss severely impacts primates, which are one of the most diverse and threatened species groups on earth with more than two-thirds classified as “Threatened” (i.e. Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered) by the IUCN. Primates are keystone species and essential to ecosystem function through their roles as pollinators and seed dispersers. They are also “umbrella” species, wherein the protection of their habitats necessarily protects co-occurring species. This dissertation assesses trends in primate species distributions, extinction risk, and habitat loss over time. Concerningly, the total number of primate species that are “Threatened” increased by 20% between 2014 and 2022. The analysis shows substantial range contractions over a relatively short period and identifies species and families facing greater extinction risk. A central contribution of this dissertation is the development of a richness-risk index (RR-Index), which highlights areas with both high primate species diversity and extinction risk. Areas of especially high species richness and extinction risk include the Amazon and Congo River Basins, equatorial West Africa, Borneo, and eastern Madagascar. Another key contribution is to assess recent tropical forest loss within primate species ranges. The loss of tropical forests within primate species ranges between 2000-2020 was quantified using Google Earth Engine. Rates of forest loss were found to have increased in all realms, with Madagascar experiencing the greatest total relative loss. On average, species lost 10% of the forest within their geographic ranges in the Neotropics and Africa, 13% in Asia, and 22-30% in Madagascar. Patterns and trends of worsening extinction risk and habitat loss examined here indicate urgent conservation action is needed in order to protect the most threatened primate species. Ultimately, the analytic tools developed in this dissertation are intended support conservation planning and prioritization, including identifying the most critical areas that are underrepresented by protected areas.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph D

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Geography and Environment

Grantor dc:publisher

The University of Western Ontario

Year dc:date.issued

2026

Author dc:creator

• Peacock, Heather

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Weis, Tony
• Colquhoun, Ian

• Primates
• Biogeography
• Extinction Risk
• Conservation Prioritization
• GIS
• Habitat Loss

Statement dc:rights

• Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14721/39937

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uwo.scholaris.ca:20.500.14721/39937