A multidimensional framework for assessing productive and ecosystem potential of wild animal species: insights from Latin America

Effective strategies for sustainable use and conservation of wildlife require integrative frameworks that combine productive value and ecosystem services. This study presents a preliminary multidimensional framework for evaluating wild animal species which involves two analytical dimensions: productive potential (PP) and ecosystem potential (EP). The framework was applied to 60 species - most of which were from Latin America - to compare productive feasibility and ecosystem contributions among taxa. To evaluate PP, indicators related to reproduction, nutrition, production, market integration, and regulatory feasibility were used; to evaluate EP, indicators related to provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural ecosystem services were used. Data was compiled from scientific literature and analysed using scoring, k-means clustering, and principal component analysis (PCA). PP analysis identified two clusters, with invertebrates showing greater productive potential than vertebrates, whose use is constrained by biological and legal factors. EP analysis identified three clusters, which varied according to which of the following services they provided: nutrient cycling, waste decomposition, pollination, ecotourism, and symbolic values. An integrated PP/EP analysis identified six clusters, indicating both complementarities and trade-offs between productive use and ecological roles for all clusters. Overall, results show that productive performance is not necessarily aligned with ecosystem sustainability, and that management decisions must be adapted to the particular ecological, legal, and socio-cultural contexts. This framework provides an initial step toward carrying out integrative wildlife assessments that may contribute to improving wildlife management, bioeconomic planning, and biodiversity conservation in diverse contexts.