Use of aquatic organisms as flagship species in selecting priority areas for conservation

Flagship species are widely used to garner support for conservation, but the selection of these taxa often overlooks ecological, social, and cultural criteria, which may limit the effectiveness of conservation efforts in priority areas. Furthermore, this approach often fails to adequately reflect the importance of ecosystems. A notable example is the undervaluation of aquatic environments, which are frequently neglected or assessed using terrestrial groups whose characteristics and requirements do not necessarily align with the specific demands of these ecosystems. In light of this, we conducted a scientometric analysis to map the scientific literature on the use of aquatic organisms as flagship species for selecting priority conservation areas, highlighting global trends and gaps. A total of 400 articles published between 1997 and 2024 were analyzed from the Scopus and Web of Science databases. The highest number of articles published was in 2021 (n = 46; 11.5 %). Australia (n = 49) and Brazil (n = 34) were the countries most frequently studied. The most frequently researched areas were marine/ coastal protected areas (43.75 %) and unprotected natural areas (42.50 %). More than 80 % of the flagship species belonged to the phylum Chordata, with notable representation from Actinopterygii (bony fishes; 43.58 %) and Mammalia (20.18 %). The most commonly used taxon selection criteria were “conservation status” (57.17 %) and “charisma and emblematic value” (15.80 %). Despite the representation of marine ecosystems (58.63 %), freshwater habitats such as rivers (16.78 %), lakes (4.96 %), and streams (4.26 %) remain underrepresented. The most frequently employed research methods and response metrics were “abundance and density” (39.04 %) and “monitoring and observation” (38.32 %). We identified a significant bias favoring marine ecosystems and charismatic taxa, neglecting freshwater habitats and less visible but ecologically important groups. We emphasize the need to diversify conservation strategies by adopting more inclusive approaches that encompass the full range of aquatic biodiversity and habitats, particularly those that are underrepresented. Such diversification is essential for strengthening public policies and practices aimed at protecting critical ecosystems and ensuring global environmental sustainability.