Learn Finnish: Lajin säilymisen kannalta nämä suojelualueet ovat kriittisiä. - In terms of the species' survival, these conservation areas are critical.

The postposition kannalta requires its headword to be in the genitive case, which in this sentence is the noun säilymisen (survival). The word lajin is also in the genitive because it tells us whose survival it is (the species' survival). They chain together logically: the species' -> survival's -> in terms of.

Where does the word säilymisen come from?

It is formed from the verb säilyä (to remain, to be preserved, or to survive). By adding the -minen ending, it becomes the noun säilyminen (survival). Here, it takes the genitive form säilymisen because it is governed by the postposition kannalta.

If the subject nämä suojelualueet (these conservation areas) is in the nominative plural, why is the adjective kriittisiä in the partitive plural?

In Finnish, when an adjective describes a plural subject after the verb olla (to be), it almost always takes the partitive plural case. While a singular sentence would use the nominative (tämä suojelualue on kriittinen), the plural requires the partitive: nämä suojelualueet ovat kriittisiä.

What is the literal meaning of kannalta, and how is the word built?