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The decline in abundance and species richness of insects, including butterflies, have been linked to factors such as habitat loss and climate change. While some butterfly species are increasing, an overall decrease has been frequently observed in both Europe and North America. The objective of this study was to assess trends of butterfly abundances in Mediterranean shrublands of conserved lands in San Diego County, CA, USA. Funding and surveys were focused on the threatened Hermes copper (Lycaena hermes), but the abundance of all butterfly species was recorded. Analyses utilized the annual maximum count (Max Count) for each species at each transect during 2010–2022. The 10 most commonly observed species experienced, on average, a 1.4% annual decline in abundance, and 20 less commonly observed species were, on average, found at 5.9% fewer transects each year. The only exceptions to these declines are species (cabbage white [Pieris rapae], checkered white [Pontia protodice], and white checkered-skipper [Burnsius albezens]) that feed on non-native mustards or are more common in disturbed habitats. The Max Count provided an efficient, robust, and stable population index, that can be utilized to leverage funding for focal species to assess the broader community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: Human activities have been reshaping the natural world for tens of thousands of years, leading to the extinction of hundreds of bird species. Past research has provided evidence of extinction selectivity towards certain groups of species, but trait information is lacking for the majority of clades, especially for prehistoric extinctions identified only through subfossil remains. This incomplete knowledge potentially obscures the structure of natural communities, undermining our ability to infer changes in biodiversity across space and time, including trends in functional and phylogenetic diversity. Biases in currently available trait data also limit our ability to identify drivers and processes of extinction. Here we present AVOTREX, an open‐access database of species traits for all birds known to have gone extinct in the last 130,000 years. This database provides detailed morphological information for 610 extinct species, along with a pipeline to build phylogenetic trees that include these extinct species. Main Types of Variables Contained: For each extinct bird species, we provide information on the taxonomy, geographic location, and period of extinction. We also present data on island endemicity, flight ability, and body mass, as well as standard measurements of external (matching the AVONET database of extant birds) and skeletal morphology from museum specimens where available. To ensure comprehensive morphological data coverage, we estimate all missing morphological measurements using a data imputation technique based on machine learning. Finally, we provide an R package to graft all extinct species onto a global phylogeny of extant species (BirdTree). Spatial Location and Grain: Global. Time Period and Grain: All known globally extinct bird species from 130,000 years ago up until 2024. Major Taxa and Level of Measurement: Birds (Class Aves), species level. Software Format: Spreadsheets (.csv) stored in Dryad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid loss of global biodiversity affects the creation and maintenance of community biodiversity and ecosystem structure and function. Thus, it is insufficient to focus solely on the effects of biodiversity loss on community biodiversity without also considering other impacts such as community assembly, niches, interspecific relationships, community stability, and biodiversity–ecosystem function. In this study, a 3- and 10-year biodiversity manipulation experiment was conducted in an alpine meadow to examine the effects of the individual plant functional group (PFG) removal on the niches of community dominant species by removal of Gramineae, Cyperaceae, legumes, and other forbs. The results indicated that PFG removal led to variation in community niches. The long-term PFG removal led to a gradual decline in the number of Gramineae and Cyperaceae species in the community. Over time, the niche widths of dominant Gramineae and Cyperaceae species gradually narrowed, and the degree of niche overlapping decreased. The number of positively and negatively associated species tended to decrease and increase, respectively. Reduced species diversity led to significant differences in the niches of the remaining species within the community. Thus, species niche differences, resulting from variation in resource allocation, commonly determined the dynamic construction of species composition within the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the bushmeat trade in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria, through the lens of environmental justice, focusing on sustainable livelihoods and wildlife conservation. Environmental justice in this context seeks to ensure fair economic opportunities for bushmeat marketers, predominantly women (93%), while protecting vulnerable wildlife species. The surveyed marketers—90% of whom were married—face social inequalities, with only 50% having secondary education and 10% lacking formal education. Most marketers sell bushmeat to household consumers and travelers, raising concerns about the potential spillover of wildlife products beyond Nigeria's borders, with implications for conservation and zoonotic disease risks. ANOVA results show that greater experience leads to higher profits from species like grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus ; P = 0.005) and nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus ; P = 0.001). As key species such as West African crocodile (Crocdylus suchus), African leopard (Panthera pardus), and ground pangolin (Manis temminckii) decline in availability in traditional hunting grounds, this study emphasizes the urgent need for conservation policies that promote sustainable trade practices and provide alternative livelihoods. These strategies would advance the science of environmental justice by reducing pressure on wildlife (ecological justice) while ensuring stable incomes for marketers (social justice). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will argue that the collapse of advanced industrial society is inevitable on a global scale in the near-term (i.e., in a matter of decades from present), and that, furthermore, it will be irreversible. Industrial society, generally, will be seen as an aberration or anomaly in human history, one costly in terms of human life and suffering, as well as ecological devastation, lasting no more than three hundred years from the start of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain in 1750 CE to its terminus in circa 2050 CE. If humanity is to survive, it must be in much smaller numbers, and with far less impact on the planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the vulnerability of Madagascar's protected areas (PAs) to climate change, focusing on climate change velocity, and its impact on biodiversity. We analyzed current and near future climate data using principal component analysis (PCA) and climate change velocity metrics to predict shifts in climatic conditions from the present to the near future, while under the mild and extreme emission scenarios (SSP 126, SSP 585). Forward velocities, which are characterized by the minimum distances that must be overcome by species to keep in track with their appropriate comparative climate, are most pronounced in western and southern Madagascar. In contrast, the backward velocity, which uses future climatic conditions in grid cells in comparison to current conditions, is more common in the eastern regions of the island, and hints at the minimum distance that organisms would have to overcome in colonizing a new habitat. Even though the correlations between PA size and climate change velocity are weak, there is a tendency for larger PAs to exhibit more stable climatic conditions. Conservation strategies must prioritize enhancing the resilience of PAs through adaptive management to mitigate climate impacts. Our findings provide crucial insights for policymakers and conservation planners to develop climate-smart strategies that ensure the long-term efficacy of Madagascar's PA network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By recognizing the role of animals as restoration drivers, we have a unique opportunity to combine climate and biodiversity policy frameworks and meet targets synergistically. About 25% of forest restoration projects could benefit from animals contributing to both frameworks. In 50% of projects, active actions are needed to improve outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater mussels are a globally threatened taxon, but little is known about population trajectories for species outside Europe and North America. To contribute to understanding of mussel conservation status outside these regions, we surveyed mussel and other invertebrate populations in waterbodies across Dhaka, Bangladesh, to assess population trends and the role of mussels in structuring benthic communities.We found that mussel populations in Dhanmondi Lake, our focal waterbody, have declined in density by approximately 90% between 2010 and 2023. Lamellidens marginalis declined by 90.8% from an average density of 47.9 ± SE 7.1 mussels 0.25 m−2 in 2010 to 4.4 ± SE 0.7 mussels 0.25 m−2 in 2023, while Indonaia caerulea declined by 89.4% from an average density of 6.6 ± SE 1.0 mussels 0.25 m−2 in 2010 to 0.7 ± SE 0.1 mussels 0.25 m−2 in 2023.Previously detected associations between mussels and other invertebrate taxa, and between mussels and community composition, have been lost. Non‐mussel invertebrates have also declined significantly, with an average decrease in abundance of 27%, alongside decreases in family richness and Shannon‐Wiener diversity. These declines occurred despite apparent improvements in water quality.Findings from other waterbodies across Dhaka also suggest the loss of mussel species including L. marginalis, I. caerulea and Parreysia corrugata from some locations, as well as the presence of the non‐native mussel Pilsbryoconcha exilis at river sites.Our results reflect a wider, global pattern of enigmatic declines in freshwater mussels and the possible loss of associated ecosystem functioning, which may be going unnoticed in less‐studied areas including the subtropics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term monitoring of freshwater ecosystems has been globally recognized for its critical role in preserving natural biodiversity and human well-being over the past century, yet monitoring efforts remain heterogeneously distributed. The Anatolia region in Turkey is known to host three out of the world's 34 biodiversity hotspots, boasting high biodiversity, but is increasingly threatened by anthropogenic effects and invasive freshwater fish species. Although the introduction of non-native fish species and pollution has detrimental effects on different river catchments in this area, long-term biomonitoring studies in Anatolia remain scarce and inconsistent. Collecting information of the Gediz River basin, a major Anatolian river catchment as a model that has been significantly impacted by human activities, published between 1971 and 2023, a total of 21 fish species from 12 families were identified. The spatial and temporal occurrences of these species fluctuated significantly due to heterogeneous sampling efforts that did not follow a clear pattern, indicating a complex ecological and conservation scenario characterized by both spatial and temporal variability in species prevalence, endemism and abundance. The presented results emphasize the need for comprehensive long-term biodiversity monitoring for anthropogenically impacted catchments like the Gediz River basin. Only with a coherent basis of high-resolution monitoring data can the multiple stressors threatening Anatolia's freshwater biodiversity be disentangled and, subsequently, be mitigated. Using the Gediz River basin as an example, this study emphasizes the urgent need for comprehensive, long-term biodiversity monitoring in understudied regions worldwide to protect regional biodiversity and ensure ecosystem health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive alien plants represent one of the five major threats to biodiversity and the disruption of ecosystems. They are introduced through various routes, starting with commercial trade. Preventing their introduction is essential to avoid the spread of new invasive plants. In this paper, we propose a new early warning DNA barcoding tool for invasive plant detection. Eight invasive alien species of European Union concern (i.e., Ludwigia grandiflora, Elodea nuttallii, Myriophyllum aquaticum, Pontederia crassipes, Ailanthus altissima, Heracleum mantegazzianum, Impatiens glandulifera, Pueraria montana) were selected and analysed. A unique DNA marker for each species was identified and amplified using species-specific primers capable of identifying the presence of alien species. To verify whether the approach could detect the presence of alien plants in urban areas from lawn clippings, mixes with typical urban spontaneous plants and invasive species were tested. In all mixes, only the invasive species was identified. This rapid detection capability will enable environmental operators to intervene promptly to contain the spread of invasive plants before they can cause significant damage to the local ecosystem. This tool could have a significant impact on the protection of local biodiversity and the integrity of urban habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amphibians are among the most endangered taxa worldwide, but little is known about how their disappearance can alter the functioning and structure of freshwater ecosystems, where they live as larval stages. This is particularly true for urodeles, which often are key predators in these ecosystems. The fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is a common predator in European fresh waters, but the species is declining due to habitat loss and the infection by fungal pathogens. We studied the consequences of fire salamander loss from three montane streams, by comparing two key ecosystem processes (periphyton accrual and leaf litter decomposition) and the structure of three communities (periphytic algae, aquatic hyphomycetes and invertebrates) using stream enclosures with and without salamander larvae. Salamander loss did not cause changes in invertebrate abundance or community structure, except for one stream where abundance increased in the absence of salamander larvae. However, salamander loss led to lower periphyton accrual, changes in algal community structure and slower leaf litter decomposition, with no associated changes in fungal communities or microbial decomposition. The changes observed may have been caused by release of salamander predatory pressure on invertebrates, which could have promoted their grazing on periphyton, in contrast to their preference for leaf shredding in the presence of salamander. Our study demonstrates an important role of salamander larvae in montane streams through top‐down control of lower trophic levels and thus in regulating key stream ecosystem processes. Our results highlight the need for improving protection measures for amphibians to prevent these alterations on ecosystem structure and function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most research on long-term human ecodynamics examines changes in the size and structure of human populations, often in relation to climate change. Here we offer an alternative perspective that draws on recent progress in conservation science, examining the causes and consequences of ecosystem collapse. We identify human actions that can cause abrupt transformation of ecosystems, in relation to key mechanisms and underlying theory. Such ecosystem collapse can in turn affect human societies by altering flows of ecosystem benefits to people. In this way, human ecodynamics can be understood by separately analysing the dynamics of social and ecological sub-systems, which are reciprocally linked. Ecosystem collapse represents a perturbation of these sub-systems, and provides insights into the mechanisms underlying their respective dynamics. We illustrate this approach through four case studies, which examine the spread of agriculture during the Holocene. Four key knowledge gaps emerge through consideration of these case studies: the linkages between social and ecological sub-systems, and how these change over time; the presence of feedbacks between these sub-systems; the relationships between local- and regional-scale collapse; and the relationships with ecological recovery. Increased research on ecosystem collapse could help clarify the relative influence of environmental degradation on societal dynamics, while providing insights into resilience and sustainability. Given the outstanding societal importance of ecosystem collapse, such research could also strengthen the relevance of historical sciences to the contemporary world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal areas are at the centre of human–nature relationship, shaped by recreation, tourism and aesthetic values. However, socioeconomic drivers of biodiversity change in coastal areas have received less attention.Soft sediment seafloors support diverse species communities and contribute to ecosystem functionality. One of the main threats is dredging, which sweeps resident organisms. Dredgings are commonly done to deepen waterways, but also for the purposes of private housing. The ecological impacts of these small‐sized dredgings are not well known over broad environmental and geographical gradients.We developed a simple approach for spatial integration of ecological and socioeconomic system, to describe how recreational land use change contributes to the loss of marine biodiversity. It shows how human behaviour, such as preference for a location of second home, can be derived from spatial data and coupled with ecological change.We characterize typical locations of second homes based on accessibility, aesthetics and environment, and with the information identified suitable areas for new second homes. We also quantified typical areas of dredging, based on the depth and substrate of the sea floor, and the extent of the reed beds, influencing the access to properties. We then simulate an annual increase of new second homes and expected land‐use change, namely dredging of shores. Finally, we quantified the realized and projected loss of marine biodiversity from dredged sites, based on species distribution models, relying on extensive ecological data collected from over 170,000 underwater sites.We found that small‐sized dredging can be detrimental to coastal biodiversity, as dredging targets shallow, photic bays and lagoons, with diverse algal and aquatic plant communities, with limited recovery potential. Dredgings also had broad impacts on benthic faunal habitats, which maintain ecosystem processes and functions. Our results reveal a significant ecological change driven by recreational land use.Reversing the trend of biodiversity loss requires a holistic understanding of socioecological systems. Our results highlight the need for integrating land–sea interactions into conservation policies and reforming current land‐use regulation for the benefit of marine biodiversity. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping review examines environmental impacts related to food production and consumption in Nordic and Baltic countries. The overarching advice to all Nordic and Baltic countries, in line with the current body of scientific literature, is to shift to a more plant-based dietary pattern and avoid food waste. Taking into account current consumption patterns, there is a high potential and necessity to shift food consumption across the countries to minimise its environmental impact. More specifically, a substantial reduction in meat and dairy consumption and increased consumption of legumes/pulses, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds are suggested as a priority intervention. Reducing the environmental impacts of seafoods is also key and suggestions include a shift to seafoods with lower environmental impacts such as seaweed and bivalves. As part of the suggested transition to a more plant-based diet, the scope for increasing the provision of plant-based foods through increasing the cultivation of legumes/pulses, vegetables, and grains and through feed-to-food shifts within the region should be explored.

Abstract From Darwin’s visit to nowadays, we analyzed the changes in species- and genus-level richness and turnover, equity, diversity, composition, as well as functional group and functional strategy dynamics over a 213-year historical series of the seaweed assemblage from Rio de Janeiro Bay. We developed new analysis methods to serve as a protocol for worldwide functional and bioindicator assessment of seaweed assemblages. Over the two centuries of changes tracked, the integration of taxonomic, functional group, and functional strategy analyses unraveled a trajectory of seaweed assemblage restructuring under human disturbance. Our taxonomic analyses showed a high species and genus turnover and a decline in richness, with the local extinction of the Sargassum genus, responsible for warm temperate kelp forests in the Western Atlantic. Seaweed functional group data presented a trend of morphological simplification and miniaturization, with the decline of marine forest canopy and subcanopy-forming groups favoring filamentous and crustose algae dominance. Functional strategy data showed the historical decline of competitive structuring as an assemblage driver in favor of disturbance and stress-structuring, as highlighted by the competitive strategy decrease, coupled with stress-tolerant and ruderal strategies rise across metrics. These changes were successfully portrayed by the new ecological index we proposed, the C/SR index. It is the first quantitative index for seaweed assemblages, designed to be a trackable metric for conservation, monitoring, and restoration efforts.

Abstract Coastal areas are at the centre of human–nature relationship, shaped by recreation, tourism and aesthetic values. However, socioeconomic drivers of biodiversity change in coastal areas have received less attention. Soft sediment seafloors support diverse species communities and contribute to ecosystem functionality. One of the main threats is dredging, which sweeps resident organisms. Dredgings are commonly done to deepen waterways, but also for the purposes of private housing. The ecological impacts of these small‐sized dredgings are not well known over broad environmental and geographical gradients. We developed a simple approach for spatial integration of ecological and socioeconomic system, to describe how recreational land use change contributes to the loss of marine biodiversity. It shows how human behaviour, such as preference for a location of second home, can be derived from spatial data and coupled with ecological change. We characterize typical locations of second homes based on accessibility, aesthetics and environment, and with the information identified suitable areas for new second homes. We also quantified typical areas of dredging, based on the depth and substrate of the sea floor, and the extent of the reed beds, influencing the access to properties. We then simulate an annual increase of new second homes and expected land‐use change, namely dredging of shores. Finally, we quantified the realized and projected loss of marine biodiversity from dredged sites, based on species distribution models, relying on extensive ecological data collected from over 170,000 underwater sites. We found that small‐sized dredging can be detrimental to coastal biodiversity, as dredging targets shallow, photic bays and lagoons, with diverse algal and aquatic plant communities, with limited recovery potential. Dredgings also had broad impacts on benthic faunal habitats, which maintain ecosystem processes and functions. Our results reveal a significant ecological change driven by recreational land use. Reversing the trend of biodiversity loss requires a holistic understanding of socioecological systems. Our results highlight the need for integrating land–sea interactions into conservation policies and reforming current land‐use regulation for the benefit of marine biodiversity. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

The Cerrado, the second largest biome in Brazil and home to nearly 5% of global biodiversity, has experienced a resurgence of devegetation due to the expansion of agribusiness activities. For the last two years, the devegetated area was more than one million hectares per year, surpassing the suppressed vegetation in the Amazon for the same period. Thus, the biome that is already the most impacted in Brazil is rapidly going to a critical tipping point of conservation, when conservation actions, like habitat restoration and species management, will be inviable due to the high cost. Such a situation results from political decisions taken years ago to expand the agricultural frontier to its northern portion, where environmental and social impacts are of high concern. We argue that a new development model is urgently needed to be implemented in the region with most of the remaining natural area.

Mammal populations are declining in biodiverse tropical regions. Global analyses have identified Indonesia as a hotspot of vertebrate decline, although relatively few data are available to substantiate these claims. We reviewed research articles published during 2000–2020 on 104 medium-sized to large terrestrial mammal species found in Indonesia to help inform conservation management and future research. We identified 308 peer-reviewed studies published in English or Bahasa Indonesia, with an increase in publication rate (articles published per year) over time. Studies of species distributions dominated the literature, followed by publications on abundance, species diversity and combinations of these topics. Most publications concerned single-species studies conducted at a single location and a single point in time. We identify four key issues that should be addressed by future research and conservation efforts: (1) disproportionate focus on a small number of species; (2) geographical bias towards west Indonesia (Sumatra, Kalimantan and Java–Bali), with few published studies from central (Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara and Maluku) and east (Papua) Indonesia; (3) limitations to survey design, sampling effort and data analysis; and (4) lack of long-term wildlife population studies. We also note challenges local researchers face in publishing their studies in international journals because of language barriers and costs. Greater use of existing biodiversity data and continued capacity building for local researchers, particularly those in central and east Indonesia, are critical to effectively guide future wildlife monitoring and improve the conservation status of Indonesian mammals.

The agricultural sector has been intensifying production systems to increase yields. Olive cultivation is the most widespread permanent crop in Europe and the Mediterranean region and in many cases, it is under intensive farming practices with heavy use of agrochemicals, greatly affecting olive grove biodiversity. In this study we investigate the impact of different understorey management practices (undisturbed, cleared with mechanical means) on plant cover, ground beetle and bee richness and abundance, and on the abundance of ground arthropods and flying insects in olive groves on Lesvos Island, North Aegean, Greece. We found that undisturbed understorey had a positive impact on plant richness and abundance, ground beetle and bee richness and abundance, as well as ground arthropod and flying insect abundance. The results suggest that maintaining the plant cover undisturbed significantly improves the biodiversity of the olive groves and by extension the ecosystem services, such as pollination, pest control and soil health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies provide evidence that social, economic, political, and conservation-related factors impact cross-national biodiversity loss. One theoretical argument concerning biodiversity loss that has not been directly assessed involves the relationship between species loss and neoliberalism. Generally, neoliberalism promotes free markets. This has become a dominant philosophy across nations (though the strength of neoliberalism varies cross-nationally) and affects how nations interact with one another as resource users and providers. Given how neoliberal policies work to integrate nations into a single global capitalist economy, we assess neoliberalism's effects on threatened species alongside a nation's position in the global world-system. The current study examines nine sets of negative binomial regression models analyzing the effect of neoliberalism, world-system position, and a set of control variables on species biodiversity loss across a sample of 104 countries for which all relevant data were available. We find some support that neoliberalism increases biodiversity loss in fully assessed species (birds and amphibians). We also find support for the hypothesis that there is more biodiversity loss in the periphery and semi-periphery of the world-system (compared with core countries) in fully assessed threatened species. We argue that the results support previous research showing the sociological drivers of biodiversity loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Brazilian Eastern Amazon, an area with high biological endemism, oil palm plantations rapidly expand, presenting ongoing challenges to prevent deforestation and biodiversity loss. This study was developed in the Belém Endemism Area and assessed the impacts of oil palm expansion on biological and social aspects. The biological impact analysis compared biodiversity in seven taxonomic groups between forests and oil palm plantations. It revealed a decline in diversity for aquatic insects (Hemiptera), amphibians, reptiles, birds, and plants, while fish and Odonata insect diversity increased in plantations. On the social front, local communities' perceptions of socioeconomic and environmental changes due to oil palm expansion were examined. Smallholders and hired workers had a lesser negative perceptions than people with no relation with the oil palm value chain, regarding socioeconomic factors (e.g., contributions to the local economy and job opportunities), as well as environmental aspects (e.g., water availability and air and water quality). Our study highlights biological and social factors in the context of oil palm expansion that should be considered to ensure more sustainable development in this ecologically unique and threatened region. Certified companies are encouraged to achieve zero deforestation rates and implement social programs that integrate all local communities into the value chain, aiming for coexistence between oil palm cultivation and biological conservation in the Amazon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because global anthropogenic activities cause vast biodiversity loss, human dimensions research is essential to forming management plans applicable to biodiversity conservation outside wilderness areas. Engaging public participation is crucial in this context to achieve social and environmental benefits. However, knowledge gaps remain in understanding how a balance between conservation and public demands can be reached and how complicated sociocultural contexts in the Anthropocene can be incorporated in conservation planning. We examined China's nationwide conflict between free‐ranging cats (owned cats that are allowed to go outdoors or homeless cats living outdoors) and wildlife to examine how a consensus between compassion and biodiversity conservation can help in decision‐making. We surveyed a random sample of people in China online. Over 9000 questionnaires were completed (44.2% response). In aggregate, respondents reported approximately 29 million free‐ranging owned cats and that over 5 million domestic cats per year become feral in mainland China. Respondents who were cat owners, female, and religious were more likely to deny the negative impacts of cats on wildlife and ongoing management strategies and more supportive of stray cat shelters, adoption, and community‐based fund raising than nonowners, male, and nonreligious respondents (p < 0.05). Free‐ranging cat ownership and abandonment occurred less with owners with more knowledge of biodiversity and invasive species than with respondents with less knowledge of these subjects (p < 0.05). We recommend that cat enthusiasts and wildlife conservationists participate in community‐based initiatives, such as campaigns to keep cats indoors. Our study provides a substantially useful framework for other regions where free‐ranging cats are undergoing rapid expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are ubiquitous alterations in all dimensions of biodiversity, including species distribution patterns and local abundances, and consequently the intensity of species interactions. The fitness of interacting species are often linked, which fuels reciprocal coevolutionary selection. Although our understanding of both the extent of biodiversity change and its drivers is rapidly increasing, we currently lack a framework for assessing how coevolutionary selection is concurrently being altered. Here, we harness ecological and evolutionary literature to propose the key pathways through which coevolutionary selection is expected to change to provide a blueprint for future research addressing this knowledge gap. Ignoring disruption of coevolutionary dynamics alongside ecological dynamics may significantly underestimate the extent of ongoing biodiversity change. Coevolutionary selection is a powerful process shaping species interactions and biodiversity. Anthropogenic global environmental change is reshaping planetary biodiversity, including by altering the structure and intensity of interspecific interactions. However, remarkably little is understood of how coevolutionary selection is changing in the process. Here, we outline three interrelated pathways – change in evolutionary potential, change in community composition, and shifts in interaction trait distributions – that are expected to redirect coevolutionary selection under biodiversity change. Assessing how both ecological and evolutionary rules governing species interactions are disrupted under anthropogenic global change is of paramount importance to understand the past, present, and future of Earth's biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological and evolutionary predictions are being increasingly employed to inform decision-makers confronted with intensifying pressures on biodiversity. For these efforts to effectively guide conservation actions, knowing the limit of predictability is pivotal. In this study, we provide realistic expectations for the enterprise of predicting changes in ecological and evolutionary observations through time. We begin with an intuitive explanation of predictability (the extent to which predictions are possible) employing an easy-to-use metric, predictive power PP(t). To illustrate the challenge of forecasting, we then show that among insects, birds, fishes and mammals, (i) 50% of the populations are predictable at most 1 year in advance and (ii) the median 1-year-ahead predictive power corresponds to a prediction R2 of only 20%. Predictability is not an immutable property of ecological systems. For example, different harvesting strategies can impact the predictability of exploited populations to varying degrees. Moreover, incorporating explanatory variables, accounting for time trends and considering multivariate time series can enhance predictability. To effectively address the challenge of biodiversity loss, researchers and practitioners must be aware of the information within the available data that can be used for prediction and explore efficient ways to leverage this knowledge for environmental stewardship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current knowledge about the impacts of urbanisation on bird assemblages is based on evidence from studies partly or wholly undertaken in the breeding season. In comparison, the non‐breeding season remains little studied, despite the fact that winter conditions at higher latitudes are changing more rapidly than other seasons. During the non‐breeding season, cities may attract or retain bird species because they offer milder conditions or better feeding opportunities than surrounding habitats. However, the range of climatic, ecological and anthropogenic mechanisms shaping different facets of urban bird diversity in the non‐breeding season are poorly understood. We explored these mechanisms using structural equation modelling to assess how urbanisation affects the taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity of avian assemblages sampled worldwide in the non‐breeding season. We found that minimum temperature, elevation, urban area and city age played a critical role in determining taxonomic diversity while a range of factors—including productivity, precipitation, elevation, distance to coasts and rivers, socio‐economic (as a proxy of human facilitation) and road density—each contributed to patterns of phylogenetic and functional diversity. The structure and function of urban bird assemblages appear to be predominantly shaped by temperature, productivity and city age, with effects of these factors differing across seasons. Our results underline the importance of considering multiple hypotheses, including seasonal effects, when evaluating the impacts of urbanisation on biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coordinated policies and effective global environmental governance are needed to address the global biodiversity crisis. Human dimensions like geopolitics influence conservation decision‐making and outcomes. The importance of considering these complex social factors is heightened in an era of renewed great‐power politics, as the intensifying US–China rivalry has direct implications for environmental governance and biodiversity outcomes. Can the US–China rivalry and its confrontational dynamics be channeled into conservation policymaking to improve biodiversity outcomes? Drawing from international relations and policy studies, policy diffusion theory can provide conservationists with useful insights into the interdependency of policy decisions. Here, we examine the four mechanisms—competition, coercion, learning, and emulation—of the classic model of policy diffusion theory in the context of environmental policymaking. We explore a case study for each mechanism to illustrate how it can benefit biodiversity conservation, and point to examples of relevant policies and actions that could improve outcomes. To operationalize this concept for conservation, we present a decision tree that conservationists can use to determine the most relevant policy diffusion mechanism in different policy contexts. Upon determining the appropriate mechanism, conservationists can take further steps to intentionally trigger the mechanism and catalyze conservation policy diffusion across jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pesticides affect biota inside and outside agricultural fields due to their intrinsic mode of action. This study investigated whether pesticide active substances (AS) approved for conventional agriculture in Europe differ in their ecotoxicity from AS approved for organic agriculture. The evaluation was based on official ecotoxicological data for surrogate honeybee, bird, and earthworm species, which also serve as a reference for official environmental risk assessments in the pesticide authorization process. In October 2022, 268 chemical-synthetic AS approved for conventional and 179 nature-based AS approved for organic agriculture were listed in the EU Pesticide Database. Ecotoxicological data were only available for 254 AS approved for use in conventional agriculture and 110 AS approved for use in organic agriculture. The results showed a higher ecotoxicity of conventional AS: 79% (201 AS), 64% (163 AS) and 91% (230 AS) were moderately to acutely toxic to honeybees, birds, and earthworms, respectively, compared to 44% (48 AS), 14% (15 AS) and 36% (39 AS) of AS approved for organic agriculture. We have only considered the potential ecotoxicities of individual substances in this assessment; actual exposure in the field, where multiple AS formulations with other chemicals (including impurities) are applied, will be different. Nevertheless, these results emphasize that an increase in organic agriculture in Europe would reduce the ecotoxicological burden on biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the link between corporate biodiversity management and the risk of sudden declines in future stock prices, an area largely overlooked in empirical research despite the societal significance of biodiversity loss. We posit that robust corporate biodiversity efforts mitigate the suppression of negative information, consequently reducing the risk of abrupt stock price declines. Leveraging a global dataset and innovative biodiversity management metrics from Moody's ESG Solutions (former Vigero Eiris), our multivariate regression analysis demonstrates that companies with stronger biodiversity structures and actions exhibit lower stock price crash risk. In an additional analysis, we focus on environmental inspections as a possible conduit for releasing negative information on biodiversity management. Using a subsample of North American firms that were inspected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), we find that firms which experience an inspection record an increase in their stock price crash risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn has influenced scientists for decades. It focuses on a progression of science involving periodic, fundamental shifts-revolutions-from one existing paradigm to another. Embedded in this theory is the concept of normal science, that is, scientists work within the confines of established theory, a process often compared to a type of puzzle-solving. This Kuhnian aspect of scientific research has received little attention relative to the much-scrutinized concepts of revolutions and paradigms. We use Kuhn's normal science framework to reflect on the way ecologists practice science. This involves a discussion of how theory dependence influences each step of the scientific method, specifically, how past experiences and existing research frameworks guide the way ecologists acquire knowledge. We illustrate these concepts with ecological examples, including food web structure and the biodiversity crisis, emphasizing that the way one views the world influences how that person engages in scientific research. We conclude with a discussion of how Kuhnian ideas inform ecological research at practical levels, such as influences on grant funding allocation, and we make a renewed call for the inclusion of philosophical foundations of ecological principles in pedagogy. By studying the processes and traditions of how science is carried out, ecologists can better direct scientific insight to address the world's most pressing environmental problems.

This study examines the bushmeat trade in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria, through the lens of environmental justice, focusing on sustainable livelihoods and wildlife conservation. Environmental justice in this context seeks to ensure fair economic opportunities for bushmeat marketers, predominantly women (93%), while protecting vulnerable wildlife species. The surveyed marketers—90% of whom were married—face social inequalities, with only 50% having secondary education and 10% lacking formal education. Most marketers sell bushmeat to household consumers and travelers, raising concerns about the potential spillover of wildlife products beyond Nigeria’s borders, with implications for conservation and zoonotic disease risks. ANOVA results show that greater experience leads to higher profits from species like grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus; P = 0.005) and nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus; P = 0.001). As key species such as West African crocodile (Crocdylus suchus), African leopard (Panthera pardus), and ground pangolin (Manis temminckii) decline in availability in traditional hunting grounds, this study emphasizes the urgent need for conservation policies that promote sustainable trade practices and provide alternative livelihoods. These strategies would advance the science of environmental justice by reducing pressure on wildlife (ecological justice) while ensuring stable incomes for marketers (social justice).

The rapid loss of global biodiversity affects the creation and maintenance of community biodiversity and ecosystem structure and function. Thus, it is insufficient to focus solely on the effects of biodiversity loss on community biodiversity without also considering other impacts such as community assembly, niches, interspecific relationships, community stability, and biodiversity–ecosystem function. In this study, a 3- and 10-year biodiversity manipulation experiment was conducted in an alpine meadow to examine the effects of the individual plant functional group (PFG) removal on the niches of community dominant species by removal of Gramineae, Cyperaceae, legumes, and other forbs. The results indicated that PFG removal led to variation in community niches. The long-term PFG removal led to a gradual decline in the number of Gramineae and Cyperaceae species in the community. Over time, the niche widths of dominant Gramineae and Cyperaceae species gradually narrowed, and the degree of niche overlapping decreased. The number of positively and negatively associated species tended to decrease and increase, respectively. Reduced species diversity led to significant differences in the niches of the remaining species within the community. Thus, species niche differences, resulting from variation in resource allocation, commonly determined the dynamic construction of species composition within the community.

Planetary health is crucial to human well-being, ecosystem sustainability, and biodiversity preservation. In this context, camera traps are an effective remote sensing tool for monitoring biodiversity. Given the rising importance of understanding biodiversity patterns and trends, this study examines possible factors influencing camera-trap studies and provides bibliometric insights from 2377 publications indexed in the Web of Science (WoS). To explore the potential drivers of camera-trap research growth, we used a logistic model based on specific variables, including global gross domestic product, temperature growth, a planetary health measure the declining living planet index, and human population growth. The living planet index was identified as a statistically significant driver of camera-trap research growth (p-value

The current global decline in biodiversity is a matter of pressing concern, necessitating the conservation of diverse ecosystems across various spatial scales. Regions such as the tropical Andes face the imminent threat of biotic homogenization due to intensive livestock grazing, posing a significant risk to biodiversity. This study is focused on the sub-humid grasslands of northwestern Bolivia, within the the National Park Apolobamba. We surveyed a total of 105 plots distributed across seven sites, representing a natural gradient of grazing intensity. Within each site, the plots were organized into five clusters to explore the impact of environmental factors on plant diversity within and among communities. Our research reveals that local plant diversity, quantified by species richness and the inverse Simpson index, is predominantly shaped by soil pH. Notably, more acidic soil is associated with diminished diversity. Furthermore, our findings highlight that the dissimilarity in species composition among local communities may be linked to grazing intensity. This suggests that intensified grazing may have the potential to homogenize plant communities across the landscape. A concerning implication is the likelihood of communities becoming dominated by acquisitive species, leaving them more susceptible to the impacts of climate variability. The study underlines the necessity to analyze multiple facets of diversity for a comprehensive understanding of the environmental factors regulating and therefore to address potential drivers of diversity loss. To mitigate these threats, managers may consider adjusting livestock quantities and the spatial range used by grazers, aiming to sustain multiple aspects of plant diversity and prevent homogenization and degradation of grasslands in a changing world.

Abstract Gardens hold untapped potential for participatory biodiversity conservation. Conservation gardening has recently emerged as a way to foster declining native plant species in urban and rural green spaces. But the impact of cultivating these species on population trends in the broader landscape remains underexplored. This study examines the effects of cultivating herbaceous native plants on their long‐term population trends and endangerment, using Rothmaler's ‘Herbaceous Ornamental and Crop Plants’ in Germany, along with the German Red List of 1998 and 2018. It investigates whether native plants under cultivation are less endangered, examines the long‐term population trends relative to cultivation frequency and assesses the potential role of cultivation in improving Red List status. The findings reveal that cultivated species, especially those commonly grown in gardens, were less likely to be endangered. Moreover, commonly cultivated species had fewer declining and more positive long‐term population trends compared to non‐cultivated species. Some evidence suggests that commonly cultivated plants recorded on the 1998 Red List as threatened are more likely to improve their status, yet still a considerable proportion is in decline. These findings hint at a promising role of gardens as a means to support native species populations, but they also underscore the need for a nuanced understanding of which species are most likely to benefit from cultivation. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Abstract Biodiversity loss amplifies the need for taxonomic understanding at global, regional, and local scales. The United Nations Environmental Programme Sustainable Development Goals are explicit in their demand for greater accountability with respect to ecosystem management, and Sustainable Development Goal 15, Life on Land, specifically calls for a halt to biodiversity loss. Pollinators (bees and butterflies) are two functional groups with public attention for protection, yet little long-term data availability. National Parks, including those in the United States, act as optimal sites to study biodiversity loss, but historic data tends to vary in availability. This study addresses systematic taxonomic and digitalization biases present within historic (museum), modern (citizen science), and non-digitized (private collection) datasets for Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks from 1900 to 2021. We find that, although database record availability is representative of butterfly and bumble bee groups known for the area, categories such as data rescue, digitalization/availability, and management/archiving vary across database types. These findings on virtual datasets offer opportunities for conservationists to understand the efficacy of digitized collections in addressing questions of species loss over time, including the strengths and pitfalls of digitized data repositories. Additionally, virtual datasets can be utilized to monitor biodiversity under Sustainable Development Goal 15 targets while also promoting broader access to resources such as museum collections for educational purposes.

Abstract Background Global biodiversity is rapidly declining, yet we still do not fully understand the relationships between biodiversity and human health and well-being. As debated, the loss of biodiversity or reduced contact with natural biodiversity may lead to more public health problems, such as an increase in chronic disease. There is a growing body of research that investigates how multiple forms of biodiversity are associated with an increasingly diverse set of human health and well-being outcomes across scales. This protocol describes the intended method to systematically mapping the evidence on the associations between biodiversity from microscopic to planetary scales and human health and well-being from individual to global scales. Methods We will systematically map secondary studies on the topic by following the Collaborations for Environmental Evidence Guidelines and Standards for Evidence Synthesis in Environment Management. We developed the searching strings to target both well established and rarely studied forms of biodiversity and human health and well-being outcomes in the literature. A pairwise combination search of biodiversity and human health subtopics will be conducted in PubMed, Web of Science platform (across four databases) and Scopus with no time restrictions. To improve the screening efficiency in EPPI reviewer, supervised machine learning, such as a bespoke classification model, will be trained and applied at title and abstract screening stage. A consistency check between at least two independent reviewers will be conducted during screening (both title-abstract and full-text) and data extraction process. No critical appraisal will be undertaken in this map. We may use topic modelling (unsupervised machine learning) to cluster the topics as a basis for further statistical and narrative analysis.

Abstract Background The global food system is inflicting substantial environmental harm, necessitating a shift towards more environmentally sustainable food consumption practices. Policy interventions, for example, information campaigns, taxes and subsidies and changes in the choice context are essential to stimulate sustainable change, but their effectiveness in achieving environmental goals remains inadequately understood. Existing literature lacks a comprehensive synthesis of evidence on the role of public policies in promoting sustainable food consumption. Our systematic map addressed this gap by collecting and categorising research evidence on public policy interventions aimed at establishing environmentally sustainable food consumption patterns, in order to answer the primary research question: What evidence exists on the effects of public policy interventions for achieving environmentally sustainable food consumption? Methods Searches for relevant records (in English) were performed in WoS, Scopus, ASSIA, ProQuest Dissertation and Theses, EconLit, Google Scholar and in bibliographies of relevant reviews. A grey literature search was also performed on 28 specialist websites (searches were made in the original language of the webpages and publications in English, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian were eligible) and Google Scholar (search in English). Screening was performed at title/abstract and full-text levels, with machine learning-aided priority screening at title/abstract level. Eligibility criteria encompassed settings, interventions (public policies on sustainable food consumption), target groups and outcomes. No critical appraisal of study validity was conducted. Data coding covered bibliographic details, study characteristics, intervention types and outcomes. Evidence was categorised into intervention types and subcategories. Visual representation utilised bar plots, diagrams, heatmaps and an evidence atlas. This produced a comprehensive overview of effects of public policy interventions on sustainable food consumption patterns. Review findings The evidence base included 227 articles (267 interventions), with 92% of studies in high-income countries and only 4% in low-income countries. Quantitative studies dominated (83%), followed by mixed methods (16%) and qualitative studies (1%). Most interventions were information-based and 50% of reviewed studies looked at labels. Information campaigns/education interventions constituted 10% of the sample, and menu design changes and restriction/editing of choice context 8% each. Market-based interventions represented 13% of total interventions, of which two-thirds were taxes. Administrative interventions were rare (

Rare and endangered species have narrow geographical distributions and are vulnerable to environmental changes. Studying the impact of future climate change on their distributions and identifying areas of high conservation priority are key to halting biodiversity loss. In this study, we combined a species distribution model with systematic conservation planning to simulate the suitable distributions of rare and endangered vascular plants and vertebrates in Inner Mongolia in the current and future (the 2050s), analyzed the vulnerability of species, and identified areas with high conservation priority. Currently, species richness (SR) of vascular plant was high in the Greater Khingan Mountains, and SR of vertebrates was high on the Hulunbuir Plateau, which are two species-rich areas. By 2050, 41.8% to 54.6% of vascular plants will have a reduced suitable distribution area, versus 46.8% to 51.1% for vertebrates. Vascular plant SR increased significantly in the Mu Us Desert, which became a new species-rich area. Vertebrate SR increased in western Inner Mongolia, but species-rich areas changed little. Species-rich areas are also potentially affected by future land use change, particularly in grassland, forest, and cropland areas with high SR. The current priority biodiversity conservation area covers 12.27 × 104 km2, of which 80.6% is located outside existing protected areas. By 2050, this percentage may increase to 83.4%. Our study revealed the potential pressure of existing protected areas in protecting biodiversity under future climate change, which helps decision-makers develop the most appropriate development strategies in advance to promote China's sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]