Researchers found that species diversity is highest in landscapes with 60% unmanaged forests and 40% intensively managed forests. Extensively managed forests contribute little to support species richness, but improving their ecological performance can help maintain forest biodiversity.
Researchers have developed a new statistical method, CORAL, to analyze millions of species data, improving predictions for rare species and their habitats. This approach enables comprehensive modeling and prediction of biodiversity, providing more accurate information for decision-makers and researchers.
A new study found that extensive low-intensity cattle grazing practices can maintain ground-dwelling arthropod diversity even on intensively cultivated agricultural grasslands. Organic farms with low-intensity grazing showed higher arthropod diversity compared to conventional farms.
A new white paper urges placing biodiversity at the heart of the UN Pact for the Future, highlighting its essential role in food security, public health, and climate stability. The authors propose a global alliance to integrate biodiversity conservation into the core priorities of the UN Summit of the Future.
A recent study reveals that African forest habitats maintain a species-rich Pimplinae fauna compared to nearby farmland, making them valuable for conserving unknown dark biodiversity. The research also suggests that parasitoid wasps occupy a high position in food webs and are vulnerable to biodiversity loss.
Five new professors join Goethe University's C3S, focusing on biodiversity modeling, socioeconomic drivers of climate change, data surveillance, critical computational literacy, and the normative constitution of computation. Hagen, Linsenmeier, Akbari, Verständig, and Müller-Mall bring fresh momentum to the center.
Empirical evidence shows that land sharing and land sparing strategies alone are insufficient for balancing agricultural production with biodiversity conservation. Context-specific combinations of both approaches yield the best results, according to a meta-analysis published in PNAS Nexus.
A new study by HKU ecologists reveals that intensifying El Niño events are disrupting arthropod populations across the tropics, leading to ecosystem function loss and destabilization. The team found significant biodiversity loss in multiple types of arthropods, with declines linked to weaker decomposition and herbivory processes.
A study from the University of Gothenburg found broad support for achieving the 30–30 target, with 82% of respondents across five continents in favor. The researchers also discovered that design and implementation of conservation policies significantly impact public support, suggesting a need for adaptable approaches to protecting nature.
The FORbEST project uses Living Labs to co-create new forest management strategies that consider climate change, biodiversity, and social constraints. The project aims to identify and test best practices for optimising biodiversity and carbon storage while supporting rural livelihoods.
A new study by University of Nottingham scientists assesses biodiversity credit suppliers against six integrity criteria, finding notable weaknesses in verifiable outcomes and risk disclosure. The authors advocate for transparent governance and harmonized data collection protocols to ensure credibility and impact.
Researchers analyzed ancient pollen grains to study plant biodiversity responses to climate and land use changes. Two sites showed different patterns of biodiversity change, with one site experiencing steady decline due to peat formation, while the other showed rapid changes with recolonization through disturbances.
A new study reveals fragmented communication and coordination undermine European biodiversity research infrastructures' effectiveness. Uneven geographical representation and inconsistent practices impede collaboration and efficient resource use.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework sets robust targets for protecting marine biodiversity, addressing its complexity and variability. By focusing on key indicators such as species distribution, genetic diversity, and ecosystem structure, policymakers can track changes and implement effective conservation measures.
A new framework developed by Oxford researchers helps agricultural sectors track and address biodiversity impacts, identifying areas where progress in one area may harm others. The study's safeguards act as checks and balances, ensuring that improvements in one area do not mask problems in another.
A new analysis found that diversity hotspots of mycorrhizal fungi overlapped with plant diversity hotspots in only 8.8% and 1.5% of cases, respectively. The study suggests that prioritizing conservation based on aboveground diversity fails to capture diverse belowground regions.
Despite poor health scores for England's rivers, independent review reveals important improvements in freshwater biodiversity, including increases in species richness and diversity. An alternative monitoring standard has been proposed to better reveal the status of different species and inform local decisions.
The SPUN Underground Atlas reveals that over 90% of mycorrhizal biodiversity hotspots lie outside protected areas, emphasizing the need for conservation efforts. The digital map provides insights into fungal diversity and environmental factors, enabling predictions for previously unmapped regions.
Scientists have released high-resolution maps revealing 90% of mycorrhizal fungal biodiversity hotspots outside protected areas, posing a threat to carbon drawdown and ecosystem resilience. The research highlights the critical role of mycorrhizal fungi in regulating Earth's climate and ecosystems.
Researchers conducted the world's biggest bird survey in Colombia, recording 971 species and finding that clearing rainforest for cattle pasture causes a 60% greater biodiversity loss than previously thought. The study highlights the need for policymakers to consider the larger-scale impact of deforestation on biodiversity.
The EU-wide requirement emphasizes five key steps for successful nature restoration: clear communication, agreed targets, coordinated measures, supportive frameworks, and attractive incentives. Effective implementation is crucial to achieving long-term biodiversity goals and mitigating climate change.
A new study suggests that EU agricultural policy can reduce carbon emissions by nearly a third and improve biodiversity recovery through strategic de-intensification. This approach involves adopting more sustainable farming practices, such as organic fertilizers, biological pest control, and low-input systems.
A new study found that people's intuitive perception of biodiversity through visual and audio cues is remarkably accurate, aligning closely with scientific measures. Participants sorted images and audio recordings of forests based on perceived biodiversity, noticing vegetation density and light conditions visually, while acoustically d...
Researchers found that perception of visual diversity was linked to color, vegetation density, lighting, and forest structure, while acoustic diversity was linked to birdsong, volume, and seasonal cues. Participants were more accurate when assessing forest biodiversity through sound alone than through sight alone.
A new study by the HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research found that villages within forest-dominated landscapes exhibit higher biodiversity compared to agricultural settings. City proximity boosts human well-being, but has little impact on species numbers and diversity.
The LAFERIA Project focuses on identifying key factors for reintroducing landscape features, evaluating their benefits and challenges, and developing strategies to overcome them. The project will employ a participatory engagement framework to work with stakeholders across seven European countries.
A new study reveals that global marine biodiversity data is heavily biased towards shallow waters and vertebrates, with vast areas of the deep sea and invertebrates poorly represented. The findings highlight the need for prioritized sampling to fill these gaps and support sustainable ocean management.
Scientists from University of Leicester collaborate with traditional Amazonian communities to monitor biodiversity using artificial intelligence, enabling them to maintain control over their resources and territories. The project aims to reshape conservation approaches in the world's largest tropical rainforest.
The GREEN TALENT project aims to address climate change and biodiversity loss by boosting skills and competences in research and innovation. The four-year project will establish demonstration hubs in Malta, Greece, Cyprus, and Bulgaria, hosting 45 secondments and fostering international collaboration.
Over 16,000 Pensoft articles are now available on the BHL platform, complete with full-text PDFs and metadata. This integration enhances accessibility for researchers seeking biodiversity information.
Research reveals that ignoring ecological differences between male and female plants can lead to inaccurate biodiversity forecasts. The study highlights the need to refine biodiversity forecasts to account for sex-specific responses to climate change, finding that female dominance may increase under global warming.
A narrow coastline results in lower biodiversity, making it more vulnerable to sea level rise. Effective nature management and spatial planning can help boost biodiversity in these areas.
Native bee species play diverse roles in Australian ecosystems, from pollination services to hosting parasitoids and parasites. Dr. Prendergast's research emphasizes the importance of conserving these unique species and provides guidance on how individuals can support their protection.
The SHOWCASE project has published four practice abstracts on the EU CAP Network platform, providing practical insights for farmers and policymakers. The findings highlight the importance of well-designed incentives, farmer behavior, and bridging the science-policy gap to promote biodiversity integration in European agriculture.
A recent study found that human activities negatively impact plant diversity over vast distances, with natural habitats containing only a fraction of potential species in heavily impacted regions. The DarkDivNet network analyzed 5,500 locations across the globe, revealing alarming effects on biodiversity.
A new study from McGill University suggests AI can revolutionize conservation efforts by enabling data-driven decision making. The research identifies key ways AI can close biodiversity knowledge gaps, including species identification and distribution mapping.
A new study by University College London researchers suggests that intensifying existing farmland can degrade local biodiversity more than expanding agricultural land, depending on factors like region and crop type. The study highlights the need for sustainable intensification techniques to mitigate the impact of farming on the environ...
A recent study suggests that highly diverse microbial ecosystems may actually decrease stability under stress conditions. In contrast, low-diversity ecosystems often exhibit increased growth rates and community stability when faced with starvation or high salinity.
A new study suggests that regional conditions alter the makeup of communities, influencing biodiversity. The researchers found that immigration from highly diverse seed mixes maintained species diversity over time, while local factors had a limited impact on biodiversity loss.
A new study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution shows that integrating nature restoration with land management strategies can ensure long-term sustainability. Strategic restoration efforts can yield significant biodiversity and climate benefits while ensuring continued food and timber production across Europe.
A new study analyzes modern pollen data with biodiversity indices to reconstruct angiosperm diversity patterns across China. The results show that climate strongly influenced diversity, with coldest-month temperatures being the dominant factor.
The partnership streamlines access to biodiversity data, enabling users to search and refine queries based on various criteria. Pensoft's hosted portals provide a scalable solution for 30 journals, fostering greater connectivity between scientific research and evidence.
A study by Eawag and the University of Zurich found that human impacts on biodiversity are widespread and severe, with average species declines of 20% across all biogeographic regions. The composition of species communities is also shifting, with environmental pollution and habitat changes having a particularly negative impact.
The new service enables users to create and download customised reports summarising species occurrences in a format suitable for biodiversity modelling and indicators. This expansion of GBIF's capabilities aims to improve the usability of biodiversity data, particularly for Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) and indicator workflows.
A study led by the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research found that tree diversity significantly enhances forest temperature buffering, particularly during heat peaks. Species-rich forests showed a greater cooling effect, up to 4.4°C stronger than single-species forests.
Research reveals that mountain uplift and dynamic topography significantly shape biodiversity over geological timescales. By simulating millions of years of tectonic uplift, scientists found a direct link between species richness and the magnitude and pace of mountain building, with topographic relief stabilizing species equilibrium.
A major review of over 67,000 animal species found that targeted conservation efforts are helping to recover many species threatened with extinction. The study highlights both successes and the need for urgent action to address the global biodiversity crisis.
The study found that fragmented landscapes had 13.6% fewer species at the patch scale and 12.1% fewer species at the landscape scale. Generalist species primarily live in fragmented areas. The researchers conclude that large, continuous landscapes are better for preserving biodiversity.
A new study found that large, connected forests harbor more biodiversity than fragmented landscapes. The researchers analyzed data from 37 sites around the world and discovered that fragmentation decreases species diversity by an average of 13.6% at the patch scale and 12.1% at the landscape scale.
A University of Oxford study found that widely used biodiversity impact assessment tools have significant uncertainties, which can lead to misguided efforts and ineffective strategies if not addressed. The researchers suggest ways to reveal, reduce, and navigate these uncertainties to improve the use of these tools.
The Biodiversity Data Journal has launched its own data portal on GBIF, providing seamless access to nearly 300,000 biological organism occurrences. The portal also offers direct access to over 800 datasets and 1,000 citations of associated journal articles.
The Libroscope initiative seeks to unlock and link data from scientific literature to support understanding of biodiversity. By 2035, the power of biodiversity knowledge will be fully leveraged within an open science framework.
Researchers propose a new biological hypothesis that combines tree dispersal modes and mycorrhizal types to explain the latitudinal variation in forest biodiversity. Advanced spatial analysis techniques reveal a negative aggregation–abundance relationship, stronger in temperate forests, which is linked to animal seed dispersal and myco...
A study found that reductions in zinc and copper pollution led to improvements in freshwater biodiversity in England's rivers. The researchers used statistical modeling to investigate various factors contributing to the decline in metal pollution.
A new guide helps researchers effectively use various R packages for species distribution modeling, improving accuracy and breadth of analyses. By combining tools, scientists can tackle a wider range of questions and contribute to stronger biodiversity assessments worldwide.
Researchers argue that rewilding productive farmland or forestry in industrialised nations with low biodiversity may do more harm than good on a planetary scale. Efforts to conserve nature can displace production to more biodiverse regions, leading to increased demand for commodities like red meat.
A Princeton study reveals how consumption-driven deforestation by high-income nations drives biodiversity loss in other countries, responsible for 13.3% of global range loss. The study finds that these countries cause international biodiversity losses 15 times greater than their domestic impacts.
Despite decades of restoration efforts, biodiversity growth has stalled in restored Danish wetlands. The study highlights the need for concrete measures such as grazing animals and full restoration of watercourses to improve plant species richness.
A multinational research project, led by UC Merced and BioSCape, used NASA aircraft to collect data on ultraviolet, visual, thermal and other images over South Africa's Greater Cape Floristic Region. The data provided a comprehensive look at the region's biodiversity and ecosystem function.
A new study by Purdue University reveals that improved crop varieties led to global benefits for the environment and food system sustainability. The analysis found that reduced agricultural land use saved 1,043 animal and plant species, with most avoided losses located in biodiversity hot spots.