Articles tagged with Biodiversity Loss
A new study shows that reversing evolutionary changes in fish stocks like cod can be profitable and help conserve natural genetic diversity. With century-long planning horizons, evolutionary decline can be reversed without significantly reducing profits.
A new study reveals that northern and southern resident orcas differ in their hunting behaviors, with males catching more salmon per hour than females. Southern resident males outperform females by 152%, highlighting a distinct pattern of foraging that may contribute to the population decline.
Researchers from iDiv and MLU found that species with extreme body size shifts have a higher risk of extinction on islands. The study analyzed over 1,200 extant and extinct island mammals and found a correlation between human colonization and increased extinction rates.
A warmer climate is causing bumblebee queens to emerge earlier, potentially disrupting the timing of plant-pollinator interactions. This can lead to reduced biodiversity and lower pollination rates, as some species may not have enough food during their flight period.
A recent study analyzed marine ecosystems before, during, and after the Permian-Triassic extinction event, revealing that biodiversity loss led to ecological destabilization. The researchers found that functional redundancy, or the presence of multiple species performing similar functions, was critical in maintaining ecosystem stability.
A study by the University of Göttingen found that arranging rows of trees at right angles to semi-natural habitats increases pollination performance and nut production. The design also promotes easy movement of bees through the plantation.
Aquaculture can help restore ecosystems by removing excess nutrients and promoting biodiversity. Conservationists are using aquaculture techniques to create healthy habitats for marine species, including shellfish reefs and fish populations.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework faces implementation challenges due to entrenched North-South divides and inadequate funding. The framework requires countries to adopt equity principles and account for past damage to achieve its 2050 vision of living in harmony with nature.
Researchers call for grassroots action to raise awareness about soil biodiversity's role in promoting human health and wellbeing. Cities' loss of biodiversity, pollution, and decline of green spaces reduce exposure to beneficial soil microbes, increasing allergies and illnesses like asthma.
A new study from researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that community gardens and urban farms support incredibly high levels of plant and animal biodiversity. These gardens also provide numerous ecosystem services, including pollination, carbon sequestration, and food production, while increasing human well-being.
A global picture of local species richness trends is hindered by incomplete and biased data, with regional imbalances leading to a distorted impression. The study advocates for prioritizing local assessments and standardized monitoring programs to address measurement errors and spatial biases.
A new Stanford-led study highlights the importance of coordinated policies governing biodiversity in Colombia, one of the world's most biodiverse countries. The research found that biodiversity is governed by nearly 200 distinct policies covering various ecosystems and conservation approaches.
Researchers at University of Delaware examine transnational agricultural land acquisitions and forest loss, revealing threats to biodiversity in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. The study uses largest global dataset of georeferenced agricultural land investments to quantify the impact of these investments on forest cover.
A new study reveals that up to 38% of the remaining Amazon forest area has been affected by human disturbances, causing significant carbon emissions. The research highlights the cumulative effect of factors such as forest fire, edge effects, selective logging, and extreme drought on forest degradation.
A new study reveals that EU consumers are 'exporting' negative environmental impacts to their Eastern European neighbours while keeping economic benefits within the EU. The bulk of environmental pressures and impacts associated with EU consumption are felt in countries outside the bloc, with uneven distribution of costs and benefits wi...
Expanding seaweed farming could reduce demand for terrestrial crops and greenhouse gas emissions by up to 2.6 billion tonnes per year. The study identified millions of available hectares of ocean suitable for farming, with the Indonesian EEZ showing great potential.
A new study analyzing a two-decade long grassland experiment found that plant species complement each other to produce stable biomass at the community level. This 'compensatory' effect is more pronounced in diverse communities, which also show increased stability and resilience over time.
A new study found that protected natural areas of the UK are failing to stop declines in insects and spiders, despite being richer in species. The results suggest that while these areas conserve valuable habitats, they need more assistance to tackle wider threats posed by climate change, pollution, and invasive species.
The article highlights that forests are not just threatened by agricultural expansion, but also by the consumption of non-agricultural products and international trade. Intact forests play a crucial role in regulating climate and biodiversity, and their loss can have significant indirect impacts on carbon emissions and biodiversity loss.
A new study analyzes carbon dioxide removal quotas for developing countries, considering issues of equity and fairness. The allocation methods were based on extended equity principles and assessed the implications for these seven tropical developing countries.
A recent study reveals that recovering Madagascar's mammal species would take over 20 million years if currently threatened species go extinct, much longer than other islands.
A recent study by University of Washington researchers found that climate 'presses' and 'pulses' have equal importance on Magellanic penguin population survival. The team analyzed nearly four decades of data at Punta Tombo, Argentina, revealing a decline in breeding pairs from 400,000 to 150,000 between the 1980s and 2019.
A new UK study published in the British Ecological Society journal People and Nature suggests that paying farmers to create woodland and wetland habitats is the most cost-effective way to deliver environmental targets. This approach, known as 'land sparing,' would cost just 48% of the funds required for 'land sharing' approaches, which...
New research collates 100 years of data, suggesting significant declines in UK earthworm abundance could have occurred due to changes in the countryside. The study highlights the importance of monitoring soil invertebrates and their impact on ecosystem health.
Climate change and land use will cause extinction cascades leading to the loss of 10% of animals and plants by 2050, rising to 27% by 2100. The study highlights coextinctions as a dominant factor in future vertebrate losses.
The report highlights that European taxonomic expertise is declining, with nearly half of insect orders not covered by sufficient scientists. The lack of expertise correlates with GDP and is more pronounced in biodiverse countries, posing significant problems for species conservation.
A new study provides insights into which pressures cause damage to plant species, revealing that agricultural activities pose a significant threat across diverse ecosystems. The transformation of production practices can mitigate this risk, reducing extinction rates by up to 54% in Norway.
A new study finds that inadequate pollination leads to a 3-5% loss of fruit, vegetable, and nut production, resulting in 427,000 excess deaths annually from lost healthy food consumption. The health burden is greater in middle- and higher-income countries with high rates of non-communicable diseases.
A new study by the University of East Anglia highlights the risks of relying on nature-based solutions, such as forests and soils, to achieve net-zero emissions. The research warns that these solutions may not be enough to offset the remaining difficult-to-decarbonize emissions if progress on reducing fossil fuel use stalls.
The study highlights the need to address root causes of biodiversity decline, including inequality, consumption patterns, and unsustainable technologies. A 'nature-and-people-positive' approach is crucial for conservation efforts to be successful and equitable.
Conservation efforts in Madagascar require balancing human development with protection of its rich biodiversity, which is threatened by extinction due to local species' uniqueness. Reforestation and community engagement are recommended strategies for addressing these challenges.
Research finds most Asian countries have failed to protect at least 17% of land by 2020, and the outlook for achieving 30% protection by 2030 is bleak. To meet targets, Asian countries need to increase their rate of establishing protected areas by up to six times faster.
The River Thames ecosystem has suffered a drastic decline in mussel numbers since the 1960s, with native species dwindling to nearly nothing. The invasive zebra mussel and Asian clam have also taken hold, further threatening biodiversity.
A University of Maryland study found that domestic cats in Washington D.C. have a high probability of overlapping with native wildlife, including raccoons and opossums, increasing the risk of disease transmission and harming native populations. Keeping cats indoors can significantly reduce these risks.
Researchers modelled relationship between plant diversity and environmental conditions, capturing how diversity varies along environmental gradients. The models predict highest concentrations of plant diversity in environmentally heterogeneous tropical areas like Central America and the Amazonia.
A new study finds that seafood farming's growth rate has already peaked in 1996 and is now declining, requiring rebuilding of wild fish stocks to meet future demand. Without this approach, relying solely on aquaculture could lead to a global seafood shortage by 2030.
A recent study found that deforestation and grassland conversion are the biggest drivers of biodiversity loss, while climate change ranks fourth in global biodiversity change. The research highlights the need for a holistic approach to tackle both climate change and biodiversity loss.
Almost one quarter of Sweden's last unprotected old-growth forest was logged between 2003 and 2019. Rare ecosystems with rich biodiversity are being lost at a rate of 1.4% per year, posing significant threats to biodiversity and planetary stability.
The studies will provide evidence for a new global approach to valuing natural habitats and evaluate biodiversity in marine and urban areas. They aim to deliver on the recommendations from the Government's Dasgupta Review and support nature recovery and halt biodiversity loss.
A human genetic study suggests that Madagascar's loss of large vertebrates is linked to the first major human expansion on the island around 1,000 years ago. The study found that a small group of Bantu-speaking African people arrived on the island and led to the rapid growth of the human population.
The BiCIKL project has reached its halfway stage, launching a European community of key research infrastructures and stakeholders in biodiversity and life sciences. The FAIR Data Place online platform aims to provide scientists with access to all types of biodiversity data 'at their fingertips'.
A study analyzing historic habitat mapping data in Hamburg found a decline of species-rich habitats due to urbanization, while also revealing the colonization efforts of certain plant species. The research highlights the potential of these datasets for biodiversity research, with trends observed across Germany and Europe.
Researchers found that protected Indigenous lands have higher forest integrity than non-protected areas in all regions analyzed, including the Americas and Africa. However, within Indigenous lands without overlap with protected areas, forest health was actually worse off than non-protected areas.
Researchers estimate that opening protected areas to mining would lead to the destruction of 183 km² of forest and further loss of 7,626 km² due to infrastructure construction. The study highlights the need for strategic planning and environmental impact assessments before making changes to conservation policies.
Researchers found that high nutrient inputs result in a decline of plant species, with more species getting lost and fewer new species arriving. This study provides valuable information for practical nature conservation by understanding the effects of unnatural nutrient inputs on biodiversity.
A study by Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research found that 41% more plant species in Germany have decreased in abundance over the past 100 years, while only 19% have increased. This uneven distribution of gains and losses indicates a significant loss of biodiversity.
A new study found that over a 5-year period, millions of cattle spent part of their lives grazing in protected areas of the Brazilian Amazon, including indigenous lands. This undermines efforts to conserve forests and biodiversity in these regions.
A new dataset provides an unprecedented insight into the Arctic Ocean's biological life, revealing a year's worth of microbial communities and their responses to climate change. The EcoOmics dataset aims to guide conservation efforts and provide evidence for novel biology that may influence our understanding of evolution on Earth.
A study by the University of Exeter shows that urban life leads to a decline in plant awareness, which can be addressed through activities like wild food foraging. The research found that people's interest in plants develops where they have frequent interactions with relevant plants.
A new study reveals that losing endangered fruit-eating animals in the Atlantic Forest could severely disrupt seed-dispersal networks, leaving plants without an effective means to regenerate. Nearly 55% of specialist plant species rely solely on these frugivores for seed dispersal.
A new study by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln suggests that Brazil can increase its soybean production by 36% by 2035 while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 58% and eliminating deforestation. The strategy involves intensifying crop yields, growing a second crop on soybean fields, and raising more cattle on smaller pastures.
A new review article by Brown University biologist Dov Sax and colleagues aims to shift the focus from non-native species' negative consequences to their benefits. The authors argue that most research focuses on threats and harm, clouding public understanding and hindering scientific progress.
A study by Lund University found that cities negatively impact bird diversity in natural woodlands, with on average a quarter fewer species in urban forests compared to rural ones. This suggests that urban development can lead to biotic homogenization of woodland bird communities.
A new study finds that even a modest temperature increase of 1.5°C will spell serious consequences in India, China, Ethiopia, Ghana, Brazil, and Egypt, with droughts projected to last longer than two years in some countries. Limiting warming to 1.5°C could greatly benefit all six countries, but meeting the Paris Accords is crucial to r...
A study by the University of Sydney and Curtin University reveals that over a third of Generation Z respondents understand the climate impact of meat consumption. Despite this, livestock and meat production contribute significantly to emissions.
The six interdisciplinary studies will explore effective ways to expand UK trees, hedgerows, woodlands, and forests in rural and urban settings. Researchers aim to improve understanding of treescapes' value to people and the planet, supporting the Government's ambition to increase tree cover.
A new study suggests that timber cities could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using wood as a building material. The researchers found that housing in mid-rise buildings made of wood could avoid more than 100 billion tons of CO2 emissions by 2100, equivalent to 10% of the remaining carbon budget for the 2°C target.
Archaeoecology examines the past 60,000 years of human-ecosystem interactions, revealing how humans impacted nature and ecosystems shaped human culture. By integrating data from archaeology, ecology, and palaeoecology, this emerging field can provide crucial insights to solve today's environmental challenges.
New research from the University of East Anglia finds that hydropower developments lead to flooding forests, driving biodiversity loss and ecosystem disruptions. The study reveals widespread species extinction, especially among large-bodied species, highlighting the need for sustainable energy security and biodiversity conservation.
A study reveals that over 50% of mammal food web links have disappeared due to animal declines, leading to a collapse of global ecosystems. Restoring extinct species to their historic ranges holds great potential to reverse these declines and restore food web complexity.