A systematic review of biodiversity and demographic change: A misinterpreted relationship?

Abstract

Demographic change is supposed to be the most important indirect driver for changing biodiversity. In this article, a systematic review of 148 studies was conducted to examine the scientific evidence for this relationship and to identify potential gaps in research. We explored the spatial distribution of studies, the categories addressed with respect to biodiversity and demographic change, and the ways in which their relationships were conceptualised (spatially and temporally) and valued. The majority of studies were carried out in Africa, Europe and North America. Our analysis confirms the trend that demographic phenomena were mostly found to negatively influence biodiversity. However, a considerable number of studies also point towards impacts that were context dependent, either positive or negative under certain circumstances. In addition to that we identified significant gaps in research. In particular, there is a lack of addressing (1) other demographic aspects such as population decline, age structure or gender differences, (2) spatial variability of, e.g. human population growth, (3) long-term effects of demographic processes, and (4) the context dependency (e.g. regulations/law enforcement, type of human activities, and choice of scale or proxy). We conclude there is evidence that the relationship between biodiversity and demographic change is much more complex than expected and so far represented in research. Thus, we call for a social-ecological biodiversity research that particularly focusses on the functional relation between biodiversity and human activities, namely the different types, context, and interdependent dynamics (spatial and temporal) of this complex relation.

An overview of remote monitoring methods in biodiversity conservation

“…Demographic changes can be considered an imperative module for assisting the indirect drivers of biodiversity alternations specifically associated with land use patterns (Newbold et al 2015 ). Population explosion, central demographic developments, and urbanization impact both ecosystems and the species it harbors (Mehring et al 2020 ). As the changing demographic pattern is associated with population explosion, this may pose a pessimistic impact on food availability, restricted emission of greenhouse gases, control of invasive species and diseases, etc.…”

Biodiversity and Economy but Not Social Factors Predict Human Population Dynamics in South Africa

“…For example, 65% of South Africa's wetland ecosystems are at risk of collapse, and 22% of South Africa's natural terrestrial habitats are already lost, the most important loss occurring particularly in fynbos, grasslands, and Indian ocean costal belt [69]-the conservation conflict of Balmford et al [58]. It is also reported elsewhere that population drives the loss of biodiversity (e.g., [52,70], and this loss may lead to uncalled-for consequences on human species itself [66], thus calling for actions to fix population growth.…”

Mainstreaming biodiversity into priority economic sectors: Lessons from the assessment of main threats in 16 BIODEV2030 pilot countrie

“…Yet, the relationship between biodiversity and demographic change is complex. For example, Mehring et al (2020) analysed many studies of the link between demography and biodiversity and show that "a considerable number of studies also point towards impacts that were context dependent, either positive or negative under certain circumstances" (p. 1309). Another reason is that this relationship is also highly controversial, as shown by Green et al (2022) answering to Cafaro et al (2022), overconsumption rather overpopulation is the root cause, at global level, of resources depletion, including biodiversity loss.…”