Global mismatch of policy and research on drivers of biodiversity loss

Mazor, Tessa; Doropoulos, Christopher; Schwarzmueller, Florian; Gladish, Daniel W.; Kumaran, Nagalingam; Merkel, Katharina; Marco, Moreno Di; Gagić, Vesna

doi:10.1038/s41559-018-0563-x

Cited by 165 publications

(146 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Given that climate change is now widely acknowledged as a threat to global biodiversity that will likely rival habitat loss (Urban ; Mazor et al. ), it is critical that the instruments used to protect and improve the status of threatened taxa are fit for purpose.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The risks posed to species and ecosystems by climate change and the need for conservation and natural resource management to address the reality of a rapidly changing physical environment have been recognized for over 3 decades (Peters & Darling 1985). Given that climate change is now widely acknowledged as a threat to global biodiversity that will likely rival habitat loss (Urban 2015;Mazor et al 2018), it is critical that the instruments used to protect and improve the status of threatened taxa are fit for purpose. Recovery plans are key documents that guide efforts for improving the conservation status of threatened species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Climate readiness of recovery plans for threatened Australian species

Hoeppner

Hughes

2019

Conservation Biology

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The rapidly changing climate is posing growing threats for all species, but particularly for those already considered threatened. We reviewed 100 recovery plans for Australian terrestrial threatened species (50 fauna and 50 flora plans) written from 1997 to 2017. We recorded the number of plans that acknowledged climate change as a threat and of these how many proposed specific actions to ameliorate the threat. We classified these actions along a continuum from passive or incremental to active or interventionist. Overall, just under 60% of the sampled recovery plans listed climate change as a current or potential threat to the threatened taxa, and the likelihood of this acknowledgment increased over time. A far smaller proportion of the plans, however, identified specific actions associated with ameliorating climate risk (22%) and even fewer (9%) recommended any interventionist action in response to a climate‐change‐associated threat. Our results point to a disconnect between the knowledge generated on climate‐change‐related risk and potential adaptation strategies and the extent to which this knowledge has been incorporated into an important instrument of conservation action.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate readiness of recovery plans for threatened Australian species

Hoeppner

Hughes

2019

Conservation Biology

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“…), and habitat loss is widely cited as a leading cause of species endangerment and extinction (e.g., Mazor et al. ). Therefore, in many cases, habitat restoration may be needed to achieve the >1% high‐quality habitat needed for range expansion by species like the Baltimore checkerspot.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Faster movement in nonhabitat matrix promotes range shifts in heterogeneous landscapes

Crone

Brown

Hodgson

et al. 2019

Ecology

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Ecologists often assume that range expansion will be fastest in landscapes composed entirely of the highest‐quality habitat. Theoretical models, however, show that range expansion depends on both habitat quality and habitat‐specific movement rates. Using data from 78 species in 70 studies, we find that animals typically have faster movement through lower‐quality environments (73% of published cases). Therefore, if we want to manage landscapes for range expansion, there is a trade‐off between promoting movement with nonhostile matrix, and promoting population growth with high‐quality habitat. We illustrate how this trade‐off plays out with the use of an exemplar species, the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly. For this species, we calculate that the expected rate of range expansion is fastest in landscapes with ~15% high‐quality habitat. Behavioral responses to nonhabitat matrix have often been documented in animal populations, but rarely included in empirical predictions of range expansion. Considering movement behavior could change land‐planning priorities from focus on high‐quality habitat only to integrating high‐ and low‐quality land cover types, and evaluating the costs and benefits of different matrix land covers for range expansion.

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“…Recent evaluations revealed that we should be concerned with the introduction of a “few widespread” species (Toussaint, Beauchard, et al., ), either unintentionally, because it culminates in biological invasions and biotic homogenization (Mazor et al., ; Pool & Olden, ; Toussaint, Charpin, et al., ). An outstanding example is the widespread occurrence of non‐native cichlid (Lima Junior et al., 2018) and cyprinid (Magalhães & Jacobi, ; Rodrigues‐Filho et al., ) fish in natural and artificial environments of South America and worldwide.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A network meta‐analysis of threats to South American fish biodiversity

et al. 2019

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While environmental alterations have made Homo sapiens the hyperkeystone species of the globe, biotic homogenization initiated a new era, the “Homogenocene.” Still, some terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in South America are considered pristine and wild, which can lead to a general faith that economic progress is consistent with conservation strategies, even without scientific support. We compiled anthropogenic threats to fish biodiversity in a hierarchical meta‐analysis, along with an evidence synthesis of threats related to biological invasions, based on peer‐reviewed research with the aim to represent the actual conservation status of the South American ichthyofauna. We highlighted human‐related threats and synergistic effects of biological invasions, climate change, environmental alterations (e.g., pollution, aquaculture and damming) and fisheries. Considering measures that reinforce novel alien fish (e.g., artificial hybrids or genetically modified) introductions, it became clear why an eventual increase in local or regional species richness is not always beneficial to aquaculture, biodiversity, human well‐being or nature. In fact, citizens in all societal roles, including scientists, should revise their concepts about threats to fish biodiversity. Environmental policies require more than taxonomic diagnostics to achieve conservation goals under an incompatible scenario of a multiplying number of fish species and biotic homogenization. We advocate for countries in South America using science‐based strategies useful to maintain their social and economic growth along with their “remaining nature.” We live a crucial moment when the government overlooks threats to biodiversity and uses agribusiness as the most acceptable manner of fuelling the economy.

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Global mismatch of policy and research on drivers of biodiversity loss

Cited by 165 publications

References 17 publications

Climate readiness of recovery plans for threatened Australian species

Climate readiness of recovery plans for threatened Australian species

Faster movement in nonhabitat matrix promotes range shifts in heterogeneous landscapes

A network meta‐analysis of threats to South American fish biodiversity

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