The Integration of Conservation, Biodiversity, and Sustainability

Abstract

Our understanding of conservation biology and sustainability have been independently developing for a long time. Evidence suggests that biodiversity is critical for ecosystem function and services on which humans depend, and is directly linked to the economic, social, and environmental components of sustainability. Because of this, the integration of research from each of these areas should and is becoming a priority. In this article, the development of each of these fields and, ultimately, their integration are reviewed. From this, a number of research priorities that allow for the transition from conflict to mutual compatibility between conservation and sustainability objectives are explored. These priorities include research that will improve our understanding of (1) ecosystem services and function provided by biodiversity that benefit humans; (2) the connection between biodiversity and poverty reduction; (3) biodiverse agriculture; (4) issues surrounding indigenous knowledge; and (5) the development of indicators that allow for the integrative assessment of biodiversity conservation and sustainability objectives.

Expanding the Role of Biodiversity in Laypeople’s Lives: The View of Communicators

“…Biodiversity is seen as a fundamental part of sustainable development [2,3], yet it is under threat by a range of anthropogenic factors [21][22][23]25]. This makes it increasingly important that laypeople are aware of and support biodiversity.…”

“…There is a growing recognition that biodiversity is essential for sustainable development, reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015 [1]. Increasing evidence demonstrates that biodiversity directly and indirectly contributes to sustainability, as it is interwoven with the three pillars that support a sustainable world: economy, society and environment [2][3][4]. Given this, biodiversity will be vital for meeting the needs of both current and future generations [4,5].…”

Three challenges to contemporaneous taxonomy from a licheno-mycological perspective

“…The same applies in increasing collaborations between professionals and amateurs, including citizen science. One very successful approach is the concept of parataxonomy, training of citizens in collecting specimens and data for research (Janzen 1991;Hallwachs et al 1993;Kazmier 2017;Niesenbaum 2019). This concept integrates non-scientists with excellent local knowledge and access to natural environments with taxonomists providing the expertise and methodological know-how.…”

“…This was followed up by subsequent collaborations between INBio and other stakeholders, including Cornell University, Harvard Medical School, the University of Michigan, the Broad Institute, and the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (Weiss & Eisner 1998;Dalton 2006). While INBio's parataxonomist program has become a global model for citizen science and has increased sensibility for biodiversity and taxonomy in local communities (Janzen 1991;Kazmier 2017;Niesenbaum 2019), the approach overall has not produced the expected results in applied terms (Mullin 2008;Pennisi 2013). With the discontinuation of these programs and the lack of funding, INBio had to cease its role as a leader of taxonomic research in Costa Rica and render its natural history collections to the National Museum, from which part of them actually originated.…”

Towards A Relational Model for Emerging Urban Nature Concepts: A Practical Application and an External Assessment in Landscape Planning Education

“…The ongoing discussion on how the biodiversity concept relates to the ecosystem services concept is highly connected to how the former concept is approached [43], either as a benefit for humans, hence as an ecosystem service [44], or as a goal in itself. On the other hand, existing literature analysing the connections between the sustainability and the biodiversity concepts, suggests that biodiversity is a precondition for ecosystem function and for the generation of some ESS, and therefore, is directly connected with the economic, social and environmental [45,46].…”