Biodiversity Impact Research Articles

Biodiversity Impacts of Land Occupation for Renewable Energy Infrastructure in a Globally Connected World.

The transition to renewable energy exacerbates direct land occupation by infrastructure, leading to habitat degradation and biodiversity loss. However, biodiversity loss driven by the production and consumption of different renewable energy deployment scenarios remains largely unquantified. Quantifying biodiversity loss associated with land occupation of renewable energy infrastructure is essential for a sustainable energy transition. Here, we developed a novel data set to evaluate renewable energy-related biodiversity loss by considering the current infrastructure setting and future development pathways. We found that the land occupation of renewable energy infrastructure resulted in global biodiversity loss equivalent amounting to 19 × 10-4 global pdf in 2015. Severe biodiversity loss was concentrated primarily in densely populated and economically advanced countries, such as China, the United States, Brazil, India, Australia, Russia, and countries across Western Europe. International trade accounted for 14% of the biodiversity loss. Future renewable energy transition scenarios will lead to a global cumulative biodiversity loss of 1.2 × 10-2-2.2 × 10-2 global pdf during 2015-2060. By 2060, ambitious energy transition policies are projected to increase the biodiversity loss by 1.7-1.8 times. The results underscore that while renewable energy could tackle climate change, its deployment should avoid encroaching on biodiversity hotspots.

Choosing fit-for-purpose biodiversity impact indicators for agriculture in the Brazilian Cerrado ecoregion

Understanding and acting on biodiversity loss requires robust tools linking biodiversity impacts to land use change, the biggest threat to terrestrial biodiversity. Here we estimate agriculture’s impact on the Brazilian Cerrado’s biodiversity using three approaches—countryside Species-Area Relationship, Species Threat Abatement and Restoration and Species Habitat Index. By using same input data, we show how indicator scope and design affects impact assessments and resulting decision-support. All indicators show agriculture expansion’s increasing pressure on biodiversity. Results suggest that metrics are complementary, providing distinctly different insight into biodiversity change drivers and impacts. Meaningful applications of biodiversity indicators therefore require compatibility between focal questions and indicator choice regarding temporal, spatial, and ecological perspectives on impact and drivers. Backward-looking analyses focused on historical land use change and accountability are best served by the countryside-Species Area Relationship and the Species Habitat Index. Forward-looking analyses of impact risk hotspots and global extinctions mitigation are best served by the Species Threat Abatement and Restoration.

Machine Learning Model for Predicting Net Environmental Effects

Environmental sustainability is a global challenge in the face of increasing incidences of disasters affecting communities worldwide. This requires predicting net environmental effects accurately. While various approaches exist, we need more sophisticated prediction models that account for both environmental and social factors. This study presents a proof-of-concept machine learning model for predicting net environmental effects using synthetic data. We developed a multiple linear regression model incorporating nine key features: renewable energy usage, carbon emissions, air quality index, water usage, biodiversity impact, land use, public awareness, and environmental attitudes. We generated a synthetic dataset of 1000 samples using probability distributions and correlation structures derived from environmental literature and expert knowledge. Our model achieved an R-squared value of 0.67, demonstrating moderate predictive power. Feature importance analysis revealed renewable energy usage (coefficient = 0.71) and public awareness (coefficient = 0.44) as significant positive factors influencing environmental outcomes. Model validation included residual analysis and feature importance assessment, with results suggesting reasonable performance within linear regression constraints. Limitations of our study include reliance on synthetic data, assumption of linear relationships between variables, and limited environmental factors. Notwithstanding, our findings provide insights for environmental policymaking, particularly regarding renewable energy adoption and public awareness campaigns. Future work could focus on incorporating real-world data, exploring non-linear modeling approaches, and expanding the feature set to capture more complex environmental interactions. Our research contributes to data-driven environmental assessment by demonstrating the feasibility of combining both physical and social factors in predictive modeling.

Exploring Industry 4.0’s Role in Sustainable Supply Chains: Perspectives from a Bibliometric Review

Background: Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies have transformed supply chain (SC) logistics and production. However, their environmental impact, particularly on CO2 emissions and carbon footprints, remains underexplored. This study examines the impact of I4.0 tools on SCs sustainability, focusing on reducing carbon footprints. Methods: A bibliometric analysis was conducted in October 2023 to quantitatively evaluate the scientific literature, examining publication characteristics to assess current research and forecast future trends. The Scopus database was utilized with specific filters to identify studies on the impact of I4.0 technologies in SC domains on sustainability, focusing on CO2 emissions and carbon footprint reduction. VOSviewer software version 1.6.15 was used to analyze selected papers, revealing key keyword clusters and relationships. Results: Five clusters were identified, offering insights for supply chain managers and highlighting links between I4.0 and CO2 reduction in supply chains: “LCA towards zero carbon”, “Supply chain carbon footprint”, “Risk and decarbonization analysis”, “Industry 4.0 and stochastic models for sustainability”, and “Biodiversity and environmental impact”. Key findings emphasize the strong connection between LCA, carbon footprint analysis, emission control, and the role of I4.0 technologies like blockchain and IoT in reducing emissions. Conclusions: This study highlights the environmental benefits of I4.0 in SC management, supporting global decarbonization goals.

Enhancing Biodiversity and Environmental Sustainability in Intermodal Transport: A GIS-Based Multi-Criteria Evaluation Framework

Biodiversity is essential for the health and stability of our planet, contributing to ecosystem services like pollination, nutrient cycling, and climate regulation. However, it faces significant threats from human activities, including habitat destruction and pollution. Transportation infrastructure, if not carefully managed, can fragment habitats and disrupt wildlife migration, exacerbating biodiversity loss. Thus, incorporating environmental and biodiversity considerations into transport planning is crucial for promoting long-term sustainability. Accordingly, the goal of this paper is to define a framework for evaluating and ranking intermodal transport routes based on their impact on the environment and biodiversity. The study employs a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) model, combining input from interactive GIS maps and stakeholders with a novel hybrid approach. The MCDM part of the model combines fuzzy Delphi and fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) methods for obtaining the criteria weights and the Axial Distance-based Aggregated Measurement (ADAM) method for obtaining the final ranking of the routes. This methodology application on several Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) routes revealed that the Hamburg/Bremerhaven–Wurzburg–Verona route had the least environmental and biodiversity impact. The study identified the Rotterdam–Milano route as the optimal choice, balancing sustainability, ecological preservation, and transport efficiency. The route minimizes ecological disruption, protects biodiversity, and aligns with European Union strategies to reduce environmental impact in infrastructure projects. The study established a framework for evaluating intermodal transport routes based on environmental and biodiversity impacts, balancing efficiency with ecological responsibility. It makes significant contributions by integrating biodiversity criteria into transport planning and introducing a novel combination of GIS and MCDM techniques for route assessment.

Solar farm management influences breeding bird responses in an arable-dominated landscape

ABSTRACT Solar farms are increasing in Britain, but their biodiversity impact is under-studied. We explored bird populations on six solar farms in the East Anglian Fens, using an adapted Breeding Bird Survey across 23.2 km of transects, recording birds seen or heard within 100 m of transects (4 ha survey area). Solar farms were divided by management styles: simple habitat solar (10 transects) and mixed habitat solar (13 transects). We also surveyed 15.2 km of transects in arable farmland. Solar farms contained a greater bird abundance and species richness than arable farmland, but this varied with solar farm management (predicted abundance ±SE per 4 ha: solar with mixed habitat = 31.5 ± 6.4, solar with simple habitat = 17 ± 4.9, arable = 11.9 ± 2.6; predicted species richness ± SE per 4 ha: solar with mixed habitat = 13.5 ± 1.1, solar with simple habitat = 5.3 ± 0.6, arable = 5.5 ± 0.6). Our findings suggest that solar farms can benefit biodiversity in arable-dominated landscapes, especially when managed with biodiversity in mind.

How many reptile and amphibian species are in Uganda, and why it matters for global biodiversity conservation

Biodiversity is unevenly distributed across the globe. Regional differences in biodiversity impact conservation through the allocation of financial resources, development of infrastructure, and public attention. Such resources are often prioritized to areas that are in more need than others. However, reasons for deciding which locations are more deserving are derived from an accurate knowledge of the number and composition of species that occur in each region. Regional differences in biodiversity, however, can reflect differences in the source of information consulted, rather than bona fide differences between areas. As a result, conservation resources may not be directed to regions in proportion to their actual need, especially if there is no consensus among sources of information. Here, we compared major sources of information on species of reptiles and amphibians that occur in Uganda, Africa. We found that none of the sources agreed on the total number, nor composition, of species in the country, with estimates for amphibians ranging more widely than those for reptiles. Notably, sources with similar species richness differed in species composition, which had an impact on the number of threatened species in the country. These results for a conspicuous group of vertebrates suggest that lesser-known groups are also likely misrepresented in sources, especially in other underexplored regions of tropical Africa. We discuss the implications for biodiversity conservation that are derived from inaccurate species lists that are commonly used by agencies, scientists, and practitioners. We argue that more critical evaluations of biodiversity resources, in addition to greater capacity building for field programs, taxonomy, and museum collections, will be essential to ensure that resources are allocated to regions that need them the most.

Integrating biodiversity impacts into seafood life cycle assessments: pathways for improvement

PurposeThe decline in biodiversity caused by human activities is a major global challenge. An important driver of biodiversity loss, especially in the oceans, is seafood production. However, methods for quantifying biodiversity impacts in life cycle assessment (LCA) are currently heavily focused on terrestrial systems. This study aims to identify and evaluate methods addressing aquatic biodiversity loss relevant for LCAs of seafood and to provide recommendations to research and LCA practitioners.MethodsThe methodology comprised four key phases. First, environmental impacts from seafood production were identified and linked to biodiversity impacts. Second, it was assessed which impacts were addressed in existing seafood LCAs. Next, available biodiversity impact assessment methods were identified through a literature review. Finally, the identified assessment methods were evaluated and matched against the identified environmental impacts from seafood production to evaluate the efficacy of current LCA practices.Results and discussionA total of 39 environmental impacts linked to seafood production were identified. Of these impacts, 90% were categorized as causing biodiversity loss and included effects on genetic, species, and ecosystem level. Only 20% out of the impacts associated to aquatic biodiversity loss had been included in previous seafood LCAs, indicating a narrow scope in practice, as methods were available for half of the impacts. The available methods were, however, mainly focused on impact on species level and on the drivers pollution and climate change rather than the main drivers of marine biodiversity loss: exploitation and sea-use change.ConclusionsAlthough many of the impacts from seafood production were related to biodiversity pressures, LCAs which are widely used to describe the environmental performance of seafood, disregard most biodiversity impacts from seafood production. The most severe limitations were the lack of methods for the pressures of exploitation and sea-use change and for effects on ecosystem and genetic biodiversity.This study provides recommendations to practitioners on how to best account for biodiversity impacts from seafood depending on the studied system, geographic area, and dataset. Future research should progress methods for impact pathways within the drivers exploitation and sea-use change, and effects on ecosystem biodiversity and genetic biodiversity.

Bridging the protein gap with single-cell protein use in aquafeeds

Blue foods from aquaculture are essential in bridging the protein gap to feed the human population in the future. However, for aquaculture production to be sustainable, production must be within planetary boundaries, and sourcing of sustainable raw materials is a key driver in sustainable production. This article explores the role of single-cell proteins (SCPs) derived from microorganisms in aquafeeds. Three main aspects are discussed: sustainability, scalability of fermentation technology, and fish performance. In addition, and through a comprehensive proof-of-concept trial with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), this article demonstrates SCP’s efficacy in replacing traditional feed ingredients without compromising fish growth and health. The trial’s findings demonstrate a high protein digestibility and a balanced amino acid profile, as well as health benefits measured through oxidative burst response. To date, commercial adoption of SCP has been hindered by high production costs and the need for substantial investments to scale fermentation technologies. However, the sustainability landscape is changing as large industry players openly commit to sustainability targets and realize that longer-term and investment thinking into the future is needed. In conclusion, SCP emerges as a promising avenue for sustainable aquafeeds, offering a solution to the protein supply challenge within planetary boundaries. In addition, in terms of environmental benefit, SCP shows clear advantages regarding land use, carbon emissions, biodiversity impact, and water consumption. Ultimately, the successful integration of SCP into aquafeeds could significantly contribute to the industry’s sustainability goals and play an essential role in securing the future supply of raw material proteins.

Development of a collision impact indicator to integrate in the life cycle assessment of offshore wind farms

PurposeLife cycle assessment (LCA) is a robust approach to estimate the environmental impacts of an offshore wind farm (OWF). However, methodological hurdles remain, particularly the lack of appropriate indicators to assess ecosystem impacts during OWF construction and operation and the scarcity of marine ecological data. To address the lack of indicators, this article focuses on developing an impact indicator specifically related to bird collision with OWFs.MethodsTo assess bird collisions during the operation of OWFs, we adapted a life cycle impact indicator originally developed for onshore wind farms. This indicator combines spatial data on bird species distribution and vulnerability to collisions with OWF technical characteristics (number of turbines, power production, rotor diameter).ResultsThe results model and map seabird collisions at OWF worldwide and introduce a biodiversity impact characterization factor into LCA. The results are expressed as the potentially disappeared fraction of species (PDF) annually per gigawatt-hour (GWh) and vary between 2.0e−15 and 1.69e−13 PDF.year/GWh. It correlates 1344 bird species distribution with the locations of 226 operational and 181 planned OWFs. The spatial differentiation of the characterization factors highlights the OWF collision impact variability worldwide. Such mapping is crucial for identifying areas with varying levels of risk, which is essential for the strategic planning of OWFs. Projections indicate higher potential collision risks in Asia than in Europe, and future expansion of the OWF into new regions with higher collision potential is expected to increase collision risks. In addition, the main factors affecting collision intensity were statistically identified. Therefore, to mitigate collisions, it is essential to focus on three key aspects: fewer turbines, smaller rotors, and greater distance from the shoreline. In addition, the LC-IMPACT method was employed to compare the collision impacts for two OWF projects in France, with those resulting from climate change. Over the lifetime of these OWFs, the collision impacts are quantified at around 2.0e−7 PDF, where effects attributed to climate change will be six times higher.ConclusionsThe development of this collision indicator is a first step towards integrating OWF biodiversity impacts into the LCA framework. It also demonstrates how LCA indicators can inform marine spatial planning in the context of marine renewable energy development.

The Environmental and Biodiversity Impacts of a New Cableway System: A Comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment

The Environmental and Biodiversity Impacts of a New Cableway System: A Comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment

Cellular automata modelling to simulate patterns of urban growth for Nusantara: Indonesia’s new capital

This paper uses cellular automata (CA) modelling to simulate possible patterns of urban growth for Nusantara–Indonesia’s new capital. The modelling uses criteria such as projected population growth and planned development stages and a range of relevant factors that influence urban development. Further the study simulates the possible impact of future urban growth on key biodiversity areas (KBAs). Two scenarios were modelled to simulate urban growth patterns–(1) the nature sensitive city and (2) the Indonesian government’s current plan. Results of the scenario-based CA modelling demonstrate that scenario 1 offers a more sustainable and liveable approach to urban growth, despite its larger land footprint. This is achieved by preserving protected and key biodiversity areas, which are essential for the long-term well-being and resilience of the environment. While scenario 2 is more land-efficient, it presents a possible risk to the overall ecological integrity and liveability of the metropolis by impinging into key biodiversity areas. The study’s cellular automata approach and methodology can be employed for urban planning and biodiversity impact assessment in similar contexts of new city development.

The Doughnut Biotool: A tool to assess life-cycle biodiversity impacts from building projects

Abstract Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is widely used in certifications, regulations, and voluntary declarations covering the climate impact of buildings over their entire value chain. However, biodiversity impacts and other environmental impact categories are often disregarded. Conversely, there is a trend towards more systematic assessments of the biodiversity impacts that occur on-site as part of development projects (e.g. land transformation on the project site). However, off-site biodiversity impacts occurring throughout the rest of the value chain (e.g. from forestry activities, mining, manufacturing, heat and electricity production) are rarely considered. To bridge this gap, this article introduces the Doughnut Biotool, an open-source calculation tool to assess biodiversity impacts throughout the entire life cycle of development projects. The tool was initially developed to help implement Doughnut Economics and absolute sustainability principles in development projects. It constitutes a first step towards a better consideration of biodiversity impacts related to material- and energy use in building and construction projects. This paper presents the design of the tool and the method and data it relies on. The tool is applied to two separate case study projects, and used as a basis to discuss hotspots of biodiversity impacts within the building’s life cycle. Finally, the paper includes a discussion of the main challenges and opportunities for the future development and use of the tool, as well as for biodiversity impact assessments in the building sector as a whole.

A PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF FLORA AND FAUNA AND HUMAN ACTIVITIES ON THE COASTAL ECOSYSTEM OF PANTAI BATU HITAM, PAHANG, MALAYSIA

This preliminary observational study examines the biodiversity and human impact on the coastal ecosystem of Pantai Batu Hitam, situated along the east coast of Pahang, Malaysia. Conducted on April 28, 2024, the study involved photographing marine and terrestrial flora and fauna along the beach to document and identify species through taxonomic classification using digital tools and field guides. A total of 24 species were identified across 14 families, highlighting the ecosystem’s rich diversity, including notable plant-animal interactions. In addition to species documentation, evidence of human activities such as tourism and infrastructure development was observed, with particular concerns regarding plastic pollution and habitat degradation. These findings emphasize the need for targeted conservation efforts and sustainable practices to protect Pantai Batu Hitam’s biodiversity while addressing the challenges posed by human activities. This study contributes to understanding the balance required between ecological preservation and local development in coastal regions.

The marine biodiversity impact of the Late Miocene Mediterranean salinity crisis.

Massive salt accumulations, or salt giants, have formed in highly restricted marine basins throughout geological history, but their impact on biodiversity has been only patchily studied. The salt giant in the Mediterranean Sea formed as a result of the restriction of its gateway to the Atlantic during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) 5.97 to 5.33 million years ago. Here, we quantify the biodiversity changes associated with the MSC based on a compilation of the Mediterranean fossil record. We conclude that 86 endemic species of the 2006 pre-MSC marine species survived the crisis, and that the present eastward-decreasing richness gradient in the Mediterranean was established after the MSC.

Biodiversity impact assessment for finance

AbstractBiodiversity loss, driven by human activities, significantly affects the environment, human societies, and economies. Using the extended multi‐regional input–output (EEMRIO) and life cycle assessment (LCA) techniques, we offer insights into how these methodologies can be used to inform financial decisions related to biodiversity focusing on two key aspects: biodiversity impacts and ecosystem service dependencies. Our method combines spatially explicit characterization factors from LC‐IMPACT with the Global Resource Input‐Output Assesment (GLORIA) database to estimate biodiversity impacts. As a case study we assess the biodiversity impact of the MSCI All Country World Index (MSCI ACWI) which consist of about 3000 large‐ and mid‐sized companies, from 23 developed and 24 emerging countries. The results demonstrate that most of the biodiversity impact is caused in the Americas, followed by Asia, despite its low representation in the index's country weight (6%). Europe shows the least impact. These results emphasize the need to account for global supply chain linkages as products sold in one country might have significant biodiversity impacts elsewhere due to sourcing of production inputs. Second, our results identify the main determinants of the index's impact: land use, followed by water stress and climate change. Although most of the impact is localized in few sectors, the distinct characteristics of these sectors require industry‐specific mitigation approaches. Finally, double materiality results show both, the influence companies have on biodiversity and the reciprocal effects. Companies neglecting these impacts risk financial setbacks, making it a crucial concern for investors.

Impacts of the global food system on terrestrial biodiversity from land use and climate change

The global food system is a key driver of land-use and climate change which in turn drive biodiversity change. Developing sustainable food systems is therefore critical to reversing biodiversity loss. We use the multi-regional input-output model EXIOBASE to estimate the biodiversity impacts embedded within the global food system in 2011. Using models that capture regional variation in the sensitivity of biodiversity both to land use and climate change, we calculate the land-driven and greenhouse gas-driven footprints of food using two metrics of biodiversity: local species richness and rarity-weighted species richness. We show that the footprint of land area underestimates biodiversity impact in more species-rich regions and that our metric of rarity-weighted richness places a greater emphasis on biodiversity costs in Central and South America. We find that methane emissions are responsible for 70% of the overall greenhouse gas-driven biodiversity footprint and that, in several regions, emissions from a single year’s food production are associated with global biodiversity loss equivalent to 2% or more of that region’s total land-driven biodiversity loss. The measures we present are relatively simple to calculate and could be incorporated into decision-making and environmental impact assessments by governments and businesses.

A global multi-indicator assessment of the environmental impact of livestock products

A global multi-indicator assessment of the environmental impact of livestock products

Biodiversity impact of the consumption of peat and wood-fired district heating

A shift from fossil fuels to biofuels is becoming an increasingly important part of national and corporate climate strategies, but the biodiversity impacts of biofuels are often ignored and remain poorly understood. Here we developed a novel eight-step general framework for the assessment of consumption-based biodiversity impacts of biofuels and applied the framework to assess the biodiversity impacts of peat and wood-fired district heating in Finland. We utilize the habitat hectare approach for which information about the ecosystem condition before and after the impact is needed. The habitat hectare approach has not yet been used on assessments of consumption-based biodiversity impacts. Of the different fuel types used in peat and wood-fired district heating in Finland, peat had the highest biodiversity impact per unit area, followed by chips from roundwood and logging residue chips. By-products from sawmill industry are argued to have no additional biodiversity impacts. Interestingly, however, when we consider the biodiversity impacts per unit energy, chips from roundwood had the highest and peat the lowest biodiversity impact. Our results suggest there is a truly substantial trade-off between the climate and biodiversity impacts of wood and peat firing. We conclude that the habitat hectare approach combined with the presented general assessment framework is a promising approach to be used in the assessment of consumption-based biodiversity impacts in different land use contexts, such as biodiversity offsetting, around the globe. This protocol should be further developed and refined in different systems and with different bio-based materials and land use contexts.

The 15-minute city concept: The case study within a neighbourhood of Thessaloniki.

Cities, crucial cultural hubs, mould individual and group identities. The global urban expansion, with over half the population in urban areas, presents interconnected challenges such as pollution, poverty, inequality, ageing infrastructure, resource overconsumption, land use changes, biodiversity impact and climate change. Addressing these demands ambitious actions targeting political, social and economic systems for transformative change. The theoretical framework guiding city transformation centres on an interdisciplinary approach influenced by the Smart and Green Transition. The '15-minute city' concept, emphasizing human scale and urban experience, proposes that cities enable residents to meet daily needs within a short walk or bike ride. The aim of this study was the exploration of its implementation in Greek cities, particularly Thessaloniki, which reveals inherent characteristics supporting the 15-minute concept. Through an interdisciplinary approach rooted in the Smart and Green Transition framework, the research provides concrete guidance for policymakers in tailoring urban planning strategies, allocating resources effectively and crafting policies conducive to successful and sustainable urban transformations. Moreover, prioritizing public engagement highlights the significance of community involvement in shaping urban development plans, ensuring that proposed initiatives align with residents' needs and desires. In essence, this research contributes tangible insights and actionable recommendations for Greek cities, paving the way for more liveable, resilient and sustainable urban environments.