Biodiversity Loss Research Articles

Analysis Of Hybrid Solutions For Coastal Protection Combining Physical And Numerical Cfd Modeling

Historically, flooding and erosion challenges in coastal areas have been addressed through conventional gray/rigid structures such as breakwaters, dikes, and walls (Morris et al., 2017). As a consequence of the context of climate change, which is accompanied by a global biodiversity crisis and an increasing risk to coastal systems and communities, Nature-based Solutions (NbS) have emerged in recent years as an alternative to conventional engineering options. NbS can completely or partially mitigate coastal flooding and erosion problems while offering several additional co-benefits, such as carbon sequestration, improved water quality, habitat creation, and more (Sutton-Grier et al., 2015). Nevertheless, NbS may not be effective on their own in areas where there is insufficient available space for their development or in high-risk areas. In such cases, combining conventional engineering with nature-based solutions to obtain a so-called hybrid solution can represent an optimal approach, capable of providing the necessary risk reduction and realizing the benefits associated with natural solutions (Vuik et al., 2016). This makes hybrid solutions a highly attractive option that is currently gaining increasing interest. However, due to the limited number of real cases implemented, their relatively novel nature, and existing gaps in our knowledge about their hydrodynamic behavior, there is a pressing need to study hybrid solutions in greater detail. To this end, an experimental campaign is being conducted and is complemented by numerical CFD modeling, coupling IH2VOF and OpenFOAM models, to better understand the coastal protection services provided by the combined solution and to assess the suitability of the method of process superposition, commonly used to analyze the interaction between the flow and the hybrid solution. The main variables analyzed for this purpose are the evolution of wave height and wave run-up.

Urban growth assessment using machine learning algorithms, GIS techniques, and its impact on biodiversity: The case of Sululta sub-city, Central Oromia, Ethiopia

Ecological services in metropolitan areas are degrading more quickly due to changes in LULC brought about by urban expansion. To make a sustainable choice about the ideal location, however, merging the existing simulation approach with LULC optimization approaches involves several intricate procedures. Therefore, the goal of this study is to develop a unique technique that can forecast urban expansion over an extended period and to link with optimization of LULC techniques so as to make meaningful decisions on the impacts of urbanization on loss of biodiversity. In this study, three primary procedures were used: (1) an SVM-based supervised classification technique for LULC classification; (2) a Markov chain and cross-tabulation method for the examination of LULC trends in space and time, (3) utilizing the CA-Markov approach to forecast urban growth. By using Landsat imagery of 2008, 2015, and 2023, the study determined how urban cover changed over time, and what kind of LULC-to-urban transition occurred. The study revealed that uncontrolled and haphazard urban expansion was observed in the Sululta sub-city, which could have disastrous repercussions on physical, biological and urban ecosystem. The %age of urban area increased from 9.04% in 2008 to 13.07% in 2015. However, because of the internally displaced people from the Ethio-Somali Region, who have been resettled there since 2017, the ratio of urban areas grew from 13.7% in 2015 to 24.65% in 2023. Furthermore, by 2040, the sub-city will have grown by 27.69 %. The kappa coefficient statistics of the three classified images of the years 2008, 2015, and 2023 were 93.3 %, 97.5%, and 97.5 %, respectively. To identify the areas that would be covered by future city growth, it is advised that this innovative technique be integrated with optimizing land use strategies.

Applying the Precautionary Principle to Hidden Collapse

There is growing evidence around the world of serious decline in biodiversity requiring urgent application of precautionary risk management. A better regulatory regime for precautionary management of long-term risk is now an urgent priority. This article addresses the prioritization of long-term risk management by examining risk management of ecosystems that may be experiencing hidden collapse. Hidden collapse refers to the existence of environmental indicators indicative of future collapse of forests, even though the forest appears intact and not at risk of ecosystem collapse. Professor David Lindenmayer and Dr Chloe Sato (Lindenmayer) first identified hidden collapse in 2018 in Mountain Ash forests of Victoria, Australia. The risk of hidden collapse represents a long-term environmental threat and is a potential trigger for application of the precautionary principle (principle). Implicit in hidden collapse are two preconditions for application of the principle; the risk of a serious or irreversible environmental threat, and the existence of scientific uncertainty about the nature of the risk. Despite hidden collapse satisfying these essential preconditions for applying the principle, decision makers did not apply it in respect hidden collapse of Mountain Ash forests in Victoria. This article considers the current status of the principle in regulation and how it can be adjusted to address long term environmental risk.

Species richness and intraspecific variation interactively shape marine diatom community functioning

AbstractBiodiversity generally increases productivity in ecosystems; however, this is mediated by the specific functional traits that come with biodiversity loss or gain and how these traits interact with environmental conditions. Most biodiversity studies evaluate the effects of species richness alone, despite our increasing understanding that intraspecific diversity can have equally strong impacts. Here, we manipulate both species richness and intraspecific richness (i.e., number of distinct strains) in marine diatom communities to explicitly test the relative importance of species and strain richness for biomass and trait diversity in six distinct temperature/nutrient environments. We show that species and strain richness both have significant effects on biomass and growth rates, but more importantly, they interact with each other, indicating that cross‐species diversity effects depend on within‐species diversity and vice versa. This intertwined relationship thus calls for more integrative approaches quantifying the relative importance of distinct biodiversity components and environmental context on ecosystem functioning.

Microbial community and extracellular polymeric substance dynamics in arid–zone temporary pan ecosystems

Microbial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are an important component in sediment ecology. However, most research is highly skewed towards the northern hemisphere and in more permanent systems. This paper investigates EPS (i.e., carbohydrates and proteins) dynamics in arid Austral zone temporary pans sediments. Colorimetric methods and sequence–based metagenomics techniques were employed in a series of small temporary pan ecosystems characterised by alternating wet and dry hydroperiods. Microbial community patterns of distribution were evaluated between seasons (hot–wet and cool–dry) and across depths (and inferred inundation period) based on estimated elevation. Carbohydrates generally occurred in relatively higher proportions than proteins; the carbohydrate:protein ratio was 2.8:1 and 1.6:1 for the dry and wet season respectively, suggesting that EPS found in these systems was largely diatom produced. The wet– hydroperiods (Carbohydrate mean 102 μg g−1; Protein mean 65 μg g−1) supported more EPS production as compared to the dry– hydroperiods (Carbohydrate mean 73 μg g−1; Protein mean 26 μg g−1). A total of 15,042 Unique Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) were allocated to 51 bacterial phyla and 1127 genera. The most abundant genera had commonality in high temperature tolerance, with Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria in high abundances. Microbial communities were more distinct between seasons compared to within seasons which further suggested that the observed metagenome functions could be seasonally driven. This study's findings implied that there were high levels of denitrification by mostly nitric oxide reductase and nitrite reductase enzymes. EPS production was high in the hot–wet season as compared to relatively lower rates of nitrification in the cool–dry season by ammonia monooxygenases. Both EPS quantities and metagenome functions were highly associated with availability of water, with high rates being mainly associated with wet– hydroperiods compared to dry– hydroperiods. These data suggest that extended dry periods threaten microbially mediated processes in temporary wetlands, with implications to loss of biodiversity by desiccation.

The capacity of sentinel species to detect changes in environmental conditions and ecosystem structure

Abstract A major obstacle to preventing and reversing biodiversity loss in the Anthropocene lies in the scarcity of tools and data for monitoring the health and trajectory of ecosystems. Sentinel species can provide insight into unobserved ecosystem change, but it is unclear how effective sentinels are due to the local, context‐dependent nature of past research. Here, we present the first global evaluation on the effectiveness of sentinel species as indicators of ecosystem change. We conducted a meta‐analysis on 372 case studies to identify the ecological and methodological factors that correlate with the most effective sentinel species. Sentinel performance did not vary consistently across taxa or system; instead, sentinels that were more directly linked to ecosystem change due to their trophic role as predators were more effective. In addition, sentinel responses that were measured on a shorter timescale were more effective at indicating ecosystem change. Policy Implications. These results contribute to the longstanding debate on “what makes a good sentinel” and demonstrate the importance of both ecological and methodological factors when selecting sentinels to detect ecosystem change. For example, sentinel species which are trophically linked and measured on short timescales may be more effective for managers seeking to monitor ecosystem change than other species. By identifying effective traits for the use of sentinel species, scientists and policymakers will be able to develop rapid and adaptable management plans in response to global change.

3D printed plant-based biodegradable materials as alternative for PVC panels in monitoring coastal marine communities

Coastal marine environments are some of the most productive and overexploited ecosystems on earth. Coastal ecosystems, like oyster and coral reefs, need physical structures to establish and habitat destruction has led to the destabilization of reef structures resulting in massive biodiversity losses. For decades, researchers have utilized PolyVinyl Chloride (PVC) panels as artificial larval settlement panels to study recruitment and community dynamics in these incredibly important ecosystems. Unfortunately, PVC itself is relatively toxic, the panels are smooth which makes it difficult for larval settlement, and it can take months to see establishment because larvae need settlement cues on PVC from biofilm development. This study assessed the use of 3D printed panels constructed out of plant-based biodegradable materials as an alternative to PVC panels. Panels constructed of three different corn-based polylactic acid (PLA) materials (white impact modified, gray impact modified, wood pulp) were tested at a well monitored site along the Long Island Sound in Connecticut, US. Overall, the 3D printed panels had equal or higher recruitment compared to the PVC panels. Beyond the normal application of panels for ecological assessment of local settlement, this work highlights that using innovative, biodegradable panels has strong potential in reestablishing these overburdened yet critical ecosystems. Additionally, the 3D printed panels were economically beneficial to use, which increases equity in this conservation crisis field as material expense can be cost prohibitive.

The impact of community-led conservation models on women's nature-based livelihood outcomes in semi-arid Northern Ghana

With increasing human-induced environmental degradation, women's nature-based livelihood activities are threatened. In semi-arid northern Ghana, shea processing (i.e., shea butter, a derivative of shea nut from the shea tree), a vital women-dominated economic activity, is at risk as naturally occurring shea trees continue to decline in numbers and productivity. The decline of the shea tree's number and productivity and the ensuing biodiversity loss have sparked conservation efforts by governments and local communities. This includes community-led conservation models, which have recently gained traction in the Global South. Ghana implemented the Community Resource Management Areas (CREMA)—a community-led conservation model to improve biodiversity and ecosystem services, including shea trees conservation in response to climate change. Research has not explored the impacts of community-led conservation efforts on women’s nature-based livelihoods in Ghana. Using a mixed-methods approach involving surveys (n = 517) and focus group discussions (n = 8), this study explored shea productivity outcomes under CREMAs. Findings show that women residing in CREMAs had significantly better shea harvesting outcomes than those outside CREMAs (α = −53.725; P < 0.01). These findings demonstrate the potential for targeted conservation initiatives that are community-led, such as the CREMAs, to improve the conservation of economically significant naturally occurring trees like Shea. With the increasing impacts of climate change and environmental degradation, such models would be instrumental in achieving sustainable development goals like SDG5-gender equality, SDG10-reduced inequalities, SDG13-Climate action, SDG14-life below water, and SDG14-life on land.

Degrowth scenarios for biodiversity? Key methodological steps and a call for collaboration

AbstractStudies show that economic growth contributes to biodiversity loss and that, after a certain threshold, it does not contribute to wellbeing. Thus, when developing biodiversity scenarios, considering societal futures where economic growth is not a pre-condition deserves special attention. However, to date, degrowth scenarios have not been explored for biodiversity conservation and human wellbeing. In this paper, we explain how the Nature Futures Framework (NFF) and other approaches could be used to generate degrowth scenarios for biodiversity, nature’s contributions to people (NCP) and good quality of life (GQL) based on multiple societal values. We present key methodological steps of such an endeavour, including: (i) producing degrowth visions for high-income countries; (ii) identifying leverage points and imagining degrowth pathways; (iii) identifying key social–ecological interactions; and (iv) modelling biodiversity, NCP, and GQL along degrowth scenarios. Our proposal is framed within current theoretical, empirical, and modelling work as well as within efforts to improve scenario development across the biodiversity and climate communities. To develop degrowth scenarios for biodiversity, NCP, and GQL, we call for collaboration across natural and social sciences, quantitative and qualitative approaches, and northern and southern perspectives. This collaboration could lead to a community of practice that tests and improves the degrowth scenarios in national and international science–policy interfaces as they set out to achieve the Convention on Biological Diversity’s 2050 vision of living in harmony with nature.

Towards a standardized framework for AI-assisted, image-based monitoring of nocturnal insects.

Automated sensors have potential to standardize and expand the monitoring of insects across the globe. As one of the most scalable and fastest developing sensor technologies, we describe a framework for automated, image-based monitoring of nocturnal insects-from sensor development and field deployment to workflows for data processing and publishing. Sensors comprise a light to attract insects, a camera for collecting images and a computer for scheduling, data storage and processing. Metadata is important to describe sampling schedules that balance the capture of relevant ecological information against power and data storage limitations. Large data volumes of images from automated systems necessitate scalable and effective data processing. We describe computer vision approaches for the detection, tracking and classification of insects, including models built from existing aggregations of labelled insect images. Data from automated camera systems necessitate approaches that account for inherent biases. We advocate models that explicitly correct for bias in species occurrence or abundance estimates resulting from the imperfect detection of species or individuals present during sampling occasions. We propose ten priorities towards a step-change in automated monitoring of nocturnal insects, a vital task in the face of rapid biodiversity loss from global threats. This article is part of the theme issue 'Towards a toolkit for global insect biodiversity monitoring'.

Species richness and ecological connectivity of the mammal communities in urban and peri-urban areas at Mexico City

AbstractUrban expansion has emerged as a pervasive driver of biodiversity loss in Mexican cities due to shifts in landscape composition and configuration. Hence, the preservation of forest cover, green spaces and isolated trees assume a critical role in conserving the biodiversity within urban areas. We compared mammal assemblages across 520 sites in Mexico City examining the impact of local vegetation and site characteristics (e.g., patch size, isolation distance) on diversity patterns. Then, we used a generalized linear model to evaluate the relationship between mammal assemblages (including both alpha and beta diversities) and the level of structural and functional connectivity across the landscape. We collected 5,063 records of 38 species from the sampled sites. Mammalian richness ranged from 1 to 9 spp./site, and the mean of taxonomic and functional (Functional Distance [MFD]) alpha diversities were 1.9 ± 1.3 spp./site and 0.41 ± 0.60 MFD/site, respectively. The average size of habitat fragments was 0.41 hectares, and the percent forest cover per site ranged from 0.5 to 100%. Both species and functional alpha diversities were different among the land-use and vegetation types (including protected vs. non-protected areas). There was a clear distinction (β value &gt; 0.40) in species composition across the landscape, which was positively related to geographical distance and negatively related to connectivity between sites. We identified four main patches especially important to connectivity across the city and argue that conserving them is critical for restoring key components of biodiversity and ecosystem services in urban and peri-urban areas of Mexico City.

Local and landscape drivers of natural enemy communities in Indonesian oil palm plantation

Abstract Oil palm plantations are typically managed in a monoculture system over large areas. This system contributes to biodiversity loss and promotes pest outbreaks by reducing natural enemies. However, ecosystem functions in oil palm plantations vary spatially and temporally and can still support biodiversity under certain conditions. We conducted a study on the species richness, abundance and species composition of natural enemies in oil palm plantations and investigated the factors influencing natural enemy communities in oil palm plantations at both local and landscape scales. We selected 12 sites in an oil palm plantation in Central Borneo, Indonesia, which were grouped into 4 sub‐areas based on the presence of natural habitats, which varied in local and landscape characteristics. Arthropods were sampled using canopy knockdown fogging with a pyrethroid insecticide. Different taxa of natural enemies responded differently to changes in habitat characteristics within oil palm plantations. Species richness of spiders was not affected by either local or landscape scale, but their species composition was affected by oil palm tree age (local scale) and the total edge of dominant oil palm tree age (landscape scale). Ant species richness was influenced by the class area of natural habitat (landscape scale), whereas their species composition was not influenced by either local or landscape scale. On the other hand, species richness of parasitoid wasps was influenced by light intensity (local scale) and the variation of oil palm tree age within a landscape (landscape scale). However, their species composition was only affected by light intensity. The results suggest that oil palm management practices need to consider both local and landscape scales to maintain biodiversity and biological control and to achieve sustainable management of oil palm plantations.

Monitoring aerial insect biodiversity: a radar perspective.

In the current biodiversity crisis, populations of many species have alarmingly declined, and insects are no exception to this general trend. Biodiversity monitoring has become an essential asset to detect biodiversity change but remains patchy and challenging for organisms that are small, inconspicuous or make (nocturnal) long-distance movements. Radars are powerful remote-sensing tools that can provide detailed information on intensity, timing, altitude and spatial scale of aerial movements and might therefore be particularly suited for monitoring aerial insects and their movements. Importantly, they can contribute to several essential biodiversity variables (EBVs) within a harmonized observation system. We review existing research using small-scale biological and weather surveillance radars for insect monitoring and outline how the derived measures and quantities can contribute to the EBVs 'species population', 'species traits', 'community composition' and 'ecosystem function'. Furthermore, we synthesize how ongoing and future methodological, analytical and technological advancements will greatly expand the use of radar for insect biodiversity monitoring and beyond. Owing to their long-term and regional-to-large-scale deployment, radar-based approaches can be a powerful asset in the biodiversity monitoring toolbox whose potential has yet to be fully tapped. This article is part of the theme issue 'Towards a toolkit for global insect biodiversity monitoring'.

Climate Change and Biodiversity: An Analytical Study with Reference to Indian Laws

As per the nature of law, changes are bound to be happening in the system if any component of the system gets altered by any means. Change of climate and subsequently loss of biodiversity threatens the existence of human being. The loss of biodiversity, which has been happening worldwide, poses a serious threat to the anthropological system. An investigation of the current trend and future scenario shows that this loss is likely to continue in the foreseeable times. India has a huge variety of biodiversity and in the last few decades, its biodiversity has come under threat from climate change which accelerated by the anthropogenic activities of various sources of pollution. Biodiversity conservation and sustainable development are the possible ways to curtail the impact of climate change. Although, adequate efforts have been made worldwide to tackle the environmental challenges, the adverse effects of climate change are still accelerating and the rate of loss of biodiversity is continuing globally.

Forest restoration in practice across Latin America

Forest restoration is a promising solution to counteract climate change, biodiversity loss, and meet a host of socioeconomic objectives. While international initiatives highlight potential contributions of forest restoration as a win-win for people and nature, we lack detailed information on how frontline restoration practitioners are addressing this challenge on the ground. Here, we present a systematic assessment of motivations, scale, and costs of forest restoration implemented by 166 practitioners across 14 countries in Latin America. We found that forest restoration is motivated by interlinked objectives and accordingly, most restoration practitioners concurrently used multiple interventions spanning a range of intensity of inputs matched to the scale of individual projects. Project scale influenced strategy, with low-intensity interventions like natural regeneration implemented when operating at larger scales (≥500 ha). However, active tree planting remains the most frequently used intervention (included in >92 % of programs). Costs of establishing planted areas vary most broadly at the project level ($4445/ha ± 4841 over first 3 years) with little evidence of efficiencies of scale and with additional financial support ($964/ha/yr) required ~10 years past establishment. Moreover, monitoring added substantial additional costs, and we identified widespread misalignment between indicators measured and the most frequently expressed objective of restoring biodiversity. Our results emphasize that, while a promising range of new forest restoration interventions are being implemented across Latin America, lower-cost interventions, accessible and practical monitoring strategies, and better alignment between funding cycles and actual time frames required to achieve restoration objectives are urgently needed to support successful outcomes.

The effects of grassland degradation on the genetic structure of a small mammal.

Grassland degradation is challenging the health of grassland ecosystems globally and causing biodiversity decline. Previous studies have demonstrated the impact of grassland degradation on the abundance and behavior of small mammals. Little is known about how it affects the genetic structure of gregarious mammals in the wild. This study explores the effects of grassland degradation on the genetic structure of a small burrowing mammal, plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae). We used nine microsatellite loci to analyze the genetic diversity and genetic differentiation between colonies and genetic relatedness between individuals within the colony. We found that pikas in severely degraded grasslands had a significantly higher genetic diversity within colonies, a higher level of gene flow between colonies, and a lower genetic differentiation between colonies compared to pikas in less degraded grasslands. Individuals within colonies had a significantly lower genetic relatedness in severely degraded grasslands than in less degraded grasslands. This study has provided potential evidence of a significant impact of grassland degradation on the genetic structure of pikas, which has caused a breakdown of their kin-selected colony structure.

Fisheries Impact Pathway: Making Global and Regionalised Impacts on Marine Ecosystem Quality Accessible in Life Cycle Impact Assessment

Fisheries Impact Pathway: Making Global and Regionalised Impacts on Marine Ecosystem Quality Accessible in Life Cycle Impact Assessment

The Tree of Life eDNA metabarcoding reveals a similar taxonomic richness but dissimilar evolutionary lineages between seaports and marine reserves.

Coastal areas host a major part of marine biodiversity but are seriously threatened by ever-increasing human pressures. Transforming natural coastlines into urban seascapes through habitat artificialization may result in loss of biodiversity and key ecosystem functions. Yet, the extent to which seaports differ from nearby natural habitats and marine reserves across the whole Tree of Life is still unknown. This study aimed to assess the level of α and β-diversity between seaports and reserves, and whether these biodiversity patterns are conserved across taxa and evolutionary lineages. For that, we used environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to survey six seaports on the French Mediterranean coast and four strictly no-take marine reserves nearby. By targeting four different groups-prokaryotes, eukaryotes, metazoans and fish-with appropriate markers, we provide a holistic view of biodiversity on contrasted habitats. In the absence of comprehensive reference databases, we used bioinformatic pipelines to gather similar sequences into molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs). In contrast to our expectations, we obtained no difference in MOTU richness (α-diversity) between habitats except for prokaryotes and threatened fishes with higher diversity in reserves than in seaports. However, we observed a marked dissimilarity (β-diversity) between seaports and reserves for all taxa. Surprisingly, this biodiversity signature of seaports was preserved across the Tree of Life, up to the order. This result reveals that seaports and nearby marine reserves share few taxa and evolutionary lineages along urbanized coasts and suggests major differences in terms of ecosystem functioning between both habitats.

Synthesizing the Ecological and Societal Ramifications of Environmental Stressors on Philippine Marine Ecosystems: A Comprehensive Literature Review

Coral reefs, which serve as essential ecosystems that support marine biodiversity and coastal populations, are declining at an alarming rate worldwide, including in the Philippines. This study explores the specific effects of overfishing, the causes, and effects of pollution on Philippine waters to understand better rising sea levels, ocean acidification, the overall impact of climate change on coral reefs, and the value of these coral habitats to local communities. Data were acquired using a qualitative approach through literature reviews of secondary sources. The findings show that overfishing, pollution, climate change, and habitat destruction are major causes of coral reef decline in the Philippines. These factors have resulted in severe reductions in coral cover, biodiversity loss, and decreased ecosystem services. Furthermore, coral reef decline has far-reaching consequences for Philippine biodiversity, including decreased resistance to environmental stressors and greater vulnerability of coastal people. This study highlights the urgency for coordinated conservation initiatives, such as enhanced management tactics, sustainable fishing practices, and climate change mitigation measures. Recommendations include creating marine protected areas, stronger coastal development rules, and public awareness programs to support coral reef protection. Addressing coral reef loss is crucial for protecting Philippine biodiversity and ensuring the long-term viability of marine ecosystems.

Museum of Extinction

This artistic research project combines an exploration of natural history conservation at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and museology at Museene i Sør-Trøndelag. The exposition is structured around Field Notes: qualitative records of my observations. Taking an ethnographic and interpretive phenomenological approach, I argue my hypothesis through the subjective experiences of the living, as well as the living dead. Drawing a correlation between the utilitarian subjugation of the animal-other and loss of biodiversity, I posit that the re-presentation of animal materialities in art and artefacts has the potential to re-form culture in the time of the sixth extinction.