Journal articles: 'Biodiversity declines'

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Stokstad, Erik. "Despite Progress, Biodiversity Declines." Science 329, no. 5997 (September 9, 2010): 1272–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.329.5997.1272.

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Butchart, S. H. M., M. Walpole, B. Collen, A. van Strien, J. P. W. Scharlemann, R. E. A. Almond, J. E. M. Baillie, et al. "Global Biodiversity: Indicators of Recent Declines." Science 328, no. 5982 (April 29, 2010): 1164–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1187512.

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Scheele, Ben C., Frank Pasmans, Lee F. Skerratt, Lee Berger, An Martel, Wouter Beukema, Aldemar A. Acevedo, et al. "Amphibian fungal panzootic causes catastrophic and ongoing loss of biodiversity." Science 363, no. 6434 (March 28, 2019): 1459–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aav0379.

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Anthropogenic trade and development have broken down dispersal barriers, facilitating the spread of diseases that threaten Earth’s biodiversity. We present a global, quantitative assessment of the amphibian chytridiomycosis panzootic, one of the most impactful examples of disease spread, and demonstrate its role in the decline of at least 501 amphibian species over the past half-century, including 90 presumed extinctions. The effects of chytridiomycosis have been greatest in large-bodied, range-restricted anurans in wet climates in the Americas and Australia. Declines peaked in the 1980s, and only 12% of declined species show signs of recovery, whereas 39% are experiencing ongoing decline. There is risk of further chytridiomycosis outbreaks in new areas. The chytridiomycosis panzootic represents the greatest recorded loss of biodiversity attributable to a disease.

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Schrauth, Fabian, and Michael Wink. "Changes in Species Composition of Birds and Declining Number of Breeding Territories over 40 Years in a Nature Conservation Area in Southwest Germany." Diversity 10, no. 3 (August 30, 2018): 97. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d10030097.

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Global loss of biodiversity is occurring at an alarming rate and is a major issue in current times. Long-term studies offer the possibility to analyse changes in biodiversity and allow assessments of anthropogenic interventions in ecosystems. At present, various studies in most countries show partially strong declines of insect populations. Due to their role as a food source for many organisms it is assumed that declines of insect abundance might have effects on higher trophic levels like insectivorous birds. For reliable statements on relationships between food availability and population trends, systematic and extensive records of breeding birds are necessary. In this study, we analysed the changes in the range of species, biodiversity, and abundance of a breeding bird community over 43 years in a large nature conservation area in southwest Germany (“Lampertheimer Altrhein” near Mannheim). Since 1974, considerable changes in the spectrum of breeding birds have been found, but the overall biodiversity index did not change. Furthermore, 70% of the investigated species showed decreasing numbers of breeding bird territories, and the overall number of territories across species declined by more than 65%. A classification based on the main diet during the breeding period and habitat use revealed strong declines for insectivorous birds in the study area, especially in wetland and open cultivated landscapes.

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Mora, Camilo, Rebekka Metzger, Audrey Rollo, and Ransom A. Myers. "Experimental simulations about the effects of overexploitation and habitat fragmentation on populations facing environmental warming." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 274, no. 1613 (February 6, 2007): 1023–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2006.0338.

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Populations of many species are dramatically declining worldwide, but the causal mechanism remains debated among different human-related threats. Coping with this uncertainty is critical to several issues about the conservation and future of biodiversity, but remains challenging due to difficulties associated with the experimental manipulation and/or isolation of the effects of such threats under field conditions. Using controlled microcosm populations, we quantified the individual and combined effects of environmental warming, overexploitation and habitat fragmentation on population persistence. Individually, each of these threats produced similar and significant population declines, which were accelerated to different degrees depending upon particular interactions. The interaction between habitat fragmentation and harvesting generated an additive decline in population size. However, both of these threats reduced population resistance causing synergistic declines in populations also facing environmental warming. Declines in population size were up to 50 times faster when all threats acted together. These results indicate that species may be facing risks of extinction higher than those anticipated from single threat analyses and suggest that all threats should be mitigated simultaneously, if current biodiversity declines are to be reversed.

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Stark, Tariq, Carlijn Laurijssens, Martijn Weterings, An Martel, Gunther Köhler, and Frank Pasmans. "Prevalence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in a Nicaraguan, micro-endemic Neotropical salamander, Bolitoglossa mombachoensis." Amphibia-Reptilia 38, no. 1 (2017): 102–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685381-00003077.

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Amphibians are the most threatened terrestrial vertebrates on the planet and are iconic in the global biodiversity crisis. Their global decline caused by the fungal agentBatrachochytrium dendrobatidis(Bd) is well known. Declines of Mesoamerican salamanders of the family Plethodontidae, mainly affecting high elevation species, have equally been attributed toBd. Here we report the prevalence ofBdin a population of a high elevationBolitoglossaspecies in Nicaragua, since its description in 1999 until 2011 in the absence of any obvious population declines. Our findings show a low prevalence in an environmental context where pathogen driven declines would be expected to occur.

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Hallmann, Caspar A., Axel Ssymank, Martin Sorg, Hans de Kroon, and Eelke Jongejans. "Insect biomass decline scaled to species diversity: General patterns derived from a hoverfly community." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118, no. 2 (January 11, 2021): e2002554117. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2002554117.

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Reports of declines in biomass of flying insects have alarmed the world in recent years. However, how biomass declines reflect biodiversity loss is still an open question. Here, we analyze the abundance (19,604 individuals) of 162 hoverfly species (Diptera: Syrphidae), at six locations in German nature reserves in 1989 and 2014, and generalize the results with a model varying decline rates of common vs. rare species. We show isometric decline rates between total insect biomass and total hoverfly abundance and a scale-dependent decline in hoverfly species richness, ranging between −23% over the season to −82% at the daily level. We constructed a theoretical null model to explore how strong declines in total abundance translate to changing rank-abundance curves, species persistence, and diversity measures. Observed persistence rates were disproportionately lower than expected for species of intermediate abundance, while the rarest species showed decline and appearance rates consistent with random expectation. Our results suggest that large insect biomass declines are predictive of insect diversity declines. Under current threats, even the more common species are in peril, calling for a reevaluation of hazards and conservation strategies that traditionally target already rare and endangered species only.

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Waldron, A., A. O. Mooers, D. C. Miller, N. Nibbelink, D. Redding, T. S. Kuhn, J. T. Roberts, and J. L. Gittleman. "Targeting global conservation funding to limit immediate biodiversity declines." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110, no. 29 (July 1, 2013): 12144–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1221370110.

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Kunin, William E. "Robust evidence of declines in insect abundance and biodiversity." Nature 574, no. 7780 (October 30, 2019): 641–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-03241-9.

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HELDBJERG, HENNING, PETER SUNDE, and ANTHONY DAVID FOX. "Continuous population declines for specialist farmland birds 1987-2014 in Denmark indicates no halt in biodiversity loss in agricultural habitats." Bird Conservation International 28, no. 2 (March 6, 2017): 278–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959270916000654.

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SummaryThe 2020 EU biodiversity strategy aims to halt the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services, but this requires effective monitoring to determine whether these aims are achieved. Common bird monitoring continuously assesses changes in the avian community, providing a powerful tool for monitoring temporal changes in the abundance and distribution of these upper trophic level consumers. Two-thirds of Denmark’s land area is intensively farmed, so agricultural habitats make a major contribution to Danish biodiversity. We looked for changes in abundance amongst farmland birds in Denmark during 1987–2014 to test for reductions in declines and to predict whether the 2020-target can be expected to be achieved. Sixteen specialist farmland species were those showing the most rapid declines amongst 102 common breeding species in Denmark. Of these, those species nesting on the ground showed significant long-term declines, which was not the case for those that nest elsewhere, i.e. in hedgerows, trees and buildings. There was no evidence to suggest that these trends were attributable to widespread declines in long-distance migrant species (as reported elsewhere), which may be affected by conditions at other times in the annual cycle. We therefore conclude that continued declines in specialist farmland breeding bird species are due to contemporary agricultural changes within Denmark and urge habitat- and species-specific analysis to identify the core causes of these changes and halt the declines.

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Edie, Stewart M., David Jablonski, and James W. Valentine. "Contrasting responses of functional diversity to major losses in taxonomic diversity." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 115, no. 4 (January 5, 2018): 732–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1717636115.

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Taxonomic diversity of benthic marine invertebrate shelf species declines at present by nearly an order of magnitude from the tropics to the poles in each hemisphere along the latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG), most steeply along the western Pacific where shallow-sea diversity is at its tropical maximum. In the Bivalvia, a model system for macroevolution and macroecology, this taxonomic trend is accompanied by a decline in the number of functional groups and an increase in the evenness of taxa distributed among those groups, with maximum functional evenness (FE) in polar waters of both hemispheres. In contrast, analyses of this model system across the two era-defining events of the Phanerozoic, the Permian–Triassic and Cretaceous–Paleogene mass extinctions, show only minor declines in functional richness despite high extinction intensities, resulting in a rise in FE owing to the persistence of functional groups. We hypothesize that the spatial decline of taxonomic diversity and increase in FE along the present-day LDG primarily reflect diversity-dependent factors, whereas retention of almost all functional groups through the two mass extinctions suggests the operation of diversity-independent factors. Comparative analyses of different aspects of biodiversity thus reveal strongly contrasting biological consequences of similarly severe declines in taxonomic diversity and can help predict the consequences for functional diversity among different drivers of past, present, and future biodiversity loss.

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Bartomeus, I., J. R. Stavert, D. Ward, and O. Aguado. "Historical collections as a tool for assessing the global pollination crisis." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 374, no. 1763 (November 19, 2018): 20170389. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2017.0389.

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There is increasing concern about the decline of pollinators worldwide. However, despite reports that pollinator declines are widespread, data are scarce and often geographically and taxonomically biased. These biases limit robust inference about any potential pollinator crisis. Non-structured and opportunistic historical specimen collection data provide the only source of historical information which can serve as a baseline for identifying pollinator declines. Specimens historically collected and preserved in museums not only provide information on where and when species were collected, but also contain other ecological information such as species interactions and morphological traits. Here, we provide a synthesis of how researchers have used historical data to identify long-term changes in biodiversity, species abundances, morphology and pollination services. Despite recent advances, we show that information on the status and trends of most pollinators is absent. We highlight opportunities and limitations to progress the assessment of pollinator declines globally. Finally, we demonstrate different approaches to analysing museum collection data using two contrasting case studies from distinct geographical regions (New Zealand and Spain) for which long-term pollinator declines have never been assessed. There is immense potential for museum specimens to play a central role in assessing the extent of the global pollination crisis. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Biological collections for understanding biodiversity in the Anthropocene’.

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Hoffman, Kira M., Emma L. Davis, Sara B. Wickham, Kyle Schang, Alexandra Johnson, Taylor Larking, Patrick N. Lauriault, Nhu Quynh Le, Emily Swerdfager, and Andrew J. Trant. "Conservation of Earth’s biodiversity is embedded in Indigenous fire stewardship." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118, no. 32 (August 6, 2021): e2105073118. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2105073118.

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Increasingly, severe wildfires have led to declines in biodiversity across all of Earth’s vegetated biomes [D. B. McWethy et al., Nat. Sustain. 2, 797–804 (2019)]. Unfortunately, the displacement of Indigenous peoples and place-based societies that rely on and routinely practice fire stewardship has resulted in significant declines in biodiversity and the functional roles of people in shaping pyrodiverse systems [R. Bliege Bird et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 117, 12904–12914 (2020)]. With the aim of assessing the impacts of Indigenous fire stewardship on biodiversity and species function across Earth’s major terrestrial biomes, we conducted a review of relevant primary data papers published from 1900 to present. We examined how the frequency, seasonality, and severity of human-ignited fires can improve or reduce reported metrics of biodiversity and habitat heterogeneity as well as changes to species composition across a range of taxa and spatial and temporal scales. A total of 79% of applicable studies reported increases in biodiversity as a result of fire stewardship, and 63% concluded that habitat heterogeneity was increased by the use of fire. All studies reported that fire stewardship occurred outside of the window of uncontrollable fire activity, and plants (woody and nonwoody vegetation) were the most intensively studied life forms. Three studies reported declines in biodiversity associated with increases in the use of high-severity fire as a result of the disruption of Indigenous-controlled fire regimes with the onset of colonization. Supporting Indigenous-led fire stewardship can assist with reviving important cultural practices while protecting human communities from increasingly severe wildfires, enhancing biodiversity, and increasing ecosystem heterogeneity.

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Brodie, Jedediah F., Sara Williams, and Brittany Garner. "The decline of mammal functional and evolutionary diversity worldwide." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118, no. 3 (January 4, 2021): e1921849118. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1921849118.

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Biodiversity is declining worldwide. Because species interact with one another and with their environment, losses of particular organisms alter the function of ecosystems. Our understanding of the global rates and specific causes of functional decline remains limited, however. Species losses also reduce the cumulative amount of extant evolutionary history (“phylogenetic diversity” [PD]) in communities—our biodiversity heritage. Here we provide a global assessment of how each known anthropogenic threat is driving declines in functional diversity (FD) and PD, using terrestrial mammals as a case study. We find that habitat loss and harvest (e.g., legal hunting, poaching, snaring) are by far the biggest drivers of ongoing FD and PD loss. Declines in FD in high-biodiversity countries, particularly in Southeast Asia and South America, are greater than would be expected if species losses were random with respect to ecological function. Among functional guilds, herbivores are disproportionately likely to be declining from harvest, with important implications for plant communities and nutrient cycling. Frugivores are particularly likely to be declining from both harvest and habitat loss, with potential ramifications for seed dispersal and even forest carbon storage. Globally, phylogenetically unique species do not have an elevated risk of decline, but in areas such as Australia and parts of Southeast Asia, both habitat loss and harvest are biased toward phylogenetically unique species. Enhanced conservation efforts, including a renewed focus on harvest sustainability, are urgently needed to prevent the deterioration of ecosystem function, especially in the South American and equatorial Asian tropics.

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Wayne, A. F., B. A. Wilson, and J. C. Z. Woinarski. "Falling apart? Insights and lessons from three recent studies documenting rapid and severe decline in terrestrial mammal assemblages of northern, south-eastern and south-western Australia." Wildlife Research 44, no. 2 (2017): 114. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr16178.

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Context Since European settlement in 1788, much of the Australian terrestrial mammal fauna has declined or become extinct. The pattern of, and reason for, that decline was little documented, and is now difficult to decipher. Many mammal species are still declining, providing (an unfortunate) opportunity to better document the process, identify the causal factors and attempt to redress the problem. Aim We compare trends in mammal abundance reported in three recent longitudinal studies in conservation reserves in Australia. The studies were not established with the intention of documenting mammal decline, but marked simultaneous decline of co-existing species was the most striking feature of their results. Methods Long-term monitoring in Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory (2001–04 and 2007–09), the Upper Warren region of Western Australia (since 1974) and the Great Otway National Park, Victoria (since 1975) principally relied on trapping, but also some spotlighting and sand plots, to document changes and trends in abundance in their respective mammal assemblages. Key results Decline was reported in most mammal species, across taxonomic groups, diets and size classes, but mostly involved species <5500g. The studies differed in their monitoring protocols and varied in the degree to which potential causal factors were monitored, thereby constraining interpretation of the drivers of declines. Inappropriate fire regimes and predation by feral cats are likely contributing factors in at least two study areas, and periods of markedly below-average rainfall are implicated in two areas. Conclusions We conclude the following: (1) conservation reserves in Australia may be failing to maintain at least some elements of the biodiversity that they were established to protect, and substantially enhanced management is required to redress this problem; (2) with current threats, mammal assemblages in Australia may be highly unstable; (3) substantial increase in effective long-term biodiversity monitoring programs in an adaptive management framework is needed; and (4) such monitoring programs will be more insightful if they also monitor factors driving population change. Implications Native mammal species declines and community disassembly may be occurring elsewhere. Long-term monitoring is critical for assessing trends in biodiversity and if done well, it can guide more effective and efficient management to deliver better conservation outcomes.

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Cunningham, A. A. "Infectious disease threats to amphibian conservation." Glasgow Naturalist 27, Supplement (2018): 81–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.37208/tgn27s14.

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The unexplained decline of amphibian populations across the world was first recognised in the late 20th century. When investigated, most of these “enigmatic” declines have been shown to be due to one of two types of infectious disease: ranavirosis caused by infection with FV3-like ranavirus or with common midwife toad virus, or chytridiomycosis caused by infection with Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis or B. salamandrivorans. In all cases examined, infection has been via the human-mediated introduction of the pathogen to a species or population in which it has not naturally co-evolved. While ranaviruses and B. salamandrivorans have caused regionally localised amphibian population declines in Europe, the chytrid fungus, B. dendrobatidis, has caused catastrophic multi-species amphibian population declines and species extinctions globally. These diseases have already caused the loss of amphibian biodiversity, and over 40% of known amphibian species are threatened with extinction. If this biodiversity loss is to be halted, it is imperative that regulations are put in place – and enforced – to prevent the spread of known and yet-to-be discovered amphibian pathogens. Also, it is incumbent on those who keep or study amphibians to take measures to minimise the risk of disease spread, including from captive animals to those in the wild.

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Heilpern, Sebastian A., Ruth DeFries, Kathryn Fiorella, Alexander Flecker, Suresh A. Sethi, María Uriarte, and Shahid Naeem. "Declining diversity of wild-caught species puts dietary nutrient supplies at risk." Science Advances 7, no. 22 (May 2021): eabf9967. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abf9967.

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Although biodiversity loss adversely influences a variety of ecosystem functions, how declining wild food diversity affects nutrient supplies for people is poorly understood. Here, we analyze the impact of declining biodiversity on nutrients supplied by fish using detailed information from the Peruvian Amazon, where inland fisheries provide a critical source of nutrition for many of the region’s 800,000 people. We found that the impacts of biodiversity loss on nutrient supplies depended on compensation, trophic dynamics, and functional diversity. When small sedentary species compensated for declines in large migratory species, fatty acid supplies increased, while zinc and iron supplies decreased. In contrast, the probability of failing to maintain supplies or nutrient supply risk increased when species were nutritionally unique. Our results show that trait-based regulations and public health polices need to consider biodiversity’s vital role in sustaining nutritional benefits for over 2 billion people dependent on wild foods across the globe.

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Isbell, F., P. B. Reich, D. Tilman, S. E. Hobbie, S. Polasky, and S. Binder. "Nutrient enrichment, biodiversity loss, and consequent declines in ecosystem productivity." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110, no. 29 (July 1, 2013): 11911–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1310880110.

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Lukoschek, Vimoksalehi, Maria Beger, Daniela Ceccarelli, Zoe Richards, and Morgan Pratchett. "Enigmatic declines of Australia’s sea snakes from a biodiversity hotspot." Biological Conservation 166 (October 2013): 191–202. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2013.07.004.

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Hutchings, Jeffrey A., and Julia K. Baum. "Measuring marine fish biodiversity: temporal changes in abundance, life history and demography." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 360, no. 1454 (February 28, 2005): 315–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2004.1586.

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Patterns in marine fish biodiversity can be assessed by quantifying temporal variation in rate of population change, abundance, life history and demography concomitant with long-term reductions in abundance. Based on data for 177 populations (62 species) from four north-temperate oceanic regions (Northeast Atlantic and Pacific, Northwest Atlantic, North mid-Atlantic), 81% of the populations in decline prior to 1992 experienced reductions in their rate of loss thereafter; species whose rate of population decline accelerated after 1992 were predominantly top predators such as Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua ), sole ( Solea solea ) and pelagic sharks. Combining population data across regions and species, marine fish have declined 35% since 1978 and are currently less than 70% of recorded maxima; demersal species are generally at historic lows, pelagic species are generally stable or increasing in abundance. Declines by demersal species have been associated with substantive increases in pelagic species, a pattern consistent with the hypothesis that increases in the latter may be attributable to reduced predation mortality. There is a need to determine the consequences to population growth effected by the reductions in age (21%) and size (13%) at maturity and in mean age (5%) and size (18%) of spawners, concomitant with population decline. We conclude that reductions in the rate of population decline, in the absence of targets for population increase, will be insufficient to effect a recovery of marine fish biodiversity, and that great care must be exercised when interpreting multi-species patterns in abundance. Of fundamental importance is the need to explain the geographical, species-specific and habitat biases that pervade patterns of marine fish recovery and biodiversity.

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de Heer, M., V. Kapos, and B. J. E. ten Brink. "Biodiversity trends in Europe: development and testing of a species trend indicator for evaluating progress towards the 2010 target." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 360, no. 1454 (February 28, 2005): 297–308. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2004.1587.

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This paper presents a trial of a species population trend indicator for evaluating progress towards the 2010 biodiversity target in Europe, using existing data. The indicator integrates trends on different species (groups), and can be aggregated across habitats and countries. Thus, the indicator can deliver both headline messages for high-level decision-making and detailed information for in-depth analysis, using data from different sources, collected with different methods. International non-governmental organizations mobilized data on over 2800 historical trends in national populations of birds, butterflies and mammals, for a total of 273 species. These were combined by habitat and biogeographical region to generate a pilot pan-European scale indicator. The trial indicator suggests a decline of species populations in nearly all habitats, the largest being in farmland, where species populations declined by an average of 23% between 1970 and 2000. The indicator is potentially useful for monitoring progress towards 2010 biodiversity targets, but constraints include: the limited sensitivity of the historical data, which leads to conservative estimates of species decline; a potential danger of ambiguity because increases in opportunistic species can mask the loss of other species; and failure to account for pre-1970 population declines. We recommend mobilizing additional existing data, particularly for plants and fishes, and elaborating further the criteria for compiling representative sets of species. For a frequent, reliable update of the indicator, sound, sensitive and harmonized biodiversity monitoring programmes are needed in all pan-European countries.

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Sanchez Gonzalez, Irene, Garrett W. Hopper, Jamie Bucholz, and Carla L. Atkinson. "Long-Term Monitoring Reveals Differential Responses of Mussel and Host Fish Communities in a Biodiversity Hotspot." Diversity 13, no. 3 (March 12, 2021): 122. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d13030122.

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Biodiversity hotspots can serve as protected areas that aid in species conservation. Long-term monitoring of multiple taxonomic groups within biodiversity hotspots can offer insight into factors influencing their dynamics. Mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) and fish are highly diverse and imperiled groups of organisms with contrasting life histories that should influence their response to ecological factors associated with local and global change. Here we use historical and contemporary fish and mussel survey data to assess fish and mussel community changes over a 33 year period (1986–2019) and relationships between mussel abundance and their host fish abundance in Bogue Chitto Creek, a tributary of the Alabama River and a biodiversity hotspot. Mussel abundance declined by ~80% and community composition shifted, with eight species previously recorded not found in 2019, and a single individual of the endangered Pleurobema decisum. Fish abundances increased and life history strategies in the community appeared stable and there was no apparent relationship between mussel declines and abundance of host fish. Temporal variation in the proportion of life history traits composing mussel assemblages was also indicative of the disturbances specifically affecting the mussel community. However, changes and declines in mussel assemblages in Bogue Chitto Creek cannot be firmly attributed to any specific factor or events because of gaps in historical environmental and biological data. We believe that mobility differences contributed to differential responses of fish and mussel communities to stressors including habitat degradation, recent droughts and invasive species. Overall, our work indicates that monitoring biodiversity hotspots using hydrological measurements, standardized survey methods and monitoring invasive species abundance would better identify the effects of multiple and interactive stressors that impact disparate taxonomic groups in freshwater ecosystems.

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Şekercioğlu, Çağan H., Chase D. Mendenhall, Federico Oviedo-Brenes, Joshua J. Horns, Paul R. Ehrlich, and Gretchen C. Daily. "Long-term declines in bird populations in tropical agricultural countryside." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 116, no. 20 (April 29, 2019): 9903–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1802732116.

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Tropical agriculture is a major driver of biodiversity loss, yet it can provide conservation opportunities, especially where protected areas are inadequate. To investigate the long-term biodiversity capacity of agricultural countryside, we quantified bird population trends in Costa Rica by mist netting 57,255 birds of 265 species between 1999 and 2010 in sun coffee plantations, riparian corridors, secondary forests, forest fragments, and primary forest reserves. More bird populations (69) were declining than were stable (39) or increasing (4). Declines were common in resident, insectivorous, and more specialized species. There was no relationship between the species richness of a habitat and its conservation value. High-value forest bird communities were characterized by their distinct species composition and habitat and dietary functional signatures. While 49% of bird species preferred forest to coffee, 39% preferred coffee to forest and 12% used both habitats, indicating that coffee plantations have some conservation value. Coffee plantations, although lacking most of the forest specialists, hosted 185 bird species, had the highest capture rates, and supported increasing numbers of some forest species. Coffee plantations with higher tree cover (7% vs. 13%) had more species with increasing capture rates, twice as many forest specialists, and half as many nonforest species. Costa Rican countryside habitats, especially those with greater tree cover, host many bird species and are critical for connecting bird populations in forest remnants. Diversified agricultural landscapes can enhance the biodiversity capacity of tropical countryside, but, for the long-term persistence of all forest bird species, large (>1,000 ha) protected areas are essential.

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Kunene, Caroline, Stefan H. Foord, Nikolaj Scharff, Thomas Pape, Jagoba Malumbres-Olarte, and Thinandavha C. Munyai. "Ant Diversity Declines with Increasing Elevation along the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania." Diversity 14, no. 4 (March 30, 2022): 260. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d14040260.

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Biodiversity patterns along elevational gradients are generally characterised by monotonic decreases or mid-elevational peaks in species richness, while elevational zones may be characterised by distinct assemblages, or higher zones may be subsets of lowland assemblages. Elevational gradients in diversity have been less studied in the Afrotropical region. This study documents ant diversity patterns in three forest types associated with the tropical mountains of Udzungwa; we hypothesise that: (1) ant diversity and activity will show a monotonic decrease from mid-elevation with increasing elevation and (2) that forests associated with different elevations will have a distinct ant assemblage. Pitfall traps were deployed at three targeted elevations (650–800, 800–1400, and 1400–1500 m a.s.l.). Ant species richness declined with increasing elevation from 650 m a.s.l. and formed three elevational assemblages with lower elevation forests having almost twice as many species as sub-montane forests and three times as many as that of the montane forests. In contrast, overall ant activity peaked at 800–1400 m a.s.l. The ant assemblages associated with the lower elevation forest were very distinct, while assemblages associated with the sub-montane and montane forests shared species. Our study reveals valuable and relevant information for biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning as the species associated with each forest type may be used as indicator species for assessing biodiversity responses to climate change and anthropogenic activities on these mountains.

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Forister, Matthew L., Andrew C. McCall, Nathan J. Sanders, James A. Fordyce, James H. Thorne, Joshua O’Brien, David P. Waetjen, and Arthur M. Shapiro. "Compounded effects of climate change and habitat alteration shift patterns of butterfly diversity." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107, no. 5 (January 19, 2010): 2088–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0909686107.

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Climate change and habitat destruction have been linked to global declines in vertebrate biodiversity, including mammals, amphibians, birds, and fishes. However, invertebrates make up the vast majority of global species richness, and the combined effects of climate change and land use on invertebrates remain poorly understood. Here we present 35 years of data on 159 species of butterflies from 10 sites along an elevational gradient spanning 0–2,775 m in a biodiversity hotspot, the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Northern California. Species richness has declined at half of the sites, with the most severe reductions at the lowest elevations, where habitat destruction is greatest. At higher elevations, we observed clear upward shifts in the elevational ranges of species, consistent with the influence of global warming. Taken together, these long-term data reveal the interacting negative effects of human-induced changes on both the climate and habitat available to butterfly species in California. Furthermore, the decline of ruderal, disturbance-associated species indicates that the traditional focus of conservation efforts on more specialized and less dispersive species should be broadened to include entire faunas when estimating and predicting the effects of pervasive stressors.

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Hirschfeld, Mareike, David C. Blackburn, Thomas M. Doherty-Bone, LeGrand Nono Gonwouo, Sonia Ghose, and Mark-Oliver Rödel. "Dramatic Declines of Montane Frogs in a Central African Biodiversity Hotspot." PLOS ONE 11, no. 5 (May 5, 2016): e0155129. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0155129.

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Jew, Eleanor K. K., Jacqueline Loos, Andrew J. Dougill, Susannah M. Sallu, and Tim G. Benton. "Butterfly communities in miombo woodland: Biodiversity declines with increasing woodland utilisation." Biological Conservation 192 (December 2015): 436–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.10.022.

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McMahon, Taegan A., Neal T. Halstead, Steven Johnson, Thomas R. Raffel, John M. Romansic, Patrick W. Crumrine, and Jason R. Rohr. "Fungicide-induced declines of freshwater biodiversity modify ecosystem functions and services." Ecology Letters 15, no. 7 (May 15, 2012): 714–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01790.x.

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Isbell, Forest I., and Brian J. Wilsey. "Rapid biodiversity declines in both ungrazed and intensely grazed exotic grasslands." Plant Ecology 212, no. 10 (June 17, 2011): 1663–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11258-011-9939-6.

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Wagner, David L., Richard Fox, Danielle M. Salcido, and Lee A. Dyer. "A window to the world of global insect declines: Moth biodiversity trends are complex and heterogeneous." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118, no. 2 (January 11, 2021): e2002549117. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2002549117.

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Moths are the most taxonomically and ecologically diverse insect taxon for which there exist considerable time-series abundance data. There is an alarming record of decreases in moth abundance and diversity from across Europe, with rates varying markedly among and within regions. Recent reports from Costa Rica reveal steep cross-lineage declines of caterpillars, while other sites (Ecuador and Arizona, reported here) show no or only modest long-term decreases over the past two decades. Rates of decline for dietary and ecological specialists are steeper than those for ecologically generalized taxa. Additional traits commonly associated with elevated risks include large wingspans, small geographic ranges, low dispersal ability, and univoltinism; taxa associated with grasslands, aridlands, and nutrient-poor habitats also appear to be at higher risk. In temperate areas, many moth taxa limited historically by abiotic factors are increasing in abundance and range. We regard the most important continental-scale stressors to include reductions in habitat quality and quantity resulting from land-use change and climate change and, to a lesser extent, atmospheric nitrification and introduced species. Site-specific stressors include pesticide use and light pollution. Our assessment of global macrolepidopteran population trends includes numerous cases of both region-wide and local losses and studies that report no declines. Spatial variation of reported losses suggests that multiple stressors are in play. With the exception of recent reports from Costa Rica, the most severe examples of moth declines are from Northern Hemisphere regions of high human-population density and intensive agriculture.

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Blowes, Shane A., Sarah R. Supp, Laura H. Antão, Amanda Bates, Helge Bruelheide, Jonathan M. Chase, Faye Moyes, et al. "The geography of biodiversity change in marine and terrestrial assemblages." Science 366, no. 6463 (October 17, 2019): 339–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aaw1620.

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Human activities are fundamentally altering biodiversity. Projections of declines at the global scale are contrasted by highly variable trends at local scales, suggesting that biodiversity change may be spatially structured. Here, we examined spatial variation in species richness and composition change using more than 50,000 biodiversity time series from 239 studies and found clear geographic variation in biodiversity change. Rapid compositional change is prevalent, with marine biomes exceeding and terrestrial biomes trailing the overall trend. Assemblage richness is not changing on average, although locations exhibiting increasing and decreasing trends of up to about 20% per year were found in some marine studies. At local scales, widespread compositional reorganization is most often decoupled from richness change, and biodiversity change is strongest and most variable in the oceans.

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Gilburn, Andre S., Nils Bunnefeld, John McVean Wilson, Marc S. Botham, Tom M. Brereton, Richard Fox, and Dave Goulson. "Are neonicotinoid insecticides driving declines of widespread butterflies?" PeerJ 3 (November 24, 2015): e1402. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1402.

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There has been widespread concern that neonicotinoid pesticides may be adversely impacting wild and managed bees for some years, but recently attention has shifted to examining broader effects they may be having on biodiversity. For example in the Netherlands, declines in insectivorous birds are positively associated with levels of neonicotinoid pollution in surface water. In England, the total abundance of widespread butterfly species declined by 58% on farmed land between 2000 and 2009 despite both a doubling in conservation spending in the UK, and predictions that climate change should benefit most species. Here we build models of the UK population indices from 1985 to 2012 for 17 widespread butterfly species that commonly occur at farmland sites. Of the factors we tested, three correlated significantly with butterfly populations. Summer temperature and the index for a species the previous year are both positively associated with butterfly indices. By contrast, the number of hectares of farmland where neonicotinoid pesticides are used is negatively associated with butterfly indices. Indices for 15 of the 17 species show negative associations with neonicotinoid usage. The declines in butterflies have largely occurred in England, where neonicotinoid usage is at its highest. In Scotland, where neonicotinoid usage is comparatively low, butterfly numbers are stable. Further research is needed urgently to show whether there is a causal link between neonicotinoid usage and the decline of widespread butterflies or whether it simply represents a proxy for other environmental factors associated with intensive agriculture.

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Munteanu, Catalina, Johannes Kamp, Mihai Daniel Nita, Nadja Klein, Benjamin M. Kraemer, Daniel Müller, Alyona Koshkina, Alexander V. Prishchepov, and Tobias Kuemmerle. "Cold War spy satellite images reveal long-term declines of a philopatric keystone species in response to cropland expansion." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 287, no. 1927 (May 20, 2020): 20192897. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2019.2897.

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Agricultural expansion drives biodiversity loss globally, but impact assessments are biased towards recent time periods. This can lead to a gross underestimation of species declines in response to habitat loss, especially when species declines are gradual and occur over long time periods. Using Cold War spy satellite images (Corona), we show that a grassland keystone species, the bobak marmot ( Marmota bobak ), continues to respond to agricultural expansion that happened more than 50 years ago. Although burrow densities of the bobak marmot today are highest in croplands, densities declined most strongly in areas that were persistently used as croplands since the 1960s. This response to historical agricultural conversion spans roughly eight marmot generations and suggests the longest recorded response of a mammal species to agricultural expansion. We also found evidence for remarkable philopatry: nearly half of all burrows retained their exact location since the 1960s, and this was most pronounced in grasslands. Our results stress the need for farsighted decisions, because contemporary land management will affect biodiversity decades into the future. Finally, our work pioneers the use of Corona historical Cold War spy satellite imagery for ecology. This vastly underused global remote sensing resource provides a unique opportunity to expand the time horizon of broad-scale ecological studies.

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Byers, Onnie, Jamieson Copsey, Caroline Lees, Philip Miller, and Kathy Traylor-Holzer. "Reversing the Decline in Threatened Species through Effective Conservation Planning." Diversity 14, no. 9 (September 13, 2022): 754. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d14090754.

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Despite the committed action by many in past decades, recent reviews show little progress in slowing species declines, and future waves of extinction are predicted. Not only do such declines signal a failure to meet international commitments to stem biodiversity loss and undermine the potential for achievement of the species-related target in the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework, but they also jeopardize our ability to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, many of which rely on the resources provided by species and the ecosystems they support. A substantial increase in ambition and the application of tools at the global scale and across all elements of the species conservation cycle—Assess, Plan, and Act—is urgently needed to create swift and lasting positive change for species. Well-resourced, effectively implemented species conservation plans play a key role in meeting this challenge. Here, the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG) presents a proven approach to species conservation planning that emphasizes the thoughtful design and facilitation of collaborative processes that feature the rigorous scientific analysis of quantitative data on species biology and impacts of anthropogenic threats and their mitigation through management. When incorporated from the beginning of a species management project, the CPSG’s principles and steps for conservation planning can help reverse the decline of threatened species.

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Brunton, Elizabeth A., Sanjeev K. Srivastava, David S. Schoeman, and Scott Burnett. "Quantifying trends and predictors of decline in eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) populations in a rapidly urbanising landscape." Pacific Conservation Biology 24, no. 1 (2018): 63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc17034.

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Human population growth and the resultant expansion of urban landscapes are drivers of biodiversity loss globally. Impacts of urbanisation on wildlife are not well understood, although the importance of preserving biodiversity in urban areas is widely recognised. The eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), a common species of large macropod, can be found in high densities in many urban landscapes across Australia. South East Queensland is a subtropical region of Australia that has experienced high rates of urban expansion. Human population growth in the region has resulted in widespread changes to the landscape and much of the eastern grey kangaroo’s natural habitat has been modified. Declines in kangaroo populations have been anecdotally reported; however, the impact of urbanisation on kangaroo populations has not been quantified. This study used a modelling approach, collecting data from the community, and private and government organisations to: (1) map the current distribution of eastern grey kangaroos; (2) quantify trends in kangaroo abundance; and (3) identify anthropogenic drivers of changes in kangaroo abundance in the region. Of the kangaroo populations identified, 42% were reported to have undergone an overall decline in abundance since 2000. Higher human population growth rate and smaller area remaining under natural land use were predictors of kangaroo population declines. Further kangaroo declines can be anticipated in the region, particularly in areas with projected human population growth rates over 80% for the next decade. This study emphasises the importance of integrated urban development over large spatial extents to mitigate impacts of urbanisation on terrestrial mammals.

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Li, Daijiang, Julian D. Olden, Julie L. Lockwood, Sydne Record, Michael L. McKinney, and Benjamin Baiser. "Changes in taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity in the Anthropocene." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 287, no. 1929 (June 17, 2020): 20200777. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.0777.

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To better understand how ecosystems are changing, a multifaceted approach to measuring biodiversity that considers species richness (SR) and evolutionary history across spatial scales is needed. Here, we compiled 162 datasets for fish, bird and plant assemblages across the globe and measured how taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity changed at different spatial scales (within site α diversity and between sites spatial β diversity). Biodiversity change is measured from these datasets in three ways: across land use gradients, from species lists, and through sampling of the same locations across two time periods. We found that local SR and phylogenetic α diversity (Faith's PD (phylogenetic diversity)) increased for all taxonomic groups. However, when measured with a metric that is independent of SR (phylogenetic species variation, PSV), phylogenetic α diversity declined for all taxonomic groups. Land use datasets showed declines in SR, Faith's PD and PSV. For all taxonomic groups and data types, spatial taxonomic and phylogenetic β diversity decreased when measured with Sorensen dissimilarity and phylogenetic Sorensen dissimilarity, respectively, providing strong evidence of global biotic homogenization. The decoupling of α and β diversity, as well as taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity, highlights the need for a broader perspective on contemporary biodiversity changes. Conservation and environmental policy decisions thus need to consider biodiversity beyond local SR to protect biodiversity and ecosystem services.

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Li, Wenhao, Tianjian Song, Xianglei Hou, Mingshuo Qin, Chunxia Xu, and Yiming Li. "Application of eDNA Metabarcoding for Detecting Anura on a Tropical Island." Diversity 13, no. 9 (September 12, 2021): 440. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/d13090440.

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As anuran biodiversity quickly declines, it is important to understand local patterns of anuran occurrence. However, the limitations of traditional sampling methods make anuran biodiversity surveys inadequate. Tropical environments are rich in anuran species, which makes biodiversity measurements more difficult. Therefore, it is important to develop a rapid, inexpensive and nondestructive method to measure anuran biodiversity in tropical environments. We used eDNA metabarcoding to measure anuran diversity at 288 sites in 18 regions of Hainan Island. We also used traditional methods and compared the results with those obtained through the eDNA metabarcoding methods. We detected 9 anuran species by traditional sampling methods. We produced 626 million reads by eDNA metabarcoding and assigned them to 15 anuran species. Therefore, eDNA metabarcoding can be used for rapid and large-scale anuran biodiversity surveys.

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Woinarski, J. C. Z., A. Fisher, M. Armstrong, K. Brennan, A. D. Griffiths, B. Hill, J. Low Choy, et al. "Monitoring indicates greater resilience for birds than for mammals in Kakadu National Park, northern Australia." Wildlife Research 39, no. 5 (2012): 397. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr11213.

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Context A previous study reported major declines for native mammal species from Kakadu National Park, over the period 2001–09. The extent to which this result may be symptomatic of more pervasive biodiversity decline was unknown. Aims Our primary aim was to describe trends in the abundance of birds in Kakadu over the period 2001–09. We assessed whether any change in bird abundance was related to the arrival of invading cane toads (Rhinella marina), and to fire regimes. Methods Birds were monitored at 136 1-ha plots in Kakadu, during the period 2001–04 and again in 2007–09. This program complemented sampling of the same plots over the same period for native mammals. Key results In contrast to the decline reported for native mammals, the richness and total abundance of birds increased over this period, and far more individual bird species increased than decreased. Fire history in the between-sampling period had little influence on trends for individual species. Interpretation of the overall positive trends for bird species in Kakadu over this period should be tempered by recognition that most of the threatened bird species present in Kakadu were unrecorded in this monitoring program, and the two threatened species for which there were sufficient records to assess trends – partridge pigeon (Geophaps smithii) and white-throated grass-wren (Amytornis woodwardi) – both declined significantly. Conclusions The current decline of the mammal fauna in this region is not reflected in trends for the region’s bird fauna. Some of the observed changes (mostly increases) in the abundance of bird species may be due to the arrival of cane toads, and some may be due to local or regional-scale climatic variation or variation in the amount of flowering. The present study provides no assurance about threatened bird species, given that most were inadequately recorded in the study (perhaps because their decline pre-dated the present study). Implications These contrasting trends between mammals and birds demonstrate the need for biodiversity monitoring programs to be broadly based. The declines of two threatened bird species over this period indicate the need for more management focus for these species.

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Peyton, J., M. Hadjistylli, I. Tziortzis, E. Erotokritou, M. Demetriou, Y. Samuel, V. Anastasi, et al. "Using expert-elicitation to deliver biodiversity monitoring priorities on a Mediterranean island." PLOS ONE 17, no. 3 (March 24, 2022): e0256777. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256777.

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Biodiversity monitoring plays an essential role in tracking changes in ecosystems, species distributions and abundances across the globe. Data collected through both structured and unstructured biodiversity recording can inform conservation measures designed to reduce, prevent, and reverse declines in valued biodiversity of many types. However, given that resources for biodiversity monitoring are limited, it is important that funding bodies prioritise investments relative to the requirements in any given region. We addressed this prioritisation requirement for a biodiverse Mediterranean island (Cyprus) using a three-stage process of expert-elicitation. This resulted in a structured list of twenty biodiversity monitoring needs; specifically, a hierarchy of three groups of these needs was created using a consensus approach. The most highly prioritised biodiversity monitoring needs were those related to the development of robust survey methodologies, and those ensuring that sufficiently skilled citizens are available to contribute. We discuss ways that the results of our expert-elicitation process could be used to support current and future biodiversity monitoring in Cyprus.

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Aiken, James K., C. Scott Findlay, and François Chapleau. "Long-term assessment of the effect of introduced predatory fish on minnow diversity in a regional protected area." Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 69, no. 11 (November 2012): 1798–805. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f2012-105.

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Introduced piscivorous fishes had a dramatic impact on small-bodied fish species diversity of small temperate lakes in Gatineau Park, Quebec, Canada, on the basis of three surveys carried out over a 38-year period from 1970 to 2007. For three overlapping sets of lakes based on different combinations of survey years (lakes surveyed in 1970–1971, 1991–1992, and 2006–2007 (N = 14); lakes surveyed in 1970–1971 and 2006–2007 (N = 21); and lakes surveyed in 1991–1992 and 2006–2007 (N = 16)), those with introduced piscivores showed substantial and consistent temporal declines in average minnow species richness but much weaker, if any, declines in total species richness. By contrast, lakes without introduced piscivores showed no such decline. Whereas lakes without piscivores showed a strong species–elevation relationship early in the record, the strength of this relationship was much lower in lakes with introduced piscivores. Moreover, the strength of the species–elevation relationship declined precipitously over time in lakes with introduced piscivores, but remained stable in lakes where introduced piscivores were absent. The negative impact of piscivore introductions on small-bodied fish biodiversity in small lakes underscores the importance of action to mitigate the risk of future introductions or invasions.

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Passy, S. I. "Continental diatom biodiversity in stream benthos declines as more nutrients become limiting." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 105, no. 28 (July 3, 2008): 9663–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0802542105.

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Rada, Stanislav, Oliver Schweiger, Alexander Harpke, Elisabeth Kühn, Tomáš Kuras, Josef Settele, and Martin Musche. "Protected areas do not mitigate biodiversity declines: A case study on butterflies." Diversity and Distributions 25, no. 2 (November 16, 2018): 217–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12854.

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D’Amen, Manuela, and Pierluigi Bombi. "Global warming and biodiversity: Evidence of climate-linked amphibian declines in Italy." Biological Conservation 142, no. 12 (December 2009): 3060–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2009.08.004.

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Wilkinson, Bruce H., Linda C. Ivany, and Carl N. Drummond. "Estimating vertebrate biodiversity using the tempo of taxonomy – a view from Hubbert’s peak." Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 134, no. 2 (June 25, 2021): 402–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blab080.

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Abstract Reservoirs of natural resources are finite and, with increasing exploitation, production typically increases, reaches a maximum (Hubbert’s peak) and then declines. Similarly, species are the currency of biodiversity, and recognized numbers are dependent upon successful discovery. Since 1758, taxonomists have exploited a shrinking reservoir of as-yet-unnamed vertebrate taxa such that rates of species description at first rose, reached a peak and then declined. Since about 1950, increases in research funding and technological advances have fostered a renewed increase in rates of discovery that continues today. Many attempts to estimate global biodiversity are forecasts from data on past rates of description. Here we show that rates of discovery of new vertebrate taxa have been dependent upon the size (richness) of the taxonomic pool under consideration and the intensity of ‘sampling’ effected by taxonomists in their efforts to discover new forms. Because neither the current number of as-yet-to-be-described taxa nor future amounts of taxonomic efforts can be known a priori, attempts to produce an accurate estimate of total global biodiversity based on past rates of discovery are largely unconstrained.

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Drechsler, Martin. "Bundling of Ecosystem Services in Conservation Offsets: Risks and How They Can Be Avoided." Land 10, no. 6 (June 11, 2021): 628. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land10060628.

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Conservation offsets are increasingly used as an instrument to conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services on private lands. Bundling ecosystem services (ES) in the market transactions saves costs but implies that only the bundle of ES is conserved while individual ES may decline. This paper presents a simple model analysis of a conservation offset scheme to identify conditions under which bundling can lead to such undesired declines. As it turns out, these are favoured by rarity of the ES as well as a positive correlation between their abundance and the cost of their conservation. A market rule is proposed that is able to avert undesired ES declines. Rather than on sums or means of ES, this market rule focuses on the least abundant ES. Systematic variation of model parameters shows that this trading rule is most effective in those cases where the likelihood of undesired ES losses is highest.

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Aronson, Myla F. J., Frank A. La Sorte, Charles H. Nilon, Madhusudan Katti, Mark A. Goddard, Christopher A. Lepczyk, Paige S. Warren, et al. "A global analysis of the impacts of urbanization on bird and plant diversity reveals key anthropogenic drivers." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 281, no. 1780 (April 7, 2014): 20133330. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.3330.

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Urbanization contributes to the loss of the world's biodiversity and the homogenization of its biota. However, comparative studies of urban biodiversity leading to robust generalities of the status and drivers of biodiversity in cities at the global scale are lacking. Here, we compiled the largest global dataset to date of two diverse taxa in cities: birds (54 cities) and plants (110 cities). We found that the majority of urban bird and plant species are native in the world's cities. Few plants and birds are cosmopolitan, the most common being Columba livia and Poa annua . The density of bird and plant species (the number of species per km 2 ) has declined substantially: only 8% of native bird and 25% of native plant species are currently present compared with estimates of non-urban density of species. The current density of species in cities and the loss in density of species was best explained by anthropogenic features (landcover, city age) rather than by non-anthropogenic factors (geography, climate, topography). As urbanization continues to expand, efforts directed towards the conservation of intact vegetation within urban landscapes could support higher concentrations of both bird and plant species. Despite declines in the density of species, cities still retain endemic native species, thus providing opportunities for regional and global biodiversity conservation, restoration and education.

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van der Wal, R., and S. C. F. Palmer. "Is breeding of farmland wading birds depressed by a combination of predator abundance and grazing?" Biology Letters 4, no. 3 (April 2008): 256–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2008.0012.

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Agri-environment schemes have been implemented across Europe to counter biodiversity loss in agricultural landscapes and halt the continual decline of farmland birds, including waders. Such schemes provide financial compensation for changes in agricultural practice, including livestock grazing regimes. Scheme uptake has been variable, partly because farmers believe that other factors, notably predation, are key to wader population declines. On the basis of wader breeding surveys across Shetland, UK, we show that predator density and livestock grazing, through reducing sward height, interact to influence territoriality and thereby are likely to affect wader breeding success. Our results appear to reflect views of both farmers and government agencies, which indicates that future agri-environment schemes would benefit from genuine stakeholder participation to maximize scheme uptake, implementation and beneficial effects on biodiversity. Our findings also imply that agri-environment schemes will reap the greatest benefits for waders through reducing stocking rate where avian predators are abundant.

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Šimůnek, Zbyněk. "The Upper Westphalian flora of the Bohemian Massif (pteridosperms, cordiates and extrabasinal elements)." Geologica Balcanica 34, no. 1-2 (June 30, 2004): 77–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.52321/geolbalc.34.1-2.77.

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Studies of Late Carboniferous – Early Permian plant diversity in the Czech Republic have revealed 201 species in the Namurian to Autunian interval of the Intrasudetic Basin (which also extend into Poland) and 306 species in the upper Westphalian and Stephanian of the Central Bohemian Region. Of the 378 species known from both regions, 120 are common to both. The plant biodiversity in the critical studied interval of the Bolsovian, Westphalian D, and Cantabrian is different in the two regions: During the Bolsovian and Westphalian D, the flora of the Intrasudetic Basin decline rapidly due to coarse sedimentation. In contrast, the Bolsovian in the Central Bohemian Region (Radnice Member) represents the highest plant biodiversity, with over 180 species, but then declines to 70 species at the end of the Westphalian D (lower Nýřany Member). During the Cantabrian, there was a decrease in plant diversity in the Central Bohemian Region (upper Nýřany Member), but an increase in the Intrasudetic Basin (Svatoňovice Member), albeit to less than 30 species.

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Wagner, David L. "Insect Declines in the Anthropocene." Annual Review of Entomology 65, no. 1 (January 7, 2020): 457–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ento-011019-025151.

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Insect declines are being reported worldwide for flying, ground, and aquatic lineages. Most reports come from western and northern Europe, where the insect fauna is well-studied and there are considerable demographic data for many taxonomically disparate lineages. Additional cases of faunal losses have been noted from Asia, North America, the Arctic, the Neotropics, and elsewhere. While this review addresses both species loss and population declines, its emphasis is on the latter. Declines of abundant species can be especially worrisome, given that they anchor trophic interactions and shoulder many of the essential ecosystem services of their respective communities. A review of the factors believed to be responsible for observed collapses and those perceived to be especially threatening to insects form the core of this treatment. In addition to widely recognized threats to insect biodiversity, e.g., habitat destruction, agricultural intensification (including pesticide use), climate change, and invasive species, this assessment highlights a few less commonly considered factors such as atmospheric nitrification from the burning of fossil fuels and the effects of droughts and changing precipitation patterns. Because the geographic extent and magnitude of insect declines are largely unknown, there is an urgent need for monitoring efforts, especially across ecological gradients, which will help to identify important causal factors in declines. This review also considers the status of vertebrate insectivores, reporting bias, challenges inherent in collecting and interpreting insect demographic data, and cases of increasing insect abundance.

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Grumbine, R. Edward, and Jianchu Xu. "Five Steps to Inject Transformative Change into the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework." BioScience 71, no. 6 (March 3, 2021): 637–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biab013.

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Abstract Accelerating declines in biodiversity and unmet targets in the Convention on Biological Diversity's 2010–2020 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity are stimulating widespread calls for transformative change. Such change includes societal transitions toward sustainability, as well as in specific content of the CBD's draft Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. We summarize research on transformative change and its links to biodiversity conservation, and discuss how it may influence the work of the CBD. We identify five steps to inject transformative change into the design and implementation of a new post-2020 framework: Pay attention to lessons learned from transitions research, plan for climate change, reframe area-based conservation, scale up biodiversity mainstreaming, and increase resources. These actions will transform the very nature of work under the CBD; a convention based on voluntary implementation by countries and facilitated by international administrators and experts must now accommodate a broader range of participants including businesses, Indigenous peoples, and multiple nonstate actors.

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Journal articles on the topic 'Biodiversity declines'

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