Article
Environmental Sciences
Juha Aalto, Ilari Lehtonen, Pentti Pirinen, Kaisu Aapala, Risto K. Heikkinen
Summary: Protected areas (PAs) play a crucial role in conserving biodiversity, and their response to climate change varies across different regions. In this study, we analyzed the changes and variability of key bioclimatic variables in Finland from 1961 to 2020. Our results show significant changes in temperature and precipitation, with the central and northern parts of Finland experiencing increased annual precipitation and water balance. Additionally, we found variations in bioclimatic changes among the studied PAs, indicating differences in climate vulnerability and trends across vegetation zones.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sean A. Parks, Lisa M. Holsinger, Caitlin E. Littlefield, Solomon Z. Dobrowski, Katherine A. Zeller, John T. Abatzoglou, Charles Besancon, Bryce L. Nordgren, Joshua J. Lawler
Summary: Protected areas are crucial for biodiversity conservation, but their effectiveness is challenged by climate change. This study examined disappearing and novel climates within the global protected area network and the potential for transboundary species range shifts. The results showed that 24% of protected lands will lose their protected climates, while 36% will gain novel climates. Moreover, potential transboundary range shifts are widespread and vary across regions. The study provides insights for strategic conservation actions to address the prevalence of novel and disappearing climates within the protected area network and emphasizes the importance of international cooperation.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sacha M. O'Regan, Stephanie K. Archer, Sarah K. Friesen, Karen L. Hunter
Summary: The effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is increasingly challenged by climate change. While experts have identified clear climate change adaptation principles for MPA management, the adoption of these principles remains largely unquantified. A study analyzing 647 English-language MPA management plans found that climate change is inadequately considered in most plans, with the United States showing better performance in this aspect compared to Canada. Climate change robustness scores have generally improved over time in Oceania, the United Kingdom, and the United States, but have declined in Canada.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andrea Santangeli, Benjamin Weigel, Laura H. Anto, Elina Kaarlejaervi, Maria Haellfors, Aleksi Lehikoinen, Andreas Linden, Maija Salemaa, Tiina Tonteri, Paeivi Merilae, Kristiina Vuorio, Otso Ovaskainen, Jarno Vanhatalo, Tomas Roslin, Marjo Saastamoinen
Summary: Protected areas have mixed impacts on reducing local extinctions, with only a small proportion of species benefiting explicitly. The benefits of protection are related to the size and establishment time of the protected areas, but unrelated to the conservation status or traits of species. Improving coverage, connectivity, and management will be crucial to enhance the effectiveness of protected areas in slowing down biodiversity loss.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Alke Voskamp, Susanne A. Fritz, Valerie Koecke, Matthias F. Biber, Timo Nogueira Brockmeyer, Bastian Bertzky, Matthew Forrest, Allie Goldstein, Scott Henderson, Thomas Hickler, Christian Hof, Thomas Kastner, Stefanie Lang, Peter Manning, Michael B. Mascia, Ian R. McFadden, Aidin Niamir, Monica Noon, Brian O'Donnell, Mark Opel, Georg Schwede, Peyton West, Christof Schenck, Katrin Boehning-Gaese
Summary: Establishing and maintaining protected areas is crucial for achieving biodiversity targets, but limited resources necessitate the selection of the most beneficial areas. We advocate for a flexible and transparent approach to select protected areas based on multiple objectives, using a global decision support tool. This tool allows users to weigh and prioritize different conservation objectives according to their preferences and compare outcomes in real-time. Our study demonstrates that decision makers often face trade-offs among conflicting objectives, but transparent decision support tools can reveal synergies and trade-offs, aiding in resolving land-use conflicts.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Riley Andrade, Carena J. van Riper, Devin Goodson, Dana N. Johnson, William Stewart
Summary: The participation of local communities in management decisions is crucial for the long-term success of protected areas. Understanding the behavior and values of community members is important in engaging them effectively. Learning and its influence on cooperation in conservation initiatives is a key factor in decision-making about public lands. However, there is limited empirical evidence on how learning from different sources of information is related to values that shape behavior.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Luca Coscieme, Lars F. Mortensen, Ian Donohue
Summary: Ensuring policy coherence across environmental, social, and economic goals is a key challenge for sustainable development. The United Nations SDGs provide a framework to track progress, but the environmental goals are the most complex and least coherent. Improving data availability and prioritizing coherence within and among biodiversity and climate SDGs are highlighted as critical areas for achieving policy coherence in sustainable development.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
Jose Maria Cardoso da Silva, Teresa Cristina Albuquerque de Castro Dias, Alan Cavalcanti da Cunha, Helenilza Ferreira Albuquerque Cunha
Summary: The study describes the variation in funding deficits across Brazilian federal PAs and proposes a model to explain this variation. It was found that there is a high proportion of funding deficits in Brazilian PAs, similar to those found in sub-Saharan Africa. New policies and innovative funding mechanisms are needed to bridge the large funding gap in the Brazilian federal PA system.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Carlos Carroll, Justina C. Ray
Summary: Global commitments to expand protected areas should prioritize protecting climate refugia and ecosystems that store high levels of unrecoverable carbon as effective responses to biodiversity loss and climate change. Despite being responsible for a significant portion of global greenhouse gas emissions, the US and Canada have initiated processes for expanding protected areas and recognizing nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation. Coordinated national and regional policies are needed to ensure that new protected areas maximize biodiversity-focused adaptation and nature-based mitigation opportunities.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Michael R. Appleton, Alexandre Courtiol, Lucy Emerton, James L. Slade, Andrew Tilker, Lauren C. Warr, Monica Alvarez Malvido, James R. Barborak, Louise de Bruin, Rosalie Chapple, Jennifer C. Daltry, Nina P. Hadley, Christopher A. Jordan, Francois Rousset, Rohit Singh, Eleanor J. Sterling, Erin G. Wessling, Barney Long
Summary: The 2020 global spatial targets for protected areas set by the Convention on Biological Diversity have almost been achieved, but management effectiveness remains deficient. Personnel shortages are widely cited as major contributing factors but have not previously been quantified. Expansion of protected areas to 30% coverage by 2030 will require a significant increase in personnel, including rangers or equivalents, for effective management.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joseph William Bull, Isobel Taylor, Elizabeth Biggs, Henry M. J. Grub, Tom Yearley, Harriet Waters, E. J. Milner-Gulland
Summary: Every large organization should consider and plan how to achieve net gain in biodiversity.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Richard Schuster, Rachel Buxton, Jeffrey O. O. Hanson, Allison D. D. Binley, Jeremy Pittman, Vivitskaia Tulloch, Frank A. A. La Sorte, Patrick R. R. Roehrdanz, Peter H. H. Verburg, Amanda D. D. Rodewald, Scott Wilson, Hugh P. P. Possingham, Joseph R. R. Bennett
Summary: Protected areas face vulnerabilities due to weak governance, land-use intensification, and climate change. By applying a hierarchical optimization approach, this study identifies priority areas for expanding the global protected area system while considering these risks and maximizing conservation of terrestrial vertebrate species. The findings suggest a need for 1.6% expansion of the protected area system to reduce exposure to risks and achieve conservation targets.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Christopher Blackford, Martin Krkosek, Marie-Josee Fortin
Summary: This study presents a modeling approach to determine the optimal MPA network configuration for species with different dispersal abilities at varying depths, focusing on a case study in Pacific Canada. The research highlights the significant impact of dispersal abilities on the optimal MPA network configuration. By identifying the most important sites for conservation to maintain connectivity for a multi-species MPA network, it demonstrates the feasibility of this model with limited data for application to other regions and ecosystems.
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Thomas Ranius, Lina A. Widenfalk, Meelis Seedre, Ly Lindman, Adam Felton, Aino Hamalainen, Anna Filyushkina, Erik Ockinger
Summary: Climate change poses challenges to conservation strategies for protected areas. Combining strategies for addressing climate warming with traditional biodiversity conservation strategies is necessary to protect future biodiversity.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Subrata Sarker, Md Jalilur Rahman, Md Abdul Wahab
Summary: This study explored the impact of anthropogenic stressors on a coral habitat and assessed the role of a proposed MPA in biodiversity conservation. The findings suggest that fishing pressure significantly affects the biomass of species, and implementing fishing restrictions can improve species standing stock. Therefore, the declaration of an MPA is beneficial for biodiversity conservation, but effective management involving diverse stakeholders is necessary for sustainable implementation.
JOURNAL OF SEA RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Dagmar Martina Hanz, Mirela Beloiu, Raja Wipfler, Carl Beierkuhnlein, Richard Field, Anke Jentsch, Ole Reidar Vetaas, Severin David Howard Irl
Summary: Both endemic and non-endemic plant assemblages show similar patterns in species turnover and intraspecific variation. Species turnover is the main component of trait variation, but intraspecific variation plays an important role in individual species' fitness response to precipitation.
JOURNAL OF VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yohannes O. Kidane, Samuel Hoffmann, Anja Jaeschke, Mirela Beloiu, Carl Beierkuhnlein
Summary: Climate change negatively affects tropical mountain ecosystems in Africa, leading to an upward expansion and increasing dominance of ericaceous vegetation, which impacts the endemic rich afroalpine ecosystems.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Yuanming Zhang, Akash Tariq, Alice C. Hughes, Deyuan Hong, Fuwen Wei, Hang Sun, Jordi Sardans, Josep Penuelas, Gad Perry, Jianfang Qiao, Alishir Kurban, Xiaoxia Jia, Domitilla Raimondo, Borong Pan, Weikang Yang, Daoyuan Zhang, Wenjun Li, Zeeshan Ahmed, Carl Beierkuhnlein, Georgy Lazkov, Kristina Toderich, Shirin Karryeva, Davron Dehkonov, Hikmat Hisoriev, Liliya Dimeyeva, Dmitry Milko, Ahmedou Soule, Malgozhata Suska-Malawska, Jumamurat Saparmuradov, Alilov Bekzod, Paul Allin, Sidy Dieye, Birane Cissse, Wondmagegne Whibesilassie, Keping Ma
Summary: The strategic goals of the United Nations and the Aichi Targets for biodiversity conservation have not been met. Instead, biodiversity has continued to rapidly decrease, especially in developing countries.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Dagmar M. Hanz, Vanessa Cutts, Martha Paola Barajas-Barbosa, Adam Algar, Carl Beierkuhnlein, Flavien Collart, Jose Maria Fernandez-Palacios, Richard Field, Dirk N. Karger, David R. Kienle, Holger Kreft, Jairo Patino, Franziska Schrodt, Manuel J. Steinbauer, Patrick Weigelt, Severin D. H. Irl
Summary: Oceanic islands, including the Canary Islands in Spain, have unique floras with a high proportion of endemic species. This study aimed to assess the impact of climate change on the range sizes of island plants and identify species in need of conservation. The results showed that single-island endemic species are projected to lose a greater proportion of their climatically suitable area compared to archipelago endemics or nonendemic native species.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Anna Walentowitz, Bernd Lenzner, Franz Essl, Nichola Strandberg, Alvaro Castilla-Beltran, Jose Maria Fernandez-Palacios, Svante Bjorck, Simon Connor, Simon G. Haberle, Karl Ljung, Matiu Prebble, Janet M. Wilmshurst, Cynthia A. Froyd, Erik J. de Boer, Lea de Nascimento, Mary E. Edwards, Janelle Stevenson, Carl Beierkuhnlein, Manuel J. Steinbauer, Sandra Nogue
Summary: Human-mediated changes in island vegetation are largely caused by the introduction and establishment of non-native species. However, data on past changes in non-native plant species abundance are scarce. Using fossil pollen data and botanical status information, we studied the changes in non-native plant abundance on 29 islands over the past 5000 years. Our findings reveal a proportional increase in non-native plant pollen in the last 1000 years and highlight the importance of considering the longer and more dynamic history of non-native plant introductions.
Article
Ecology
Vanessa Cutts, Dagmar M. Hanz, Martha Paola Barajas-Barbosa, Franziska Schrodt, Manuel J. Steinbauer, Carl Beierkuhnlein, Pierre Denelle, Jose Maria Fernandez-Palacios, Pierre Gauzere, Matthias Grenie, Severin D. H. Irl, Nathan Kraft, Holger Kreft, Brian Maitner, Francois Munoz, Wilfried Thuiller, Cyrille Violle, Patrick Weigelt, Richard Field, Adam C. Algar
Summary: Current models of island biogeography treat endemic and non-endemic species as if they were functionally equivalent, focussing primarily on species richness. Thus, the functional composition of island biotas in relation to island biogeographical variables remains largely unknown.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Md Lokman Hossain, Jianfeng Li, Yangchen Lai, Carl Beierkuhnlein
Summary: Grassland ecosystems in northern China show varying levels of resistance and resilience to extreme climate events, such as droughts. Alpine and steppe grasslands exhibit higher resistance and lower resilience after extreme wet conditions, while lower resistance and higher resilience after extreme dry conditions. Hay meadows show stable resistance and resilience under climatic perturbations. Increasing trends of greenness were observed in alpine grassland, grass-dominated steppe, and hay meadow, while no significant changes were observed in arid and semi-arid steppes.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
David R. R. Kienle, Severin D. H. Irl, Carl Beierkuhnlein
Summary: This study finds that there is a clear relationship between global treeline elevation and temperature (or latitude). However, this relationship is influenced by factors such as mass elevation effect, continentality, and isolation. The study demonstrates that mass elevation effect and distance to coastline significantly affect treeline elevation, while the impact of isolation is inconsistent.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alexandra Lawrence, Carl Beierkuhnlein
Summary: EU member states aim to establish additional protected areas preserving 30% of terrestrial land by 2030, with a focus on high ecological quality. Targeted expansion of existing protected areas into less fragmented surroundings can maximize area, facilitate species movement, and enhance climate change resilience. Our study found that mountainous and remote regions have the lowest fragmentation levels in the vicinity of Natura 2000 protected areas, which are highly correlated with national population density rather than economic wealth. Additionally, there is a disparity in resource availability for nature conservation among EU countries, with Eastern European states, particularly Romania, having underfunded Natura 2000 protected areas but great potential for expansion into low fragmented lands.
JOURNAL FOR NATURE CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Roberto Cazzolla Gatti, Piero Zannini, Gianluca Piovesan, Nicola Alessi, Alberto Basset, Carl Beierkuhnlein, Michele Di Musciano, Richard Field, John M. Halley, Samuel Hoffmann, Jacopo Iaria, Athanasios Kallimanis, Gabor L. Lovei, Albert Morera, Antonello Provenzale, Duccio Rocchini, Ole R. Vetaas, Alessandro Chiarucci
Summary: Protecting global biodiversity is crucial, and area-based conservation is essential for preserving ecosystems and species. Our analysis of strictly protected areas in Europe revealed limited coverage, with a bias towards higher elevations. We propose identifying potential areas for expansion with low economic and social costs, and emphasize the need for a coordinated effort and strategic plan to achieve continental-scale conservation.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Correction
Biodiversity Conservation
Roberto Cazzolla Gatti, Piero Zannini, Gianluca Piovesan, Nicola Alessi, Alberto Basset, Carl Beierkuhnlein, Michele Di Musciano, Richard Field, John M. M. Halley, Samuel Hoffmann, Jacopo Iaria, Athanasios Kallimanis, Gabor L. L. Lovei, Albert Morera, Antonello Provenzale, Duccio Rocchini, Ole R. R. Vetaas, Alessandro Chiarucci
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Anna Walentowitz, Thalita Ferreira-Arruda, Severin D. H. Irl, Holger Kreft, Carl Beierkuhnlein
Summary: The study found that the richness of native and non-native plant species on islands is influenced by different drivers, specifically habitat heterogeneity and island inhabitants. Area was confirmed as the most important predictor of species richness, primarily acting through other natural and anthropogenic drivers.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Frank Weiser, Anna Walentowitz, Esther Baumann, Christopher Shatto, Maria Guerrero-Campos, Anke Jentsch, Manuel Nogales, Felix Manuel Medina, Ole Reidar Vetaas, Carl Beierkuhnlein
Summary: Volcanic eruptions have significant environmental impacts on surrounding forests, including mechanical damage, volcanic gas emissions, and tephra deposition. The 2021 Tajogaite eruption on the island of La Palma, Spain, caused chlorotic damage to Canary Pine forests due to high levels of volcanic sulphur dioxide. However, the affected trees exhibited widespread resprouting. Needle samples of Pinus canariensis taken from different locations on the island showed a strong increase in sulphur content near the eruption site, while carbon content decreased significantly. The impact of volcanic gases on trees led to resource allocation for resprouting, resulting in lower carbon levels. Surprisingly, we found higher nitrogen levels in needles with high sulphur content, indicating complex environmental factors influencing nitrogen levels. Remote sensing imagery was effective in analyzing large-scale canopy damage, but variations in needle levels at a local and tree-based level were not reflected.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Mirela Beloiu Schwenke, Valeska Schoenlau, Carl Beierkuhnlein
Summary: The study found that all tree species showed significant recovery following the 2018 drought, although there was a slight decrease in vitality by 2021. Forest types, soil depth, and understory vegetation were key factors influencing sapling resilience to drought, while litter and forest canopy cover had a negative impact.
Article
Ecology
David Kienle, Anna Walentowitz, Leyla Sungur, Alessandro Chiarucci, Severin D. H. Irl, Anke Jentsch, Ole R. Vetaas, Richard Field, Carl Beierkuhnlein
Summary: Oceanic islands are important for global biodiversity due to their endemism. Phonolitic rocks, with intermediate chemical characteristics between felsic and mafic, contribute to habitat heterogeneity and offer specific growth conditions in a different matrix of basaltic substrates. Despite the limited extent, phonolitic rocks play an important role in plant biodiversity on islands.