Global diversity and energy of animals shaping the Earth’s surface

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 122(8)

Published: Feb. 18, 2025

The collective influence of animals on the processes shaping Earth’s surface remains largely unknown, with most studies limited to individual species and well-known exemplars. To establish global geomorphic significance animals, we systematically reviewed synthesized evidence across freshwater terrestrial ecosystems. Over 600 animal taxa had reported effects. For 495 wild 5 livestock identified level, estimated their abundance, biomass energy. While our census is in scope, a lack research tropics subtropics, less visible leaves them underrepresented analyses. Most are globally widespread, but some rare, endemic, and/or threatened, leading risks that key cease before fully understand them. We estimate agents at ≈0.2 Mt Carbon, equating biological energy content ≈7.6 million GJ. If conservative minimum 1% this contributes work annually, yields an contribution from ≈76,000 GJ—equivalent hundreds thousands extreme floods. Uncertainties estimates partitioning mean value could credibly be order magnitude higher, countless remain unreported or undiscovered. exceed by three orders magnitude. far more influential than previously recognized future losses, dispersal introductions zoogeomorphic may induce substantive landscape changes.

Language: Английский

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Drivers of species knowledge across the tree of life

eLife, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 12

Published: Oct. 17, 2023

Knowledge of biodiversity is unevenly distributed across the Tree Life. In long run, such disparity in awareness unbalances our understanding life on Earth, influencing policy decisions and allocation research conservation funding. We investigated how humans accumulate knowledge by searching for consistent relationships between scientific (number publications) societal views Wikipedia) interest, species-level morphological, ecological, sociocultural factors. Across a random selection 3019 species spanning 29 Phyla/Divisions, we show that factors are most important correlates interest biodiversity, including fact useful or harmful to humans, has common name, listed International Union Conservation Nature Red List. Furthermore, large-bodied, broadly distributed, taxonomically unique receive more attention, whereas colorfulness phylogenetic proximity correlate exclusively with attention. These results highlight favoritism toward limited branches Life, priorities align. This suggests may be missing out key agenda simply because they not cultural radar.

Language: Английский

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Historical redlining is associated with disparities in wildlife biodiversity in four California cities

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 121(25)

Published: June 11, 2024

Legacy effects describe the persistent, long-term impacts on an ecosystem following removal of abiotic or biotic feature. Redlining, a policy that codified racial segregation and disinvestment in minoritized neighborhoods, has produced legacy with profound urban structure health. These legacies have detrimentally impacted public health outcomes, socioeconomic stability, environmental However, collateral redlining wildlife communities are uncertain. Here, we investigated whether faunal biodiversity was associated redlining. We used home-owner loan corporation (HOLC) maps [grades A (i.e., “best” “greenlined”), B, C, D “hazardous” “redlined”)] across four cities California contributory science data (iNaturalist) to estimate alpha beta diversity six clades (mammals, birds, insects, arachnids, reptiles, amphibians) as function HOLC grade. found greenlined unique species were detected less sampling effort, redlined neighborhoods needing over 8,000 observations detect same number species. Historically had lower native nonnative richness compared each city, disparities remaining at clade level. Further, community composition diversity) consistently differed among grades for all cities, including large differences assemblage observed between green neighborhoods. Our work spotlights lasting social injustices ecology emphasizing conservation management efforts must incorporate antiracist, justice-informed lens improve environments.

Language: Английский

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Herbarium collections remain essential in the age of community science

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: Aug. 31, 2024

The past decade has yielded more biodiversity observations from community science than the century of traditional scientific collection. This rapid influx data is promising for overcoming critical shortfalls, but we also have vast untapped resources held in undigitized natural history collections. Yet, ability these collections to fill gaps, especially compared against constant accumulation data, remains unclear. Here, compare how well (iNaturalist) and digitized herbarium specimens represent diversity, distributions, modeling needs vascular plants Canada. We find that, despite having only a third as many records, capture taxonomic, phylogenetic, functional diversity efficiently species' environmental niches. As such, digitization Canada's 7.3M remaining potential quintuple our model biodiversity. In contrast, it would require over 27M iNaturalist produce similar benefits. Our findings indicate that digitizing Earth's likely an efficient, feasible, potentially investment when comes improving predict protect into future. authors found specimens, finding with one-third herbaria still by several metrics.

Language: Английский

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The potential for AI to revolutionize conservation: a horizon scan

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Dec. 1, 2024

Language: Английский

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Drivers of species knowledge across the tree of life

eLife, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 12

Published: Aug. 15, 2023

Knowledge of biodiversity is unevenly distributed across the Tree Life. In long run, such disparity in awareness unbalances our understanding life on Earth, influencing policy decisions and allocation research conservation funding. We investigated how humans accumulate knowledge by searching for consistent relationships between scientific (number publications) societal views Wikipedia) interest, species-level morphological, ecological, sociocultural factors. Across a random selection 3019 species spanning 29 Phyla/Divisions, we show that factors are most important correlates interest biodiversity, including fact useful or harmful to humans, has common name, listed International Union Conservation Nature Red List. Furthermore, large-bodied, broadly distributed, taxonomically unique receive more attention, whereas colorfulness phylogenetic proximity correlate exclusively with attention. These results highlight favoritism toward limited branches Life, priorities align. This suggests may be missing out key agenda simply because they not cultural radar.

Language: Английский

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Vulnerability of terrestrial vertebrate food webs to anthropogenic threats in Europe

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 30(3)

Published: March 1, 2024

Abstract Vertebrate species worldwide are currently facing significant declines in many populations. Although we have gained substantial knowledge about the direct threats that affect individual species, these only represent a fraction of broader vertebrate threat profile, which is also shaped by interactions. For example, faced prey can jeopardize survival their predators due to food resource scarcity. Yet, indirect arising from interactions received limited investigation thus far. In this study, investigate consequences anthropogenic on biodiversity context European webs. We integrated data trophic among over 800 terrestrial vertebrates, along with associated human‐induced threats. quantified and mapped vulnerability various components web, including interactions, groups six major threats: pollution, agricultural intensification, climate change, exploitation, urbanization, invasive alien diseases. Direct exploitation intensification were two for webs: affecting 34% 31% respectively, they threaten 85% 69% Europe. By integrating network ecology impact assessments, our study contributes better understanding magnitude impacts biodiversity.

Language: Английский

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What remains to be discovered: A global assessment of tree species inventory completeness

Diversity and Distributions, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 30(7)

Published: May 24, 2024

Abstract Aim Recent unprecedented efforts to digitise and mobilise biodiversity data have resulted in the generation of ‘biodiversity big data’, enabling ecological research at scales previously not possible. However, gaps, biases uncertainties these influence analytical outcomes validity scientific conservation actions. Here, we estimated tree species inventory completeness globally identified where future surveys should focus maximise regional inventories. Location Global. Methods We analysed spatial patterns sampling effort occurrence records from Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) global for 100 × km grid cells (sampling units) ecoregions. also forested areas botanical exploration, by examining overlap between completeness, remaining natural habitat protected degrees forest modification anthropogenic pressure (forest integrity). Results Spatial were unevenly distributed around world. Only 35% ecoregions 18% units can be considered well surveyed, most which concentrated North, including Europe, North America Australia. Large species‐rich tropical regions, especially Southeast Asia, remained poorly documented. Moreover, our results showed that many with low overlapped retaining less than 50% land area, as integrity. Main Conclusions Due limitations data, simply more will necessarily lead increasing knowledge. illustrated how gaps used improve existing knowledge identifying priority surveys. With ongoing impacts escalating rates loss, limited resources allocated strategically survey regions likely yield new representativeness.

Language: Английский

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Incorporating citizen science into IUCN Red List assessments

Conservation Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Aug. 27, 2024

Abstract Many citizen scientists are highly motivated to help address the current extinction crisis. Their work is making valuable contributions protecting species by raising awareness, identifying occurrences, assessing population trends, and informing direct management actions, such as captive breeding. However, clear guidance lacking about how use existing science data sets design effective programs that directly inform risk assessments resulting conservation actions based on International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List criteria. This may be because a mismatch between what can deliver reality needed threatened listing IUCN To overcome this problem, we examined each criterion (A–E) relative five major types outputs relevant (occurrence data, presence–absence observations, structured surveys, physical samples, narratives) recommend which most suited when applying assessment process. We explored real‐world examples projects amphibians fungi have delivered knowledge assessments. found although occurrence routinely used in process, simply adding more observations from information not inclusion nuanced types, or threats surveys. then characteristics already support These were led recognized experts who champion validate thereby giving greater confidence its accuracy. urge increased recognition value within

Language: Английский

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Biodiversity restated: > 99.9% of global species in Soil Biota

ZooKeys, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 1224, P. 283 - 316

Published: Feb. 3, 2025

More than a decade of research led to the conclusion in 2022 that Soil Biome is home ~ 2.1 × 10 24 taxa and thus supports > 99.9% global species biodiversity, mostly Bacteria or other microbes, based upon topographic field data. A subsequent 2023 report tabulated central value just 1.04 claiming soils had 59 ± 15%, i.e., 44–74% (or truly 10–50%?) total, while incidentally confirming upper values 90% for soil Bacteria. Incompatibility these two studies reviewed, supporting prior biodiversity data with vast majority inhabiting soils, despite excluding viruses (now 5 31 virions 26 most, 80%, soils). The status Oligochaeta (earthworms) marked “?” paper are clarified. Although biota totals increased considerably, inordinate threats topsoil erosion poisoning yet pertain finality extinction. Species affected include Keystone taxa, especially earthworms essential healthy foundation sustain Tree-of-Life Earth.

Language: Английский

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