With millions of plant and animal species scattered across every biome on the planet, biodiversity is a complex subject. Experts from around the world need to communicate across borders to address global biodiversity challenges. How can researchers share their findings to gain a common understanding of risks and opportunities for action? A new survey published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment and led by Forest Isbell, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota, attempts to fill some of the gaps in understanding by synthesizing the perspectives of thousands of biodiversity experts around the world. The survey received 3,331 responses from biodiversity scientists in 187 countries, covering all major groups of species, habitats and ecosystems.
“Although they consider the types of species and ecosystems they know best, experts estimate that about 30% of species have been globally threatened or extinct since 1500. The experts also acknowledged considerable uncertainty in their estimates, with perhaps as few as 16% or up to 50% of species threatened or extinct during that time,” Isbell said.
The study also identified important demographic and geographic differences in experts’ perspectives and estimates.”This paper includes the views of a very broad range of experts and allows us to assess lesser-known taxa as well as give voice to experts underrepresented in the global literature. Experts who identify as women and who are from the Global South significantly provided higher estimates of past biodiversity loss and its effects.” said co-author Patricia Balvanera of the University of Mexico. “Also, experts who identify as women disproportionately study taxa that experts say are most at risk.”The researchers encourage biodiversity experts to use these results to learn how their own views differ from those of other experts and to ensure that when conducting global biodiversity assessments, setting global biodiversity goals and targets and creating new policies, a range of perspectives will be included. and other transformative changes needed to preserve biodiversity.
“Given that biodiversity is highly regional in nature, our study’s attempt to gather the views of regional experts from around the world is unprecedented,” said co-author Akira Mori of the University of Tokyo in Japan. “In terms of social and cultural diversity and inclusiveness, although not necessarily complete, I believe we have put forward some proposals for future international policy discussions.”Experts believe that significantly increasing conservation investment and efforts now could eliminate the threat of extinction for one in three species that might otherwise be threatened or extinct by 2100.
Source Journal Reference: Forest Isbell, et. al., Expert perspectives on global biodiversity loss and its drivers and impacts on people. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 2022; DOI: 10.1002/fee.2536
