www.alter-net.info

Trends in biodiversity, regional, Trends in biodiversity, regional, European and globalEuropean and global……

Allan Watt – Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Banchory and Edinburgh, UK

Outline of presentationOutline of presentation

• Biodiversity: levels, taxonomy and function• Quantifying biodiversity• Trends: – extinctions – risk of extinction– abundance– distribution– prediction

• Trends and pressures• Trends and responses

Preying mantisMartin Speight

What is biodiversity?What is biodiversity?Convention on Biological Diversity definition of biodiversity (Article 2:

"biological diversity means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems".

Species: taxonomy and functionSpecies: taxonomy and function

Social wasps – VespidaeVespula vulgarisbio.kuleuven.be/ento/photo_gallery.htm

Digger wasp (Sphecidae)Scoliid wasp (Scoliidae) Bee fly

Longhorn beetle

Clearwing moth

Hover fly

Banded horntail sawflyIchneumon wasp

Robber Fly

Functional diversityFunctional diversity

Honey bee – ApidaeApis melliferawww.texarkanacollege.edu/~mstorey/bugs

Hover fly (Syrphidae) Syrphus ribesiiwww.syrphidae.de/artikel/index.html

How much biodiversity?How much biodiversity?

Oecophylla sphttp://www.antweb.org/

Technomyrmex 2; Crematogaster stadelmanni Mayr; Crematogaster striatula Emery; Crematogaster clariventris Mayr; Oecophylla longinoda (Latreille); Crematogaster africana Mayr ; Pheidole 3; Paratrechina 1; Crematogaster 2; Atopomyrmex cryptoceroides Emery; Cataulacus guineensis Smith; Crematogaster gabonensis Emery; Myrmicaria exigua André; Technomyrmex 1 ; Crematogaster buchneri Forel; Polyrhachis decemdentata André; Cataulacus kohli Mayr; Crematogaster wellmani Forel; Crematogaster 3; Polyrhachis laboriosa Smith; Crematogaster depressa (Latreille); Crematogaster1; Paratrechina 2; Tetraponera mocquerysi (André); Camponotus 4 ; Crematogaster 5; Camponotus 2; Polyrhachis alexisi Forel; Camponotus 1; Cataulacus egenus Santschi; Lepisiota 1; Tetraponera ophthalmica (Emery); Polyrhachis fissa Mayr; Cataulacus pullus Santschi; Camponotus 5 ; Crematogaster 9; Monomorium egens Forel; Pheidole 1; Polyrhachis n.sp nr. Lanuginosa Santschi; Tetramorium aculeatum (Mayr); Cataulacus 4; Melissotarsus weissi Santschi; Pheidole 4; Cataulacus mocquerysi André; Axinidris ghanensis Shattuck; Camponotus 7; Camponotus 8; Crematogaster15; Plagiolepis 2; Technomyrmex 6; Plagiolepis 1; Polyrhachis lestoni Bolton; Axinidris 5; Tetramorium quadridentatum Stitz; Crematogaster 6; Axinidris1; Camponotus 3; Crematogaster 12; Lepisiota 2; Polyrhachis militaris (Fabricius); Tetramorium dumezi Menozzi; Atopomyrmex mocquerysi André; Cataulacus 6; Pyramica maynei (Forel); Cataulacus tardus Santschi; Cataulacus pilosus Santschi; Polyrhachis otleti Forel; Cataulacus 7 ; Cataulacustaylori Bolton; Crematogaster 11; Monomorium exiguum Forel; Tapinoma 2; Camponotus brutus Forel; Crematogaster 13; Crematogaster 8; Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille); Crematogaster 10; Crematogaster 7; Platythyrea conradti Emery; Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius); Axinidris3; Axinidris 4; Cataulacus centrurus Bolton; Cataulacus lujae Forel; Cataulacus vorticus Bolton; Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus); Monomoriumstrangulatum Santschi; Pyramica serrula (Santschi); Strumigenys sp. queen; Tapinoma 3; Tetramarium n.sp nr. Psymanum Bolton; Tetramoriumgegaimi Forel; Axinidris 2; Polyrhachis n.sp nr. braxa Bolton; Phasmomyrmex buchneri (Forel); Phasmomyrmex wolfi (Emery); Tetramorium n.sp nr dumezi Menozzi; Pheidole 6; Technomyrmex 3; Tetramorium rhetidum Bolton; Oligomyrmex 2; Oligomyrmex 3; Pyramica serrula (Santschi); Crematogaster striatula Emery; Strumigenys petiolata Bernard; Tetramorium furtivum (Arnold); Monomorium invidium Bolton; Dorylus 1; Tetramoriumantrema (Bolton); Tetramorium zambezium Santschi; Hypoponera 1; Strumigenys bernardi Brown; Pyramica ludovici (Forel) ; Monomorium bicolorEmery; Oligomyrmex 1; Oligomyrmex 6; Monomorium cryptobium (Santschi); Hypoponera 4; Pachycondyla ambigua André; Pristomyrmex orbiceps(Santschi); Paratrechina 5; Tetramorium capillosum Bolton; Technomyrmex 4; Paratrechina 4; Pheidole 8; Tetramorium muscorum Arnold; Tetramorium geminatum Bolton; Acropyga 1 ; Oligomyrmex 4; Technomyrmex 5; Pachycondyla caffraria (Smith); Anochetus katonae Forel; Phrynoponera bequaerti Wheeler; Technomyrmex 2; Tetramorium n.sp.; Monomorium floricola (Jerdon); Pyramica concolor (Santschi); Hypoponera 3; Anoplolepis tenella (Santschi); Discothyrea mixta Brown; Oligomyrmex 7; Pyramica sistrura (Bolton); Monomorium exiguum Forel; Cerapachysnitidulus Brown; Decamorium decem (Forel); Odontomachus troglodytes Santschi; Pachycondyla brunoi Forel; Pheidole 5 ; Tetramorium coloreumMayr; Cerapachys foreli (Santschi); Pachycondyla fugax Forel; Pheidole 7; Pyramica lujae (Forel); Strumigenys rogeri Emery; Odontomachusassiniensis Emery; Pyramica tetragnatha (Taylor); Leptogenys n.sp.; Pyramica dotaja (Bolton); Pyramica ravidura (Bolton); Probolomyrmex guineensisTaylor; Pyramica depilosa Bolton; Anochetus bequaerti Forel; Cardiocondyla emeryi Forel; Pyramica africana (Bolton); Pachycondyla tarsata(Fabricius); Pheidole 1; Sphinctomyrmex rufiventris Santschi; Tetramorium muralti Forel; Anochetus traegaordhi Mayr; Camponotus brutus Forel; Hypoponera 5; Pachycondyla pachyderma Emery; Pachycondyla soror (Emery); Paratrechina 1; Strumigenys tetraphanes Brown; Tetramoriumweitzeckeri Emery; Anochetus africanus Mayr; Cataulacus kohli Mayr; Centromyrmex sellaris Mayr; Crematogaster clariventris Mayr; Oligomyrmex 8; Paratrechina 3; Phrynoponera gabonensis (André); Prionopelta amieti Terron; Pyramica cavinasis (Brown); Technomyrmex 1; Tetramoriumcamerunense Mayr; Tetramorium gabonense (André); Asphinctopone silvestrii Santschi; Calyptomyrmex nummuliticus Santschi; Cerapachys sp; Crematogaster buchneri Forel; Pyramica roomi (Bolton); Hypoponera 2; Leptogenys bubastis Bolton; Monomorium spectrum Bolton; Oligomyrmex 5; Paedalgus rarus Bolton & Belshaw; Pheidole 9; Polyrhachis rufipalpis Santschi; Pristomyrmex africanus Karavaiev; Pyramica arahana (Bolton); Pyramica enkara (Bolton); Pyramica malaplax (Bolton); Strumigenys ettillax Bolton; Tetramorium pinnipilum Bolton; Tetramorium quadridentatumStitz; Tetramorium zapyrum Bolton

Technomyrmex 2; Crematogaster stadelmanni Mayr; Crematogaster striatula Emery; Crematogaster clariventris Mayr; Oecophylla longinoda (Latreille); Crematogasterafricana Mayr ; Pheidole 3; Paratrechina 1; Crematogaster 2; Atopomyrmexcryptoceroides Emery; Cataulacus guineensis Smith; Crematogaster gabonensis Emery; Myrmicaria exigua André; Technomyrmex 1 ; Crematogaster buchneri Forel; Polyrhachis decemdentata André; Cataulacus kohli Mayr; Crematogaster wellmani Forel; Crematogaster 3; Polyrhachislaboriosa Smith; Crematogaster depressa (Latreille); Crematogaster 1; Paratrechina 2; Tetraponera mocquerysi (André); Camponotus 4 ; Crematogaster5; Camponotus 2; Polyrhachis alexisi Forel; Camponotus 1; Cataulacus egenus Santschi; Lepisiota 1; Tetraponera ophthalmica (Emery); Polyrhachisfissa Mayr; Cataulacus pullus Santschi; Camponotus 5 ; Crematogaster 9; Monomorium egens Forel; Pheidole 1; Polyrhachis n.sp nr. LanuginosaSantschi; Tetramorium aculeatum (Mayr); Cataulacus 4; Melissotarsus weissi Santschi; Pheidole 4; Cataulacus mocquerysi André; Axinidris ghanensisShattuck; Camponotus 7; Camponotus 8; Crematogaster 15; Plagiolepis 2; Technomyrmex 6; Plagiolepis 1; Polyrhachis lestoni Bolton; Axinidris 5; Tetramorium quadridentatum Stitz; Crematogaster 6; Axinidris 1; Camponotus 3; Crematogaster 12; Lepisiota 2; Polyrhachis militaris (Fabricius); Tetramorium dumezi Menozzi; Atopomyrmex mocquerysi André; Cataulacus 6; Pyramica maynei (Forel); Cataulacus tardus Santschi; Cataulacus pilosusSantschi; Polyrhachis otleti Forel; Cataulacus 7 ; Cataulacus taylori Bolton; Crematogaster 11; Monomorium exiguum Forel; Tapinoma 2; Camponotusbrutus Forel; Crematogaster 13; Crematogaster 8; Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille); Crematogaster 10; Crematogaster 7; Platythyrea conradti Emery; Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius); Axinidris 3; Axinidris 4; Cataulacus centrurus Bolton; Cataulacus lujae Forel; Cataulacus vorticus Bolton; Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus); Monomorium strangulatum Santschi; Pyramica serrula (Santschi); Strumigenys sp. queen; Tapinoma 3; Tetramarium n.sp nr. Psymanum Bolton; Tetramorium gegaimi Forel; Axinidris 2; Polyrhachis n.sp nr. braxa Bolton; Phasmomyrmex buchneri (Forel); Phasmomyrmex wolfi (Emery); Tetramorium n.sp nr dumezi Menozzi; Pheidole 6; Technomyrmex 3; Tetramorium rhetidum Bolton; Oligomyrmex 2; Oligomyrmex 3; Pyramica serrula (Santschi); Crematogaster striatula Emery; Strumigenys petiolata Bernard; Tetramorium furtivum (Arnold); Monomorium invidium Bolton; Dorylus 1; Tetramorium antrema (Bolton); Tetramorium zambezium Santschi; Hypoponera 1; Strumigenys bernardiBrown; Pyramica ludovici (Forel) ; Monomorium bicolor Emery; Oligomyrmex 1; Oligomyrmex 6; Monomorium cryptobium (Santschi); Hypoponera 4; Pachycondyla ambigua André; Pristomyrmex orbiceps (Santschi); Paratrechina 5; Tetramorium capillosum Bolton; Technomyrmex 4; Paratrechina 4; Pheidole 8; Tetramorium muscorum Arnold; Tetramorium geminatum Bolton; Acropyga 1 ; Oligomyrmex 4; Technomyrmex 5; Pachycondyla caffraria(Smith); Anochetus katonae Forel; Phrynoponera bequaerti Wheeler; Technomyrmex 2; Tetramorium n.sp.; Monomorium floricola (Jerdon); Pyramicaconcolor (Santschi); Hypoponera 3; Anoplolepis tenella (Santschi); Discothyrea mixta Brown; Oligomyrmex 7; Pyramica sistrura (Bolton); Monomoriumexiguum Forel; Cerapachys nitidulus Brown; Decamorium decem (Forel); Odontomachus troglodytes Santschi; Pachycondyla brunoi Forel; Pheidole 5 ; Tetramorium coloreum Mayr; Cerapachys foreli (Santschi); Pachycondyla fugax Forel; Pheidole 7; Pyramica lujae (Forel); Strumigenys rogeri Emery; Odontomachus assiniensis Emery; Pyramica tetragnatha (Taylor); Leptogenys n.sp.; Pyramica dotaja (Bolton); Pyramica ravidura (Bolton); Probolomyrmex guineensis Taylor; Pyramica depilosa Bolton; Anochetus bequaerti Forel; Cardiocondyla emeryi Forel; Pyramica africana (Bolton); Pachycondyla tarsata (Fabricius); Pheidole 1; Sphinctomyrmex rufiventris Santschi; Tetramorium muralti Forel; Anochetus traegaordhi Mayr; Camponotus brutus Forel; Hypoponera 5; Pachycondyla pachyderma Emery; Pachycondyla soror (Emery); Paratrechina 1; Strumigenys tetraphanesBrown; Tetramorium weitzeckeri Emery; Anochetus africanus Mayr; Cataulacus kohli Mayr; Centromyrmex sellaris Mayr; Crematogaster clariventrisMayr; Oligomyrmex 8; Paratrechina 3; Phrynoponera gabonensis (André); Prionopelta amieti Terron; Pyramica cavinasis (Brown); Technomyrmex 1; Tetramorium camerunense Mayr; Tetramorium gabonense (André); Asphinctopone silvestrii Santschi; Calyptomyrmex nummuliticus Santschi; Cerapachys sp; Crematogaster buchneri Forel; Pyramica roomi (Bolton); Hypoponera 2; Leptogenys bubastis Bolton; Monomorium spectrum Bolton; Oligomyrmex 5; Paedalgus rarus Bolton & Belshaw; Pheidole 9; Polyrhachis rufipalpis Santschi; Pristomyrmex africanus Karavaiev; Pyramica arahana(Bolton); Pyramica enkara (Bolton); Pyramica malaplax (Bolton); Strumigenys ettillax Bolton; Tetramorium pinnipilum Bolton; Tetramoriumquadridentatum Stitz; Tetramorium zapyrum Bolton

Technomyrmex albipeshttp://www.antweb.org/

Estimating global biodiversityEstimating global biodiversity

Frode Ødegaard (2000) How many species of arthropods? Erwin’sestimate revised. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society (2000), 71: 583–597

Estimating global biodiversityEstimating global biodiversity

Frode Ødegaard (2000)

Terry Erwin (forces.si.edu/images)

Estimating trends in biodiversityEstimating trends in biodiversity

Trends: extinctionsTrends: extinctions

Trends: recorded extinctionsTrends: recorded extinctions• Europe: at least 200,000 plant and animal

species– 13,500 plant taxa, 576 butterflies etc.

• Known extinctions since c1600:– 2 plants– 4 mammals– 2 birds– 6 molluscs– 2 insects

Pyrenean mountain goat: sub-species extinct in 2000

Trends: recorded extinctionsTrends: recorded extinctions• Globally 6-12 million plant and animal species• Known extinctions since c1600: 784– 85 plants– 1 algae– 70 mammals– 21 reptiles– 35 amphibians– 135 birds– 289 molluscs– 59 insects

Bennett's Seaweed Recorded extinct 2003

www.iucn.org

Islands and extinction Islands and extinction -- birdsbirds

Islands and extinction Islands and extinction -- arthropodsarthropods

Underestimating extinction?Underestimating extinction?

Koh et al. 2004

Changing abundance: early warningsChanging abundance: early warnings

Trends in UK fish stocksTrends in UK fish stocks

Trends in individual UK bird speciesTrends in individual UK bird species

Trends in UK bird speciesTrends in UK bird species

Trends in European bird speciesTrends in European bird species

Trends in European bird speciesTrends in European bird speciesOld Member States

New Member States

Trends in UK butterfly and mothsTrends in UK butterfly and moths

Trends in UK plants etcTrends in UK plants etc

EuropeEurope’’s threatened species s threatened species • IUCN 2006 Red List of Threatened Species.– 16 species extinct– 3 species extinct in wild– 142 critically endangered– 143 endangered – 425 vulnerable– 27 conservation dependent– 233 near-threatened – 169 data deficient– 1126 least concern

Red List Index developmentRed List Index development

Changing distribution: early warningsChanging distribution: early warnings

Loss of range of UK speciesLoss of range of UK species

Islands and biodiversityIslands and biodiversitySpecies-area relationship for Caribbean Island butterfliesDavies & Spencer Smith (1997) and Lewis (2006)

Species-area relationship for insects in English roundabouts

Helden and Leather (2004)

Habitat loss and biodiversityHabitat loss and biodiversity

Species-area relationships in grassland patchesSteffan-Dewenter and Tscharntke 2000

Estimating extinctions from species-area relationshipLewis (2006)

Predicting extinctionsPredicting extinctions

Forest loss and biodiversityForest loss and biodiversity

Deforestation and land conversionDeforestation and land conversion

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Conversion tofarmlandConversion tomonoculture

Reduction in number of species after deforestation (%)

Alternative land usesAlternative land uses

Change in number of species relative to uncleared forest (%)

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Conversion tofarmlandConversion tomonocultureConversion toenrichment

Major drivers of change in biodiversityMajor drivers of change in biodiversity

• Land use change: habitat loss, fragmentation etc• Climate change• Pollution• Invasive species• Exploitation and persecution

Land use change in Europe Land use change in Europe –– BioAssessBioAssess

BioAssessBioAssess –– birdsbirds

BioAssessBioAssess –– plants and lichensplants and lichens

BioAssessBioAssess –– invertebratesinvertebrates

BioAssessBioAssess –– butterfliesbutterfliesRocks

Grassland

Grassland

Wetland Road

Fields

Stream

1

BioAssessBioAssess design design –– sites and samplessites and samples

Field sites (Field sites (““landland--use unitsuse units””))

• Land-use “intensity” gradients– old-growth forest– managed forest– forest / woodland-dominated landscape– mixed-use landscape– pasture-dominated landscape– arable crop-dominated landscape

BioAssessBioAssess sites in Spainsites in Spain

BioAssessBioAssess sites in Francesites in France

BioAssessBioAssess sites in Finlandsites in Finland

BioAssessBioAssess sites in UK (Scotland)sites in UK (Scotland)

Land use impacts on biodiversityLand use impacts on biodiversity

11

12

61

98

27

20

17Range

31321Plants

35173Lichens

3534Butterflies

%Species

3037Birds

4068Carabids

2677Macrofauna

2567Collembola

Impact of land use on biodiversityImpact of land use on biodiversity

LUU (Site): Forest to agricultural landscape

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Collembola Carabids Plants Lichens Butterflies Birds Macrofauna

Impact of land use on biodiversityImpact of land use on biodiversity

LUU (Site): Forest to agricultural landscape

1 2 3 4 5 6

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Collembola Carabids Butterflies Birds Macrofauna

Climate changeClimate change

PollutionPollution

Invasive speciesInvasive species

Exploitation and persecutionExploitation and persecution

Drivers, pressures, state, impact and Drivers, pressures, state, impact and responsesresponses

Drivers

Pressures

StatesImpacts

Responses

The DPSIR model

States and trends in biodiversityStates and trends in biodiversity

Drivers

Pressures

StatesImpacts

Responses

Impacts on ecosystem goods and Impacts on ecosystem goods and servicesservices

Drivers

Pressures

StatesImpacts

Responses

Pressures causing change in Pressures causing change in biodiversitybiodiversity

Drivers

Pressures

StatesImpacts

Responses

Drivers of change in biodiversityDrivers of change in biodiversity

Drivers

Pressures

StatesImpacts

Responses

Responses to threats to biodiversityResponses to threats to biodiversity

Drivers

Pressures

StatesImpacts

Responses

Responses Responses –– practice, policy and peoplepractice, policy and people

John Muir and the first protected areas

Protected areasProtected areas

UK National Parks

Legislation and protected areas: UKLegislation and protected areas: UK• National Parks and Access to the Countryside

Act 1949– National Nature Reserves– Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)• "to form a national network of areas

representing in total those parts of Great Britain in which the features of nature, and especially those of greatest value to wildlife conservation, are most highly concentrated or of highest quality… each site represents a significant fragment of the much-depleted resource of wild nature now remaining in this country."

• Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (and amendments 1985, 1991, 2004)

UK legislation UK legislation contdcontd::

• The Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994– EC Directives incorporated into national law

• Environment Act 1995 (c. 25)• Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000• Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004• Natural Environment and Rural Communities

Act 2006

European legislation European legislation -- Birds DirectiveBirds Directive• The Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the

conservation of wild birds– The maintenance of the favourable conservation

status of all wild bird species across their distributional range (Article 2) – The identification and classification of Special

Protection Areas for rare or vulnerable species…– The establishment of a general scheme of

protection for all wild birds (Article 5). – Restrictions on the sale and keeping of wild birds

(Article 6). – Prohibition of large-scale non-selective means of

bird killing (Article 8). – Requirements to ensure that introduction of non-

native birds do not threatened other biodiversity (Article 11).

Habitats DirectiveHabitats Directive• Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the

Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora – range of measures including the protection

of species listed in the Annexes – surveillance of habitats and species and

produce a report every six years on the implementation of the Directive. – establishment of Special Areas of

Conservation (SACs)

Protected areas in UKProtected areas in UKUK Special Areas of Conservation

SPA, SAC and other protected areas near Isle of Wight

Natura Natura 20002000

Natura 2000:•Special Protection Areas •Special Areas of Conservation

Natura Natura 2000 France2000 France

Protected areas and habitat lostProtected areas and habitat lost

Hoekstra et al. 2005

Ten nominated marine NATURA 2000 sites in German EEZ (www.ices.dk and www.habitatmare.de)

““UnprotectedUnprotected”” areas & other problemsareas & other problems

Condition of UK SAC, SPA and other sites 2005(JNCC)

www.nnr-scotland.org.uk and nbn

Alien species conflictsAlien species conflicts

Reintroduction conflictsReintroduction conflicts

Conventions, Conventions, BAPsBAPs, targets, etc, targets, etc

• Convention on Biological Diversity

• Biodiversity Action Plans • 2010 targets on biodiversity• Biodiversity Communication: Halting the

Loss of Biodiversity by 2010 — and Beyond

EC Biodiversity CommunicationEC Biodiversity Communication

• OBJECTIVE 1: TO SAFEGUARD THE EU's MOST IMPORTANT HABITATS AND SPECIES.• HEADLINE TARGET: Biodiversity loss of most

important habitats and species halted by 2010, these habitats and species showing substantial recovery by 2013• TARGET 1.1: Natura 2000 network…• TARGET 1.2: Sufficiency, coherence, connectivity

and resilience of the protected areas network in the EU…• TARGET 1.3: No priority species in worsening

conservation status by 2010…

Objective 2: to conserve and restore Objective 2: to conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in the biodiversity and ecosystem services in the wider EU countrysidewider EU countryside• HEADLINE TARGET: In wider countryside

(…outside Natura 2000 network), biodiversity loss halted by 2010…• TARGET 2.1: Member States have optimised use

of opportunities under agricultural, rural development and forest policy…• TARGET 2.1: Risks to soil biodiversity…• TARGET 2.2: …'good ecological status' of

freshwaters…• TARGET 2.3: Principal pollutant pressures on

terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity…• TARGET 2.4: Flood risk management plans…

Biodiversity Communication objectivesBiodiversity Communication objectives

• OBJECTIVE 5: To substantially reduce the impact on eu biodiversity of invasive alien species (IAS) & alien genotypes.• OBJECTIVE 8: To substantially reduce the impact

of international trade on global biodiversity and ecosystem services.• OBJECTIVE 9: To support biodiversity adaptation

to climate change.• OBJECTIVE 10: To substantially strengthen the

knowledge base for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, in the EU and globally.

Trends: monitoring response to policyTrends: monitoring response to policy

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Trends: monitoring response to practiceTrends: monitoring response to practice

• New Forest burnet moth– Apparently restricted to New Forest in England– Extinct in New Forest in early 1900s

– Rediscovered in Scotland in 1963– Species Action Plan: http://www.ukbap.org.uk/

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New Forest burnet abundance in UKNew Forest burnet abundance in UK

No monitoring

Data from Mark Young and David Barbour

Some conclusionsSome conclusions……

Some conclusionsSome conclusions……

• There is clear evidence of biodiversity loss: extinctions, declining abundance, shrinking distributions (ranges), increased risk of further extinction

• But our knowledge of the extent of biodiversity, the rate of loss of most taxa and our ability to predict future loss are poor

• Likewise our knowledge of the consequences of biodiversity loss

• Action to address biodiversity loss requires ecological, economic and sociological understanding

• Monitoring trends in biodiversity is a key part of this effort

Some acknowledgementsSome acknowledgements……

Some acknowledgementsSome acknowledgements……

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