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| Open AccessGlobal conservation status of the jawed vertebrate Tree of Life
Extinction threatens to erode the Tree of Life. Here, the authors calculate extinction risk for jawed vertebrates, predicting a loss of 86–150 billion years (11–19%) of evolutionary history through the next 50–500 years and indicating that cartilaginous fish, ray-finned fish, and turtles are most at risk from a phylogenetic perspective.
- Rikki Gumbs
- , Oenone Scott
- & James Rosindell
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Article
| Open AccessMarine protected areas promote stability of reef fish communities under climate warming
Protected areas are meant to defend species from direct exploitation and habitat loss, but they might also reduce climate change impacts. Here, the authors show that marine protected areas mitigate the impacts of marine heatwaves on reef fish communities.
- Lisandro Benedetti-Cecchi
- , Amanda E. Bates
- & Eneko Aspillaga
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Article
| Open AccessRemoval of detritivore sea cucumbers from reefs increases coral disease
Coral diseases are commonly sediment-associated. Here the authors conduct a field experiment in French Polynesia and Palmyra Atoll showing that removal of sea cucumbers that clean reef sediments while feeding increases coral disease.
- Cody S. Clements
- , Zoe A. Pratte
- & Mark E. Hay
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Article
| Open AccessDipterocarpoidae genomics reveal their demography and adaptations to Asian rainforests
Dipterocarp trees are iconic but severely threatened species in Asian rainforests. This study assembles high-quality genomes of seven dipterocarp species to reveal the molecular basis of key adaptations and identifies a recent sharp population decline coinciding with local human activity.
- Rong Wang
- , Chao-Nan Liu
- & Xiao-Yong Chen
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Perspective
| Open AccessThe principles of natural climate solutions
Natural climate solutions can mitigate climate change but misunderstandings about what constitutes a natural climate solution generate unnecessary confusion and controversy. This Perspective distills five foundational principles of natural climate solutions and fifteen operational principles for practical implementation.
- Peter Woods Ellis
- , Aaron Marr Page
- & Susan C. Cook-Patton
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Article
| Open AccessA global analysis of how human infrastructure squeezes sandy coasts
In a first global analysis, researchers find that sandy shores are severely squeezed between human infrastructure and the rising sea, as on average, the first road or building is currently situated at just 390 meters distance from the shoreline.
- Eva M. Lansu
- , Valérie C. Reijers
- & Tjisse van der Heide
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Article
| Open AccessMapping the planet’s critical areas for biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people
This study shows that conserving approximately half of global land area through protection or sustainable management could provide 90% of ten of nature’s contributions to people and could meet representation targets for 26,709 species of mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. This finding supports recent commitments to conserve at least 30% of global lands and waters by 2030.
- Rachel A. Neugarten
- , Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer
- & Amanda D. Rodewald
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Article
| Open AccessMore than 17,000 tree species are at risk from rapid global change
Tree species may be vulnerable to multiple global change factors. Here, the authors find that more than 17 thousand tree species are exposed to increasing anthropogenic threats, including many species classified as data-deficient in the IUCN Red List.
- Coline C. F. Boonman
- , Josep M. Serra-Diaz
- & Jens-Christian Svenning
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Article
| Open AccessA global synthesis and assessment of free-ranging domestic cat diet
Free-ranging domestic cats have major ecological impacts globally. Here, Lepczyk et al. compile records of the species consumed by cats, identifying thousands of species consumed, including hundreds of species that are of conservation concern.
- Christopher A. Lepczyk
- , Jean E. Fantle-Lepczyk
- & John C. Z. Woinarski
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Article
| Open AccessShorebirds-driven trophic cascade helps restore coastal wetland multifunctionality
Ecological restoration success may depend on interactions between multiple trophic levels. Here, the authors show that top-down control of crab grazers by shorebirds could help rebuild wetland multifunctionality after invasive cordgrass eradication.
- Chunming Li
- , Jianshe Chen
- & Qiang He
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Article
| Open AccessArtificial light at night is a top predictor of bird migration stopover density
Twice a year, billions of nocturnal avian migrants traverse landscapes that are changing through natural and anthropogenic forces. Here, the authors identify light pollution as an influential predictor of bird migration stopover density across the USA.
- Kyle G. Horton
- , Jeffrey J. Buler
- & Geoffrey M. Henebry
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Article
| Open AccessHaplotype-based inference of recent effective population size in modern and ancient DNA samples
The authors introduce a new computational method, HapNe, for inferring the recent effective size of human populations. HapNe does not require high-quality genotype data, making it suitable for the study of ancient DNA samples.
- Romain Fournier
- , Zoi Tsangalidou
- & Pier Francesco Palamara
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Article
| Open AccessEarly warning signals have limited applicability to empirical lake data
Abrupt regime shifts could in theory be predicted from early warning signals. Here, the authors show that true critical transitions are challenging to classify in lake planktonic systems, due to mismatches between trophic levels, and reveal uneven performance of early warning signal detection methods.
- Duncan A. O’Brien
- , Smita Deb
- & Christopher F. Clements
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Article
| Open AccessThermal sensitivity of field metabolic rate predicts differential futures for bluefin tuna juveniles across the Atlantic Ocean
In this study, the authors use a dataset of stable isotope compositions of otoliths from Atlantic bluefin tuna to infer the thermal sensitivity of metabolic performance in their first year of life. They then assess the likely trajectories of tuna production until end century under differing emission scenarios in their two main spawning grounds, the western Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea.
- Clive N. Trueman
- , Iraide Artetxe-Arrate
- & Igaratza Fraile
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Article
| Open AccessFunctional diversity of sharks and rays is highly vulnerable and supported by unique species and locations worldwide
Elasmobranchs (sharks, rays and skates) are among the most threatened marine vertebrates, yet their global functional diversity remains largely unknown. This study uses a trait dataset of over 1,000 species to assess elasmobranch functional diversity and compare it against other previously studied biodiversity facets to identify global conservation priorities.
- Catalina Pimiento
- , Camille Albouy
- & Fabien Leprieur
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Article
| Open AccessInconsistent shifts in warming and temperature variability are linked to reduced avian fitness
Climate change effects on wildlife may occur through both gradual changes and extreme events. Here, the authors quantify the impact of cold snaps and heatwaves on reproductive success in 24 common bird species in North America over the last few decades.
- Conor C. Taff
- & J. Ryan. Shipley
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Article
| Open Access30×30 biodiversity gains rely on national coordination
Expanding protected areas to meet conservation goals requires careful consideration of potential trade-offs. Here, by simulating conservation scenarios for Canada, the authors report that 30×30 outcomes for biodiversity depend more on how protection is coordinated at different spatial scales than on which biodiversity metrics are prioritized.
- Isaac Eckert
- , Andrea Brown
- & Laura J. Pollock
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Article
| Open AccessClimate change and land use threaten global hotspots of phylogenetic endemism for trees
Species that are evolutionary distinct and have geographically narrow or isolated distributions may be in particular need of conservation. Here, the authors identify global patterns of tree phylogenetic endemism and their linkages with climate and land use, and estimate future trends.
- Wen-Yong Guo
- , Josep M. Serra-Diaz
- & Jens-Christian Svenning
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Article
| Open AccessSoundscapes and deep learning enable tracking biodiversity recovery in tropical forests
Cost-effective biodiversity monitoring through time is important for evidence-based conservation. Here, the authors show that automated bioacoustics monitoring can be used to track tropical forest recovery from agricultural abandonment, suggesting its use to assess restoration outcomes.
- Jörg Müller
- , Oliver Mitesser
- & Zuzana Buřivalová
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Article
| Open AccessPriority areas to protect mangroves and maximise ecosystem services
Mangroves provide ecosystem services but are threatened by anthropogenic activities. This study identifies priority areas that maximise the protection of mangrove biodiversity and ecosystem services. The authors show that biodiversity can be protected whilst maximising ecosystem benefits, with little or no increase in the protected area required.
- Alvise Dabalà
- , Farid Dahdouh-Guebas
- & Anthony J. Richardson
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Article
| Open AccessMixed effects of a national protected area network on terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity
Protected areas are vital for conserving biodiversity, but their effectiveness is often unknown. A study on 638 species in Finland’s protected and unprotected sites finds mixed impacts; only a subset of species benefit from protection, mainly experiencing slower declines within protected areas.
- Andrea Santangeli
- , Benjamin Weigel
- & Marjo Saastamoinen
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Article
| Open AccessCryopreservation and revival of Hawaiian stony corals using isochoric vitrification
Cryopreservation is one approach to conserving the genetic diversity of threatened coral reefs but has thus far been limited to difficult-to-obtain coral reproductive material. Using a new cytotechnology called isochoric vitrification, this study reports the successful cryopreservation and revival of whole mature coral fragments.
- Matthew J. Powell-Palm
- , E. Michael Henley
- & Mary Hagedorn
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Comment
| Open AccessExploring climate-induced sex-based differences in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems to mitigate biodiversity loss
The response of aquatic and terrestrial organisms to climate change can depend on biological sex. A key challenge is to unravel the interactive effects of sex and climate change at the individual and population levels and the cascading effects on communities. This new understanding is essential to improve climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.
- Elena Gissi
- , Londa Schiebinger
- & Fiorenza Micheli
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Article
| Open AccessDiversity, distribution and intrinsic extinction vulnerability of exploited marine bivalves
Marine bivalves are important components of ecosystems and are exploited for food across the world. This study expands the list of marine bivalves known to be exploited worldwide and then uses a trait-based approach to identify intrinsically vulnerable species and to pinpoint regions with high levels of extinction-prone exploited species, helping to prioritize areas for conservation effort.
- Shan Huang
- , Stewart M. Edie
- & David Jablonski
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Article
| Open AccessThe role and risks of selective adaptation in extreme coral habitats
Corals living in naturally extreme environments such as mangrove lagoons have been considered as ‘super corals’ for reef conservation. However, this study shows that resistance in highly variable conditions comes with biological trade-offs that could compromise the suitability of these stress-tolerant corals for reef management under worsening climate change conditions.
- Federica Scucchia
- , Paul Zaslansky
- & Emma F. Camp
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Article
| Open AccessGenetic erosion reduces biomass temporal stability in wild fish populations
Experimental evidence indicates that genetic diversity can promote biomass stability, but does this process occur in wild populations? Focusing on three freshwater fish species from two river basins in southwestern France, this study shows that the biomass of genetically diversified populations has been more stable in recent decades than populations that have suffered from genetic erosion.
- Jérôme G. Prunier
- , Mathieu Chevalier
- & Simon Blanchet
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Article
| Open AccessGlobal forest fragmentation change from 2000 to 2020
Forest losses and gains are highly dynamic processes. Here, the authors present a forest fragmentation index to map distribution and temporal changes of forest fragments globally, revealing major trends and patterns during the first two decades of the 21st century.
- Jun Ma
- , Jiawei Li
- & Jiajia Liu
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Article
| Open AccessGlobal assessment of marine plastic exposure risk for oceanic birds
Petrels are wide-ranging, highly threatened seabirds that often ingest plastic. This study used tracking data for 7,137 petrels of 77 species to map global exposure risk and compare regions, species, and populations. The results show higher exposure risk for threatened species and stress the need for international cooperation to tackle marine litter.
- Bethany L. Clark
- , Ana P. B. Carneiro
- & Maria P. Dias
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Article
| Open AccessAccounting for forest condition in Europe based on an international statistical standard
Monitoring ecosystem conditions in quantitative and standardized ways could facilitate transnational coordination of conservation and land management policies. Here, the authors use a spatially explicit ecosystem accounting approach to assess the state of European forests and recent trends.
- Joachim Maes
- , Adrián G. Bruzón
- & Fernando Santos-Martín
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Article
| Open AccessBroad host susceptibility of North American amphibian species to Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans suggests high invasion potential and biodiversity risk
The emerging fungal pathogen Bsal is a potential threat for amphibians. Here, the authors use data from dose-response experiments on 35 species to assess vulnerability of North American amphibians to Bsal and identify species and areas potentially at risk.
- Matthew J. Gray
- , Edward Davis Carter
- & Debra L. Miller
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Article
| Open AccessThe effectiveness of global protected areas for climate change mitigation
Protected areas are important for climate change mitigation. Here, the authors use satellite data and statistical matching to show that terrestrial protected areas have higher C stocks than non-protected areas, roughly equivalent to one year of annual global fossil fuel emissions.
- L. Duncanson
- , M. Liang
- & A. Zvoleff
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Article
| Open AccessStony coral tissue loss disease induces transcriptional signatures of in situ degradation of dysfunctional Symbiodiniaceae
From profiling the gene expression of five coral species exposed to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD), this study finds signatures of in situ degradation of Symbiodiniaceae experiencing photosystem dysfunction. These results indicate that Symbiodiniaceae may be the target of initial SCTLD infection, which subsequently induces host responses and tissue loss.
- Kelsey M. Beavers
- , Emily W. Van Buren
- & Laura D. Mydlarz
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Article
| Open AccessGlobal disruption of coral broadcast spawning associated with artificial light at night
This global analysis reveals that artificial light from cities is associated with the disruption of synchronised egg release by corals. This situation could reduce coral reproductive health, hindering conservation efforts in the face of climate change and other anthropogenic impacts.
- Thomas W. Davies
- , Oren Levy
- & Tim Smyth
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Article
| Open AccessIncorporating human dimensions is associated with better wildlife translocation outcomes
Conservation biologists have made calls for including human dimensions in wildlife conservation efforts. This quantitative synthesis of case studies from a global IUCN reintroduction program suggests that inclusion of local stakeholders in wildlife restoration programs boosts success rate.
- Mitchell W. Serota
- , Kristin J. Barker
- & Arthur D. Middleton
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Article
| Open AccessBird tolerance to humans in open tropical ecosystems
The degree to which species tolerate human disturbance contributes to shape human-wildlife coexistence. Here, the authors identify key predictors of avian tolerance of humans across 842 bird species from open tropical ecosystems.
- Peter Mikula
- , Oldřich Tomášek
- & Tomáš Albrecht
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Article
| Open AccessAnthropogenic impacts on threatened species erode functional diversity in chelonians and crocodilians
Many species of reptiles are threatened with extinction. This analysis on 259 species of turtles, tortoises and crocodilians identifies anthropogenic threats that disproportionally affect species with certain life history strategies and others that affect all species similarly.
- R. C. Rodríguez-Caro
- , E. Graciá
- & R. Salguero-Gómez
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Article
| Open AccessGlobal Protected Areas as refuges for amphibians and reptiles under climate change
The effectiveness of protected areas under climate change is debated. Here, the authors analyse the potential effectiveness of protected areas for conserving over 70% of extant amphibian and reptile species under present and future climate scenarios.
- Chunrong Mi
- , Liang Ma
- & Weiguo Du
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Article
| Open AccessLand-use diversity predicts regional bird taxonomic and functional richness worldwide
Land-use diversity can theoretically have a significant impact on biodiversity at large spatial scales but the importance and generality of this environmental component are uncertain. This study shows that regional land-use diversity constitutes a key factor associated with bird regional taxonomic and functional richness worldwide.
- Carlos Martínez-Núñez
- , Ricardo Martínez-Prentice
- & Vicente García-Navas
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Comment
| Open AccessUntitled public forestlands threaten Amazon conservation
A large proportion of recent Brazilian Amazon deforestation is occurring on untitled public forestlands through land grabbing. This emerging risk demands long-term conservation strategies. Here we propose prioritizing land tenure security, technological improvement, and law enforcement.
- Paulo Moutinho
- & Claudia Azevedo-Ramos
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Article
| Open AccessNovel plant–frugivore network on Mauritius is unlikely to compensate for the extinction of seed dispersers
Many plant species depend on frugivores for seed dispersal. Here, the authors investigate plant-frugivore networks in Mauritius, finding that the new interactions gained from the arrival of non-native seed predators are unlikely to compensate for the extinction of seed dispersers.
- Julia H. Heinen
- , F. B. Vincent Florens
- & Michael K. Borregaard
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Article
| Open AccessSocioeconomic factors predict population changes of large carnivores better than climate change or habitat loss
Habitat loss and climate change are widely acknowledged as drivers of wildlife population change, but socioeconomic impacts are relatively unexplored. This study explores drivers of population change in large carnivores and reveals that socioeconomic growth is more associated with population declines than habitat loss and climate change.
- Thomas F. Johnson
- , Nick J. B. Isaac
- & Manuela González-Suárez
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Article
| Open AccessHalf a century of rising extinction risk of coral reef sharks and rays
Sharks and rays are vital coral reef species. This study shows that nearly two thirds (59%) of the 134 coral-reef associated species are threatened with extinction. The main cause of their decline is found to be overfishing, both targeted and unintentional, and extinction risk is greater for larger species found in nations with higher fishing pressure and weaker governance.
- C. Samantha Sherman
- , Colin A. Simpfendorfer
- & Nicholas K. Dulvy
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Article
| Open AccessHuman activities favour prolific life histories in both traded and introduced vertebrates
Predicting which species will become invasive is vital because the harm they cause cannot always be mitigated once populations establish. Street et al. show that traded and introduced species have distinctive life histories with high invasion potential, helping to identify future invasion risks.
- Sally E. Street
- , Jorge S. Gutiérrez
- & Isabella Capellini
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Article
| Open AccessGlobal patterns of climate change impacts on desert bird communities
Desert-dwelling species are adapted to high temperatures, but further warming may push them beyond their physiological limits. Here, the authors integrate biophysical models and species distributions to project physiological impacts of climate change on desert birds globally and identify potential refugia.
- Liang Ma
- , Shannon R. Conradie
- & David S. Wilcove
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Article
| Open AccessThe macroevolutionary impact of recent and imminent mammal extinctions on Madagascar
Madagascar is a threatened biodiversity hotspot. Here, using a newly assembled dataset and island biogeography models, the authors estimate how many millions of years of evolutionary history have been lost since human colonisation and may be further lost in the future for Malagasy mammals.
- Nathan M. Michielsen
- , Steven M. Goodman
- & Luis Valente
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Article
| Open AccessDivergent roles of herbivory in eutrophying forests
Ungulate herbivory is an important driver of ecological change in forests. Here, the authors combine vegetation resurveys showing herbivory effects are highly dependent on soil eutrophication, promoting non-natives under high N-conditions, yet benefiting threatened species under low N-conditions.
- Josiane Segar
- , Henrique M. Pereira
- & Ingmar R. Staude
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Article
| Open AccessField measurements reveal exposure risk to microplastic ingestion by filter-feeding megafauna
Combining microplastic data from the California Current Ecosystem with high-resolution foraging measurements from 191 tag deployments on blue, fin and humpback whales, this study quantifies plastic ingestion rates and routes of exposure risk in filter-feeding megafauna.
- S. R. Kahane-Rapport
- , M. F. Czapanskiy
- & M. S. Savoca
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Article
| Open AccessDrivers of global mangrove loss and gain in social-ecological systems
Mangrove forests protect communities from storms and support fisheries. Here, the authors show that the association with economic growth has shifted from negatively impacting mangroves to enabling mangrove expansion, and that community forestry is promoting mangrove expansion.
- Valerie Hagger
- , Thomas A. Worthington
- & Megan I. Saunders
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Article
| Open AccessIncorporating evolutionary and threat processes into crop wild relatives conservation
Crop wild relatives’ genetic diversity is usually not considered in conservation planning. Here, the authors introduce an approach to identify conservation areas based on evolutionary and threat processes, by developing proxies of genetic differentiation, and including taxa’s habitat preferences.
- Wolke Tobón-Niedfeldt
- , Alicia Mastretta-Yanes
- & Patricia Koleff