Can a single index track the state of global biodiversity?

Jaspers, Arnout

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108524

Cited by 4 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…According to the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, 1 million plant and animal species are currently threatened with extinction (Jaspers, 2020). Moreover, GHG emissions are still increasing globally, with the projection that the carbon budget set to meet the Paris Agreement target of 2°C will be exhausted before 2050 (Baiardi and Morana, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pro-environmental diversification of pasture-based dairy and beef production in Ireland, the United Kingdom and New Zealand: a scoping review of impacts and challenges

Markiewicz-Kęszycka

Carter

O’Brien

et al. 2022

Renew. Agric. Food Syst.

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Milk and beef derived from pasture-based systems have been characterized by higher nutritional values and a lower environmental footprint than their equivalents obtained via indoor systems. However, intensification of pasture-based production can have adverse impacts on biodiversity and the environment. To date, studies on pro-environmental diversification options leading to improvement of environmental performance of pasture-based dairy and beef production have rarely been synthesized. The present study sought to review current on-farm pro-environmental measures with the potential for enhancing biodiversity status and/or reducing the environmental impacts of pasture-based agriculture. Literature on farmer attitudes toward these measures was also reviewed to identify potential obstacles and opportunities for transitioning to pro-environmental agriculture. A systematic search of published research from high-income island countries characterized by oceanic temperate climate with a high dependence on pasture-based agriculture—the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, was conducted. Thirty studies that assessed the impact of pro-environmental measures, eight ‘attitudinal’ studies of dairy and beef farmers and one study covering both aspects were identified. Inductive thematical analysis was subsequently undertaken. Environmentally sensitive management practices such as hedgerows and field margins management, mixed grazing (where two or more herbivorous animals graze the same land), rare livestock breeds, multispecies swards, organic farming and agroforestry were identified as primary themes studied under the auspices of pro-environmental diversification, while forestry, bioenergy crops and organic farming were the main themes identified within attitudinal research studies. Findings suggest that environmentally sensitive practices have varied effects on biodiversity. Mixed grazing was found to improve livestock production, while studies of organic farming reported multiple positive impacts on biodiversity and animal welfare. Effect of multispecies swards on methane emissions and urinary nitrogen extraction were found to be inconsistent. Attitudinal research suggests that the main barrier to implementing afforestation is its lack of attractiveness compared to ‘traditional’ farming and that organic farmer decisions regarding agricultural management practices might be less profit-oriented and influenced by ecological beliefs to a greater extent than decisions of conventional farmers. The results of this study confirm that pro-environmental diversification inherently encompasses multiple scientific disciplines; however, previous study designs and outcomes were found to be fragmented and narrowly focused. Considering the urgency and importance of climate and biodiversity crises, pro-environmental diversification of pasture-based dairy and beef production has rarely been holistically approached and remains understudied. The development of practical, sustainable solutions for farming based on circular economy and respect to nature and additional strategies to increase farmer and consumer environmental awareness should be prioritized by policymakers, advisory and scientific bodies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pro-environmental diversification of pasture-based dairy and beef production in Ireland, the United Kingdom and New Zealand: a scoping review of impacts and challenges

Markiewicz-Kęszycka

Carter

O’Brien

et al. 2022

Renew. Agric. Food Syst.

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“…4). These null models can be iterated to generate a distribution of final LPI values, which more accurately represent the uncertainty inherent in single composite metrics of biodiversity 11,12 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite the LPI's broad influence, it has several known caveats 11,12 . First, since each time-series is standardised as a relative rate of change, declines in small populations are viewed as equivalent to similar proportional declines in large populations, even though the absolute declines are much larger in the latter 6,11 . Second, population trends are summarised using the geometric mean, which is always lower than the arithmetic mean, resulting in an index that is sensitive to a small minority of extremely declining populations 12 .…”

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confidence: 99%

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Random population fluctuations bias the Living Planet Index

et al. 2021

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The Living Planet Index (LPI) is a standardised indicator for tracking population trends through time. Due to its ability to aggregate many timeseries in a single metric, the LPI has been proposed as an indicator for the Convention on Biological Diversity's post-2020 Global Biodiversity Strategy. However, here we show that random population fluctuations introduce biases when calculating the LPI. By combining simulated and empirical data, we show how random fluctuations lead to a declining LPI even when overall population trends are stable, and imprecise estimates of the LPI when populations increase or decrease non-linearly. We applied randomisation null models that demonstrate how random fluctuations exaggerate declines in the global LPI by 9.6%. Our results confirm substantial declines in the LPI, but highlight sources of uncertainty in quantitative estimates. Randomisation null models are useful for presenting uncertainty around indicators of progress towards international biodiversity targets. Nations of the world are in the process of negotiating the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity. One of the ambitions of the post-2020 framework is "bending the curve of biodiversity loss" by first slowing down declines by 2030 and then improving the state of biodiversity by mid-century 1-3 . Reliable biodiversity indicators are essential for tracking progress towards global biodiversity targets 4 . A prominent indicator of species abundance over time is the Living Planet Index (LPI) 5-7 . The LPI aggregates population time-series for vertebrates from terrestrial, freshwater and marine systems into a relative index (where the baseline is

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“…The LPI was developed with these criteria in mind and, by aggregating trends from different ecological realms and geographic regions, it can provide a useful overview and communication tool for broad audiences. However, the index has been critiqued as oversimplifying the state of biodiversity 147 and masking important trends 141 . Arguably, there is need for a balance between providing a simple, clear message about global biodiversity trends whilst supporting it with more in-depth analysis 123 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Past, present, and future of the Living Planet Index

Ledger

McRae²,

Böhm

et al. 2022

Preprint

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As we enter the next phase of international policy commitments to halt biodiversity loss (e.g. Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework), biodiversity indicators will play an important role forming the robust basis upon which targeted, and time sensitive conservation actions are developed. Population trend indicators are perhaps the most powerful tool in biodiversity monitoring due to their responsiveness to changes over short timescales and their ability to aggregate species trends from global down to at a sub-national or even local scale. We consider how the project behind the foremost population level indicator - the Living Planet Index - has evolved over the last 25 years, its value to the field of biodiversity monitoring, and how its components have portrayed a compelling account of the changing status of global biodiversity through its application at policy, research and practice levels. We explore ways the project can develop to enhance our understanding of the state of biodiversity and share lessons learned to inform indicator development and mobilise action.

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Can a single index track the state of global biodiversity?

Cited by 4 publications

References 4 publications

Pro-environmental diversification of pasture-based dairy and beef production in Ireland, the United Kingdom and New Zealand: a scoping review of impacts and challenges

Pro-environmental diversification of pasture-based dairy and beef production in Ireland, the United Kingdom and New Zealand: a scoping review of impacts and challenges

Random population fluctuations bias the Living Planet Index

Past, present, and future of the Living Planet Index

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