[Press release FRB-Cesab] A new method to assess ecosystem vulnerability and protect biodiversity

A new method to assess ecosystem vulnerability and protect biodiversity

As states committed to creating protected areas on at least 30% of their land and sea territories by 2030, an international team of researchers has developed a new tool to quantify the vulnerability of species communities. Combined with future ecosystem risk assessment studies, this tool should help decision-makers identify management priorities and guide protection efforts where they are most needed. 

Quantifying the vulnerability of biodiversity is crucial to safeguard the most threatened ecosystems. Published in Nature Communications on the 1st of September 2022, this new tool stands out from previous work as it estimates the degree to which functional diversity, that is biodiversity and associated ecosystem functions, is likely to change when exposed to multiple pressures. It was developed as part of two projects funded by the French Foundation for Research on Biodiversity (FRB) within its Centre for Biodiversity Press release FRB-Cesab. September 1 th 2022.

Reference

Arnaud Auber, Conor Waldock, Anthony Maire, Eric Goberville, Camille Albouy, Adam C. Algar, Matthew McLean, Anik Brind'Amour, Alison L. Green, Mark Tupper, Laurent Vigliola, Kristin Kaschner, Kathleen Kesner-Reyes, Maria Beger, Jerry Tjiputra, Aurèle Toussaint, Cyrille Violle, Nicolas Mouquet, Wilfried Thuiller, David Mouillot. “A functional vulnerability framework for biodiversity conservation”. 2022. Nature Communications. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32331-y/

Press contact (in France) - Pauline Coulomb, pauline.coulomb@fondationbiodiversite.fr 

Possible interview - Arnaud Auber - lead author, Arnaud.Auber@ifremer.fr

BOREA contact - Eric Goberville - co-auteur, eric.goberville@upmc.fr