Reviews & Analysis

Filter By:

Article Type
Year
  • Species classified as Critically Endangered are at greatest risk of extinction, and their preservation and recovery are crucial to meeting global biodiversity aims. This Review assesses the geographical and taxonomic distribution of Critically Endangered species, their threats, current and required conservation actions, and strategies to facilitate effective, coordinated conservation.

    • Thomas E. Lacher Jr
    • Stuart H. M. Butchart
    • Michael Hoffmann
    Review Article
  • This Perspective provides guidance about how to select the most appropriate type of interaction network for different research questions in ecology. Networks can vary according to the extent of node aggregation and the information that links represent; each kind of network formulation has advantages in different contexts.

    • Benoit Gauzens
    • Lise Thouvenot
    • Jes Hines
    Perspective
  • Many plants rely on animals to disperse their seeds, but some groups of these seed-dispersing animals are facing severe declines. This Review summarizes evidence of seed disperser declines and discusses the potential consequences for ecosystem function and long-term resilience.

    • Evan C. Fricke
    • Carolina Bello
    • J. Leighton Reid
    Review Article
  • Glaciers are retreating with global climate warming, which threatens glacier specialists and the functions and stability of glaciers and glacially influenced ecosystems. This Review describes the impacts and consequences of glacier retreat for biodiversity, highlighting species that are likely to thrive or decline with glacier loss, and outlines key challenges and research priorities in conserving and managing biodiversity.

    • Gianalberto Losapio
    • Jasmine R. Lee
    • Lee E. Brown
    Review Article
  • Aquatic eDNA-based technologies offer the potential for universal and standardized biodiversity monitoring. In this Perspective, Altermatt et al. discuss how these technologies can help to achieve the targets of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework through informing appropriate policy and actions, and describe the next steps required for widespread and equitable use of these technologies.

    • Florian Altermatt
    • Marjorie Couton
    • Rosetta C. Blackman
    Perspective
  • Parasites and their hosts can have complex ecological interactions and evolutionary histories. This Perspective argues that parasites are a major driver of host speciation and outlines an empirical framework for testing this hypothesis.

    • Adam Z. Hasik
    • Jaakko J. Ilvonen
    • Adam M. Siepielski
    Perspective
  • Natural regeneration is one way that forests can recover after disturbance or deforestation, in addition to active restoration or reforestation. This Review, focused on tropical forests, discusses what is known about the extent and drivers of natural forest regeneration and its potential to contribute essential functions and services to people.

    • Robin L. Chazdon
    • Nico Blüthgen
    • Frans Bongers
    Review Article
  • A crucial element of conservation planning is spatial prioritization: the identification of areas that are high priority for conservation. This Review synthesizes advances in climate-smart spatial prioritization, which takes into account the effects of climate change on biodiversity.

    • Kristine Camille V. Buenafe
    • Daniel C. Dunn
    • Anthony J. Richardson
    Review Article
  • Insect biodiversity in tropical forests is poorly understood but is probably facing declines, with serious consequences for ecosystem functions and services. This Review describes the major threats to insect biodiversity, which include the effects of a burgeoning human population and of climate change. The authors further highlight the urgent need for greater efforts to measure and monitor insect biodiversity in the tropics and discuss emerging approaches to facilitate such studies.

    • Michael J. W. Boyle
    • Timothy C. Bonebrake
    • Louise A. Ashton
    Review Article
  • This Review explores the genetic basis of diversification and adaptation in non-human primates, including their responses to ecological and environmental changes.

    • Christian Roos
    • Lakshmi Seshadri
    • Jeffrey Rogers
    Review Article
  • Urban biodiversity underpins ecosystem services in cities, but faces multiple pressures from human activities, declining engagement of urban residents with nature, and inadequate governance systems. This Review discusses the benefits provided by urban biodiversity, the challenges it faces, and approaches to its promotion and conservation.

    • Ingo Kowarik
    • Leonie K. Fischer
    • Christina von Haaren
    Review Article
  • Forest restoration has the potential to result in substantial biodiversity gains alongside climate and human well-being benefits; however, biodiversity has historically been neglected in restoration efforts. This Review summarizes how differing forest restoration approaches affect impacts on biodiversity, and key knowledge gaps and research priorities for achieving biodiversity-centred restoration.

    • Pedro H. S. Brancalion
    • Fangyuan Hua
    • Karen D. Holl
    Review Article
  • Biodiversity offsets, applied as part of the mitigation hierarchy, aim to ensure that ‘no net loss’ of biodiversity occurs as a result of human development projects and activities. This Review explores offsetting approaches, their effectiveness in comparison with other conservation mechanisms, and the future of offsetting in the context of ‘nature positive’ goals.

    • Martine Maron
    • Amrei von Hase
    • Sophus O. S. E. zu Ermgassen
    Review Article
  • Seagrass ecosystems are increasingly recognized for their importance to biodiversity and marine ecosystem function, but they face many threats. This Review summarizes the contributions of seagrass ecosystems to biodiversity, ecosystem function and ecosystem services, and discusses the most important conservation interventions to mitigate key threats.

    • Carlos M. Duarte
    • Eugenia T. Apostolaki
    • Richard K. F. Unsworth
    Review Article
  • The mycorrhizal symbiosis between plants and fungi is critical to the success of both partners. This Perspective explores how plant reliance on mycorrhizae varies across ecological scales and how the relationship shifts with changing ecological conditions.

    • Mari Moora
    • John Davison
    • Martin Zobel
    Perspective
  • In this Perspective, the authors explore several aspects that have shaped the practice of animal conservation translocation. They describe factors influencing how and where conservation translocation is applied, current challenges in the application and assessment of conservation translocation, and future implications of ‘de-extinction’ and the rise of synthetic biology.

    • Philip Seddon
    • Kent Redford
    Perspective
  • Global insect invasions are increasing, driven by advances in globalization and technology. This Review discusses the effects of increasing trade and transport on insect invasions worldwide, and strategies for mitigation of future insect invasions.

    • Cleo Bertelsmeier
    • Aymeric Bonnamour
    • Sébastien Ollier
    Review Article