16 research outputs found
Agricultural Management and Climatic Change Are the Major Drivers of Biodiversity Change in the UK
Action to reduce anthropogenic impact on the environment and species within it will be most effective when targeted towards activities that have the greatest impact on biodiversity. To do this effectively we need to better understand the relative importance of different activities and how they drive changes in species’ populations. Here, we present a novel, flexible framework that reviews evidence for the relative importance of these drivers of change and uses it to explain recent alterations in species’ populations. We review drivers of change across four hundred species sampled from a broad range of taxonomic groups in the UK. We found that species’ population change (~1970–2012) has been most strongly impacted by intensive management of agricultural land and by climatic change. The impact of the former was primarily deleterious, whereas the impact of climatic change to date has been more mixed. Findings were similar across the three major taxonomic groups assessed (insects, vascular plants and vertebrates). In general, the way a habitat was managed had a greater impact than changes in its extent, which accords with the relatively small changes in the areas occupied by different habitats during our study period, compared to substantial changes in habitat management. Of the drivers classified as conservation measures, low-intensity management of agricultural land and habitat creation had the greatest impact. Our framework could be used to assess the relative importance of drivers at a range of scales to better inform our policy and management decisions. Furthermore, by scoring the quality of evidence, this framework helps us identify research gaps and needs
State of nature
For the first time ever, the UK’s
wildlife organisations have
joined forces to undertake a
health check of nature in the
UK and its Overseas Territories. 60% of the 3,148 UK species we assessed
have declined over the last 50 years and
31% have declined strongly.
Half of the species assessed have shown
strong changes in their numbers or range,
indicating that recent environmental
changes are having a dramatic impact
on nature in the UK. Species with specific
habitat requirements seem to be faring
worse than generalist species.
A new Watchlist Indicator, developed
to measure how conservation priority
species are faring, shows that their
overall numbers have declined by 77%
in the last 40 years, with little sign
of recovery.
Of more than 6,000 species that have
been assessed using modern Red List
criteria, more than one in 10 are thought
to be under threat of extinction in the UK.
Our assessment looks back over 50 years
at most, yet there were large declines in
the UK’s wildlife prior to this, linked to
habitat loss.
The UK’s Overseas Territories hold a
wealth of wildlife of huge international
importance and over 90 of these species
are at high risk of global extinction.
There is a lack of knowledge on the
trends of most of the UK’s species.
As a result, we can report quantitative
trends for only 5% of the 59,000 or so
terrestrial and freshwater species in
the UK, and for very few of the 8,500
marine species. Much needs to be done
to improve our knowledge.
What we do know about the state of
the UK’s nature is often based upon
the efforts of thousands of dedicated
volunteer enthusiasts who contribute
their time and expertise to monitoring
schemes and species recording.
The threats to the UK’s wildlife are
many and varied, the most severe
acting either to destroy valuable habitat
or degrade the quality and value of
what remains.
Climate change is having an increasing
impact on nature in the UK. Rising
average temperatures are known to be
driving range expansion in some species,
but evidence for harmful impacts is
also mounting.
The full report is online:
www.rspb.org.uk/stateofnature
We should act to save nature both for
its intrinsic value and for the benefits
it brings to us that are essential to our
wellbeing and prosperity.
Targeted conservation has produced
inspiring success stories and, with
sufficient determination, resources
and public support, we can turn the
fortunes of our wildlife around.
The State of Nature report serves
to illustrate that with shared resolve
and commitment we can save nature
Bionomics and distribution of the stag beetle, Lucanus cervus (L.) across Europe.
1. The European stag beetle, Lucanus cervus, is thought to be widely distributed
across its range, but a detailed description of its occurrence is lacking.
2. Researchers in 41 countries were contacted and information sought on various
life history characteristics of the insect. Data on adult body size were collected from
seven countries.
3. Habitat associations differ between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe.
Larvae are most commonly associated with oak, but the duration of the larval stage
and the number of instars varies by up to 100% across Europe.
4. Adult size also varies; beetles from Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands are
larger than those from Belgium or the UK. In the former countries, populations are
composed mainly of large individuals, while in the UK, the majority of individuals
are relatively small. Allometric relations between mandible size and total body length
differ in Germany compared with the rest of Europe.
5. Distribution maps of the insect, split into records pre- and post-1970, from 24
countries are presented. While these inevitably suffer from recorder bias, they indicate
that in only two countries, Croatia and Slovakia, does the insect seem to be
increasing in range.
6. Our data suggest that the insect may be in decline across Europe, most likely
due to habitat loss, and that conservatio
The most important broad drivers of species’ population changes, 1970–2012.
<p>Positive (green) and negative (blue) impact for each broad driver of change accounting for two percent or more of the total in absolute terms, ordered by absolute impact. Results are presented using all strengths of evidence available and weighting species in the three major taxonomic groups equally (insects, plants and vertebrates).</p