Can financial incentives encourage a more pro-environmental behavior? - A case study of Payments for Environmental Services in Costa Rica

Financial incentives are increasingly being used to promote provision of environmental services (ES). Costa Rica was early with launching their Payments for Environmental Services (PES) scheme that rewards provision of ES and prevents further losses of the same. This study examines the links between Costa Rican PES scheme, pro-environmental behavior and forest conservation. PES-beneficiaries and farmers that do not benefit from the PES scheme (non-beneficiaries) were interviewed and their answers were compared in the process of analyzing the connections between PES, pro-environmental behavior and forest conservation. The purpose of the interview questions was to frame features that induce pro-environmental behavior and investigate the interviewees’ forest ownership. The result from the statistical analysis showed correlation between the pro-environmental behavior and forest conservation among non-beneficiaries, i.e. where the forest owners were not financially compensated. There was not a convincing link between participating in the PES program and demonstrating pro-environmental behavior, but the beneficiaries had somewhat stronger tendency to demonstrate pro-environmental behavior. This tendency correlated with years of education, which has a recognized positive effect on pro-environmental behavior and was significantly higher for the beneficiaries, indicating that the level of education, and not the participation in the program, caused the altered tendency for pro-environmental behavior

Effective conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes

Agricultural land use is a major driver of biodiversity losses and changes in ecosystem services. Thus, for the sake of both humans and wild organism per se, effective strategies that enable both agricultural production and conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services are urgently needed. Such strategies can be divided into those that reduce the intensity of farming in general (such as organic farming), and those that target specific habitats of key importance for farmland biodiversity (e.g., maintaining semi-natural, grazed grasslands). In this thesis, I used a combination of scientific methods in five different studies to assess and propose such strategies that promote biodiversity and ecosystem services, effectively and cost-effectively, in agricultural landscapes. This included reviewing the literature on land-sharing vs. land-sparing strategies, which explicitly compare the merits of spatially integrating (land sharing) or separating (land sparing) biodiversity conservation and agricultural production, respectively. I found that the literature has focused on a limited number of taxonomic groups, ecosystem services and economic factors (particularly birds, carbon storage and agricultural output), which impedes a more holistic understanding of the strategies’ social and ecological consequences. In another study, I evaluated the potential of organic farming to preserve rare species, which includes species of high conservation concern. Using a meta-analysis on a global dataset, I showed that organic compared to conventional farming benefits both rare and common species of arthropods, birds, earthworms and plants. I also carried out an empirical study where I compared abundance and diversity of bumblebees and flowering weeds, as well as crop yields, across 19 organic and conventional farms. The study showed that organic farming benefits bumblebees by harboring more flowering weeds, but only when crop yields are low. This demonstrates the need for strategies to enhance yields in organic crop fields (which are typically lower than those in conventional fields) without degrading the benefits of organic farming to biodiversity. I found that one such strategy can be to reduce crop sowing density, which benefited flowering weeds and thus indirectly bumblebees, without significantly affecting crop yields. I subsequently used data from the same farms in a study where I modelled the influence of landscape complexity on the cost-effectiveness of organic farming in promoting plant species richness. The cost- effectiveness, in terms of achieving targets for increasing species richness at a landscape scale at the lowest possible cost, was highest in the least complex landscape. Lastly, I performed a study showing how a model can be used to predict environmental results in result-based payment schemes. The study demonstrated that result- based payments can promote substantially more cost-effective agricultural pollution abatement than action- based payments. In conclusion, this thesis has contributed with new knowledge about how existing conservation strategies affect biodiversity and ecosystem services, as well as proposed novel conservation strategies. The findings of this thesis can contribute to more effective and cost-effective conservation and promotion of biodiversity and ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes

Ekologisk odling för mer biologisk mångfald - var får man mest för pengarna?

Att odla ekologiskt istället för konventionellt bidrar till att öka den biologiska mångfalden. Den positiva effekten på biologisk mångfald är särskilt stor i odlingslandskap med få kvarvarande naturliga livsmiljöer som exempelvis naturbetesmarker. Samtidigt har sådana odlingslandskap ofta en hög jordbruksproduktion och därför är också kostnaderna i form av skördebortfall höga vid en övergång till ekologisk odling. I denna studie undersöker vi kostnaderna för att öka biologisk mångfald genom ekologisk odling, och hur dessa påverkas av det omgivande landskapet. Resultaten visar att: • Ekologisk odling ökar biologisk mångfald (mätt som antalet växtarter) mest kostnadseffektivt i landskap med en liten andel naturbetesmarker. • Kostnaden för att öka antalet växtarter med ekologisk odling ökar för varje tillkommen växtart. • Bevarande av naturbetesmarker har en större effekt på antalet växtarter än ekologisk odling

Urbanization causes biotic homogenization of woodland bird communities at multiple spatial scales

Urbanization is a major contributor to biodiversity declines. However, studies assessing effects of urban landscapes per se (i.e., disentangled from focal habitat effects) on biodiversity across spatial scales are lacking. Understanding such scale-dependent effects is fundamental to preserve habitats along an urbanization gradient in a way that maximizes overall biodiversity. We investigated the impact of landscape urbanization on communities of woodland-breeding bird species in individual (local scale) and across multiple (regional scale) cities, while controlling for the quality of sampled habitats (woodlands). We conducted bird point counts and habitat quality mapping of trees, dead wood, and shrubs in 459 woodlands along an urban to rural urbanization gradient in 32 cities in Sweden. Responses to urbanization were measured as local and regional total diversity (gamma), average site diversity (alpha), and diversity between sites (beta). We also assessed effects on individual species and to what extent dissimilarities in species composition along the urbanization gradient were driven by species nestedness or turnover. We found that landscape urbanization had a negative impact on gamma-, alpha-, and beta-diversity irrespective of spatial scale, both regarding all woodland-breeding species and red-listed species. At the regional scale, dissimilarities in species composition between urbanization levels were due to nestedness, that is, species were lost with increased landscape urbanization without being replaced. In contrast, dissimilarities at the local scale were mostly due to species turnover. Because there was no difference in habitat quality among woodlands across the urbanization gradient, we conclude that landscape urbanization as such systematically causes poorer and more homogeneous bird communities in adjacent natural habitats. However, the high local turnover and the fact that several species benefited from urbanization demonstrates that natural habitats along the entire urbanization gradient are needed to maintain maximally diverse local bird communities

Urbanization causes biotic homogenization of woodland bird communities at multiple spatial scales

Abstract Urbanization is a major contributor to biodiversity declines. However, studies assessing effects of urban landscapes per se (i.e., disentangled from focal habitat effects) on biodiversity across spatial scales are lacking. Understanding such scale-dependent effects is fundamental to preserve habitats along an urbanization gradient in a way that maximizes overall biodiversity. We investigated the impact of landscape urbanization on communities of woodland-breeding bird species in individual (local scale) and across multiple (regional scale) cities, while controlling for the quality of sampled habitats (woodlands). We conducted bird point counts and habitat quality mapping of trees, dead wood and shrubs in 459 woodlands along an urban to rural urbanization gradient in 32 cities in Sweden. Responses to urbanization were measured as local and regional total diversity (?), average site diversity (α) and diversity between sites (?). We also assessed effects on individual species and to what extent dissimilarities in species composition along the urbanization gradient were driven by species nestedness or turnover. We found that landscape urbanization had a negative impact on ?-, α- and ?-diversity irrespective of spatial scale, both regarding all woodland-breeding species and red-listed species. At the regional scale, dissimilarities in species composition between urbanization levels were due to nestedness, i.e., species were lost with increased landscape urbanization without being replaced. In contrast, dissimilarities at the local scale were mostly due to species turnover. Because there was no difference in habitat quality among woodlands across the urbanization gradient, we conclude that landscape urbanization as such systematically causes poorer and more homogeneous bird communities in adjacent natural habitats. However, the high local turnover and the fact that several species benefited from urbanization demonstrates that natural habitats along the entire urbanization gradient are needed to maintain maximally diverse local bird communities.Urbanization is a major contributor to biodiversity declines. However, studies assessing effects of urban landscapes per se (i.e., disentangled from focal habitat effects) on biodiversity across spatial scales are lacking. Understanding such scale-dependent effects is fundamental to preserve habitats along an urbanization gradient in a way that maximizes overall biodiversity. We investigated the impact of landscape urbanization on communities of woodland-breeding bird species in individual (local scale) and across multiple (regional scale) cities, while controlling for the quality of sampled habitats (woodlands). We conducted bird point counts and habitat quality mapping of trees, dead wood, and shrubs in 459 woodlands along an urban to rural urbanization gradient in 32 cities in Sweden. Responses to urbanization were measured as local and regional total diversity (gamma), average site diversity (alpha), and diversity between sites (beta). We also assessed effects on individual species and to what extent dissimilarities in species composition along the urbanization gradient were driven by species nestedness or turnover. We found that landscape urbanization had a negative impact on gamma-, alpha-, and beta-diversity irrespective of spatial scale, both regarding all woodland-breeding species and red-listed species. At the regional scale, dissimilarities in species composition between urbanization levels were due to nestedness, that is, species were lost with increased landscape urbanization without being replaced. In contrast, dissimilarities at the local scale were mostly due to species turnover. Because there was no difference in habitat quality among woodlands across the urbanization gradient, we conclude that landscape urbanization as such systematically causes poorer and more homogeneous bird communities in adjacent natural habitats. However, the high local turnover and the fact that several species benefited from urbanization demonstrates that natural habitats along the entire urbanization gradient are needed to maintain maximally diverse local bird communities.Peer reviewe

Implementing result-based agri-environmental payments by means of modelling

From a theoretical point of view, result-based agri-environmental payments are clearly preferable to action-based payments. However, they suffer from two major practical disadvantages: costs of measuring the results and payment uncertainty for the participating farmers. In this paper, we propose an alternative design to overcome these two disadvantages by means of modelling (instead of measuring) the results. We describe the concept of model-informed result-based agri-environmental payments (MIRBAP), including a hypothetical example of payments for the protection and enhancement of soil functions. We offer a comprehensive discussion of the relative advantages and disadvantages of MIRBAP, showing that it not only unites most of the advantages of result-based and action-based schemes, but also adds two new advantages: the potential to address trade-offs among multiple policy objectives and management for long-term environmental effects. We argue that MIRBAP would be a valuable addition to the agri-environmental policy toolbox and a reflection of recent advancements in agri-environmental modelling

Pathways towards a sustainable future envisioned by early-career conservation researchers

Scientists have warned decision-makers about the severe consequences of the global environmental crisis since the 1970s. Yet ecological degradation continues and little has been done to address climate change. We investigated early-career conservation researchers' (ECR) perspectives on, and prioritization of, actions furthering sustainability. We conducted a survey (n = 67) and an interactive workshop (n = 35) for ECR attendees of the 5th European Congress of Conservation Biology (2018). Building on these data and discussions, we identified ongoing and forthcoming advances in conservation science. These include increased transdisciplinarity, science communication, advocacy in conservation, and adoption of a transformation-oriented social–ecological systems approach to research. The respondents and participants had diverse perspectives on how to achieve sustainability. Reformist actions were emphasized as paving the way for more radical changes in the economic system and societal values linked to the environment and inequality. Our findings suggest that achieving sustainability requires a strategy that (1) incorporates the multiplicity of people's views, (2) places a greater value on nature, and (3) encourages systemic transformation across political, social, educational, and economic realms on multiple levels. We introduce a framework for ECRs to inspire their research and practice within conservation science to achieve real change in protecting biological diversity.</p

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010-19 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. Methods The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk-outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented. Findings Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4.45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4.01-4.94) deaths and 105 million (95.0-116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44.4% (41.3-48.4) of all cancer deaths and 42.0% (39.1-45.6) of all DALYs. There were 2.88 million (2.60-3.18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50.6% [47.8-54.1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1.58 million (1.36-1.84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36.3% [32.5-41.3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20.4% (12.6-28.4) and DALYs by 16.8% (8.8-25.0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34.7% [27.9-42.8] and 33.3% [25.8-42.0]). Interpretation The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden. Copyright (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.Peer reviewe