Essential Biodiversity Variables

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Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) is a putative set of parameters intended to be the minimum set of broadly agreed upon necessary and sufficient biodiversity variables for at least national to global monitoring, researching, and forecasting of biodiversity. [1] They are being developed by an interdisciplinary group of governmental and academic research partners. The initiative aims for a harmonised global biodiversity monitoring system. EBVs would be used to inform biodiversity change indicators, such as the CBD Biodiversity Indicators for the Aichi Targets. [2]

Contents

The concept is partly based on the earlier Essential Climate Variables. [3] [4] It can be generalised as the minimum set of variables for describing and predicting a system's state and dynamics. Areas with more developed EV lists include climate, ocean, and biodiversity. [5]

EBV Classes / Categories

The current candidate EBVs occupy six classes of Essential Biodiversity Variable: genetic composition, species populations, species traits, community composition, ecosystem structure, and ecosystem function. [1] Within each class are a few to several variables.

EBV ClassEBVNotes
Genetic compositionCo-ancestry
Allelic diversity
Population genetic differentiation
Breed and variety diversity
Species populationsSpecies distributionAddressed in. [6] Track from space. [7]
Population abundanceAddressed in. [6]
Population age / size structure
Species traits

(subject of [8] )

PhenologyTrack from space. [7] GlobDiversity RS-enabled EBV (land surface phenology). [9]
Body massVegetation height—track from space. [7]
Natal dispersal distance
Migratory behaviour
Demographic traits
Physiological traitsTrack from space. [7] GlobDiversity RS-enabled EBV (canopy chlorophyll concentration). [9]
Community compositionTaxonomic diversity
Species interactions
Ecosystem functionNet primary productionTrack from space. [7]
Secondary production
Nutrient retention
Disturbance regimeTrack from space. [7] Should not be a candidate EBV, due to being non-biological in nature. [10]
Ecosystem structureHabitat structure
Ecosystem extent and fragmentationTrack from space. [7] GlobDiversity RS-enabled EBV (fragmentation). [9]
Ecosystem composition by functional type

Associated projects and organisations

As of 2017, participants in the project consist of the GlobDiversity project (funded by the European Space Agency) [11] under GEO BON (Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network; a cooperative project of international universities), [12] and the GLOBIS-B project (Global Infrastructures for Supporting Biodiversity Research; funded by the EU Horizon 2020 programme). [13]

Development

The concept was first proposed in 2012 [14] [15] and developed in the following years. [3] [5] [7]

The GLOBIS-B global cooperation project, aimed to advance the challenge of practical implementation of EBVs by supporting interoperability and cooperation activities among diverse biodiversity infrastructures, started in 2015. [16] The GlobDiversity project of GEO BON, led by the University of Zurich, started in 2017, focusing on specification and engineering of three RS-enabled EBVs. [9] [17]

The scope and screening of potential variables is under ongoing discussion. [10] [18] [19] [8] [20] [21]

This includes definition of the species distribution EBV and population abundance EBV, operationalisation of the EBV framework, data and tools for building EBV data products, workflow for building EBV data products, metadata and data sharing standards; [6] and possible integration of abiotic variables (e.g. those emphasised in the Ecosystem Integrity framework) with biotic variables (emphasised in the EBV framework) to achieve comprehensive ecosystem monitoring. [22]

"EBV data products" refers to the end product in the EBV information supply chain, from raw observations, to EBV-usable data, to EBV-ready data, to EBV data products. Each of these three types of EBV datasets could be used to produce indicators. [6] Data sources for EBVs are categorised into four types: extensive and intensive monitoring schemes, ecological field studies, and remote sensing. [23] Each have their own often complementary properties, implying that data integration will be important for creation of representative EBVs, as well as identifying and filling data gaps.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biodiversity</span> Variety and variability of life forms

Biodiversity is the variability of life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distributed evenly on Earth. It is greater in the tropics as a result of the warm climate and high primary productivity in the region near the equator. Tropical forest ecosystems cover less than one-fifth of Earth's terrestrial area and contain about 50% of the world's species. There are latitudinal gradients in species diversity for both marine and terrestrial taxa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protected area</span> Areas protected for having ecological or cultural importance

Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural or cultural values. Protected areas are those areas in which human presence or the exploitation of natural resources is limited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grassland</span> Area with vegetation dominated by grasses

A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, such as clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica and are found in most ecoregions of the Earth. Furthermore, grasslands are one of the largest biomes on Earth and dominate the landscape worldwide. There are different types of grasslands: natural grasslands, semi-natural grasslands, and agricultural grasslands. They cover 31–69% of the Earth's land area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conservation biology</span> Study of threats to biological diversity

Conservation biology is the study of the conservation of nature and of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction and the erosion of biotic interactions. It is an interdisciplinary subject drawing on natural and social sciences, and the practice of natural resource management.

An ecological or environmental crisis occurs when changes to the environment of a species or population destabilizes its continued survival. Some of the important causes include:

<i>Argyroxiphium</i> Genus of plants

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Habitat destruction</span> Process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species

Habitat destruction occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved to elsewhere or are dead, leading to a decrease in biodiversity and species numbers. Habitat destruction is in fact the leading cause of biodiversity loss and species extinction worldwide.

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The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS), also popularly known as the Great Mayan Reef or Great Maya Reef, is a marine region that stretches over 1,126 kilometres (700 mi) along the coasts of four countries – Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras – from Isla Contoy at the northern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula south to Belize, Guatemala and the Bay Islands of Honduras. It is the second-longest reef system in the world.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biodiversity in agriculture</span> Increasing biodiversity in agriculture

Biodiversity in agriculture is the measure of biodiversity found on agricultural land. Biodiversity is the total diversity of species present in an area at all levels of biological organization. It is characterized by heterogeneous habitats that support the diverse ecological structure. In agricultural areas, biodiversity decreases as varying landscapes are lost and native plants are replaced with cultivated crops. Increasing biodiversity in agriculture can increase the sustainability of farms through the restoration of ecosystem services that aid in regulating agricultural lands. Biodiversity in agriculture can be increased through the process of agroecological restoration, as farm biodiversity is an aspect of agroecology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Key Biodiversity Area</span>

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References

  1. 1 2 "What are EBVs?". GEO BON. 2015-01-26. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  2. ↑ "Aichi Biodiversity Targets". www.cbd.int. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  3. 1 2 Pereira, H. M.; Ferrier, S.; Walters, M.; Geller, G. N.; Jongman, R. H. G.; Scholes, R. J.; Bruford, M. W.; Brummitt, N.; Butchart, S. H. M. (2013-01-18). "Essential Biodiversity Variables". Science. 339 (6117): 277–278. Bibcode:2013Sci...339..277P. CiteSeerX   10.1.1.394.5235 . doi:10.1126/science.1229931. ISSN   0036-8075. PMID   23329036. S2CID   36683730.
  4. ↑ "Essential Climate Variables". World Meteorological Organization. 2017-06-27. Archived from the original on December 17, 2023. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  5. 1 2 Antonio, Bombelli; Ivette, Serral (2015). "D2.2. EVs current status in different communities and way to move forward".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. 1 2 3 4 Kissling, W. Daniel; Ahumada, Jorge A.; Bowser, Anne; Fernandez, Miguel; Fernández, Néstor; García, Enrique Alonso; Guralnick, Robert P.; Isaac, Nick J. B.; Kelling, Steve (2018). "Building essential biodiversity variables (EBVs) of species distribution and abundance at a global scale". Biological Reviews. 93 (1): 600–625. doi: 10.1111/brv.12359 . hdl: 11572/184229 . ISSN   1469-185X. PMID   28766908.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Skidmore, Andrew K.; Pettorelli, Nathalie; Coops, Nicholas C.; Geller, Gary N.; Hansen, Matthew; Lucas, Richard; Mücher, Caspar A.; O'Connor, Brian; Paganini, Marc (2015-07-23). "Environmental science: Agree on biodiversity metrics to track from space". Nature. 523 (7561): 403–405. Bibcode:2015Natur.523..403S. doi: 10.1038/523403a . PMID   26201582.
  8. 1 2 "GLOBIS-B Essential Biodiversity Variables Workshop on Species Traits held in Amsterdam GLOBIS-B". www.globis-b.eu (in Dutch). Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "The GlobDiversity project has started". GEO BON. 2017-11-01. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  10. 1 2 Schmeller, Dirk S.; Mihoub, Jean-Baptiste; Bowser, Anne; Arvanitidis, Christos; Costello, Mark J.; Fernandez, Miguel; Geller, Gary N.; Hobern, Donald; Kissling, W. Daniel (2017-11-01). "An operational definition of essential biodiversity variables". Biodiversity and Conservation. 26 (12): 2967–2972. Bibcode:2017BiCon..26.2967S. doi:10.1007/s10531-017-1386-9. ISSN   0960-3115. S2CID   24399755.
  11. ↑ "The GlobDiversity Project".
  12. ↑ "Group on earth Observations". 2018-01-17.
  13. ↑ "GLOBIS-B".
  14. ↑ "Frascati Workshop Essential Biodiversity Variables Term of Reference" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  15. ↑ "Report EBV Meeting Frascati 26-29 February 2012" (PDF).
  16. ↑ Kissling, W. Daniel; Hardisty, Alex; García, Enrique Alonso; Santamaria, Monica; Leo, Francesca De; Pesole, Graziano; Freyhof, Jörg; Manset, David; Wissel, Silvia (2015-07-03). "Towards global interoperability for supporting biodiversity research on essential biodiversity variables (EBVs)" (PDF). Biodiversity. 16 (2–3): 99–107. Bibcode:2015Biodi..16...99K. doi: 10.1080/14888386.2015.1068709 . ISSN   1488-8386.
  17. ↑ "GEO BON Strategy for Development of EBVs" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-03-24. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  18. ↑ "GLOBIS-B contributes to a better definition of EBVs GLOBIS-B". www.globis-b.eu (in Dutch). Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  19. ↑ Brummitt, Neil; Regan, Eugenie C.; Weatherdon, Lauren V.; Martin, Corinne S.; Geijzendorffer, Ilse R.; Rocchini, Duccio; Gavish, Yoni; Haase, Peter; Marsh, Charles J.; Schmeller, Dirk S. (2017-09-01). "Taking stock of nature: Essential biodiversity variables explained" (PDF). Biological Conservation. 213: 252–255. Bibcode:2017BCons.213..252B. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2016.09.006. ISSN   0006-3207.
  20. ↑ Turak, Eren; Harrison, Ian; Dudgeon, David; Abell, Robin; Bush, Alex; Darwall, William; Finlayson, C. Max; Ferrier, Simon; Freyhof, Jörg; Hermoso, Virgilio; Juffe-Bignoli, Diego; Linke, Simon; Nel, Jeanne; Patricio, Harmony C.; Pittock, Jamie; Raghavan, Rajeev; Revenga, Carmen; Simaika, John P.; De Wever, Aaike (2017-09-01). "Essential Biodiversity Variables for measuring change in global freshwater biodiversity". Biological Conservation. 213: 272–279. Bibcode:2017BCons.213..272T. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2016.09.005. ISSN   0006-3207.
  21. ↑ Vihervaara, Petteri; Auvinen, Ari-Pekka; Mononen, Laura; Törmä, Markus; Ahlroth, Petri; Anttila, Saku; Böttcher, Kristin; Forsius, Martin; Heino, Jani; Heliölä, Janne; Koskelainen, Meri; Kuussaari, Mikko; Meissner, Kristian; Ojala, Olli; Tuominen, Seppo; Viitasalo, Markku; Virkkala, Raimo (2017-04-01). "How Essential Biodiversity Variables and remote sensing can help national biodiversity monitoring". Global Ecology and Conservation. 10: 43–59. Bibcode:2017GEcoC..10...43V. doi: 10.1016/j.gecco.2017.01.007 . ISSN   2351-9894.
  22. ↑ Haase, Peter; Tonkin, Jonathan D.; Stoll, Stefan; Burkhard, Benjamin; Frenzel, Mark; Geijzendorffer, Ilse R.; Häuser, Christoph; Klotz, Stefan; Kühn, Ingolf; McDowell, William H.; Mirtl, Michael; Müller, Felix; Musche, Martin; Penner, Johannes; Zacharias, Steffen; Schmeller, Dirk S. (2018-02-01). "The next generation of site-based long-term ecological monitoring: Linking essential biodiversity variables and ecosystem integrity". Science of the Total Environment. 613–614: 1376–1384. Bibcode:2018ScTEn.613.1376H. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.111 . ISSN   0048-9697. PMID   29898505.
  23. ↑ Proença, Vânia; Martin, Laura Jane; Pereira, Henrique Miguel; Fernandez, Miguel; McRae, Louise; Belnap, Jayne; Böhm, Monika; Brummitt, Neil; García-Moreno, Jaime; Gregory, Richard D.; Honrado, João Pradinho; Jürgens, Norbert; Opige, Michael; Schmeller, Dirk S.; Tiago, Patrícia; Van Swaay, Chris A.M. (2017-09-01). "Global biodiversity monitoring: From data sources to Essential Biodiversity Variables". Biological Conservation. 213: 256–263. Bibcode:2017BCons.213..256P. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2016.07.014 . ISSN   0006-3207.
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