A multi-taxon analysis of European Red Lists reveals major threats to biodiversity

Axel Hochkirch; Melanie Bilz; Catarina C. Ferreira; Anja Danielczak; David Allen; Ana Nieto; Carlo Rondinini; Kate Harding; Craig Hilton-Taylor; Caroline M. Pollock; Mary Seddon; Jean-Christophe Vié; Keith N.A. Alexander; Emily Beech; Manuel Biscoito; Yoan Braud; Ian J. Burfield; Filippo Maria Buzzetti; Marta Cálix; Kent E. Carpenter; Ning Labbish Chao; Dragan Chobanov; Maarten J. M. Christenhusz; Bruce B. Collette; Mia T. Comeros-Raynal; Neil Cox; Matthew Craig; Annabelle Cuttelod; William R. T. Darwall; Benoit Dodelin; Nicholas K. Dulvy; Eve Englefield; Michael F. Fay; Nicholas Fettes; Jörg Freyhof; Silvia García; Mariana García Criado; Michael Harvey; Nick Hodgetts; Christina Ieronymidou; Vincent J. Kalkman; Shelagh P. Kell; James Kemp; Sonia Khela; Richard V. Lansdown; Julia M. Lawson; Danna J. Leaman; Joana Magos Brehm; Nigel Maxted; Rebecca M. Miller; Eike Neubert; Baudewijn Odé; David Pollard; Riley Pollom; Rob Pople; Juan José Presa Asensio; Gina M. Ralph; Hassan Rankou; Malin Rivers; Stuart P. M. Roberts; Barry Russell; Alexander Sennikov; Fabien Soldati; Anna Staneva; Emilie Stump; Andy Symes; Dmitry Telnov; Helen Temple; Andrew Terry; Anastasiya Timoshyna; Chris van Swaay; Henry Väre; Rachel H. L. Walls; Luc Willemse; Brett Wilson; Jemma Window; Emma G. E. Wright; Thomas Zuna-Kratky; Neelesh Dahanukar

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0293083

A multi-taxon analysis of European Red Lists reveals major threats to biodiversity

Axel Hochkirch^*, Melanie Bilz, Catarina C. Ferreira, Anja Danielczak, David Allen, Ana Nieto, Carlo Rondinini, Kate Harding, Craig Hilton-Taylor, Caroline M. Pollock, Mary Seddon, Jean-Christophe Vié, Keith N.A. Alexander, Emily Beech, Manuel Biscoito, Yoan Braud, Ian J. Burfield, Filippo Maria Buzzetti, Marta Cálix, Kent E. CarpenterNing Labbish Chao, Dragan Chobanov, Maarten J. M. Christenhusz, Bruce B. Collette, Mia T. Comeros-Raynal, Neil Cox, Matthew Craig, Annabelle Cuttelod, William R. T. Darwall, Benoit Dodelin, Nicholas K. Dulvy, Eve Englefield, Michael F. Fay, Nicholas Fettes, Jörg Freyhof, Silvia García, Mariana García Criado, Michael Harvey, Nick Hodgetts, Christina Ieronymidou, Vincent J. Kalkman, Shelagh P. Kell, James Kemp, Sonia Khela, Richard V. Lansdown, Julia M. Lawson, Danna J. Leaman, Joana Magos Brehm, Nigel Maxted, Rebecca M. Miller, Eike Neubert, Baudewijn Odé, David Pollard, Riley Pollom, Rob Pople, Juan José Presa Asensio, Gina M. Ralph, Hassan Rankou, Malin Rivers, Stuart P. M. Roberts, Barry Russell, Alexander Sennikov, Fabien Soldati, Anna Staneva, Emilie Stump, Andy Symes, Dmitry Telnov, Helen Temple, Andrew Terry, Anastasiya Timoshyna, Chris van Swaay, Henry Väre, Rachel H. L. Walls, Luc Willemse, Brett Wilson, Jemma Window, Emma G. E. Wright, Thomas Zuna-Kratky, Neelesh Dahanukar (Editor)

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

Biodiversity loss is a major global challenge and minimizing extinction rates is the goal of several multilateral environmental agreements. Policy decisions require comprehensive, spatially explicit information on species’ distributions and threats. We present an analysis of the conservation status of 14,669 European terrestrial, freshwater and marine species (ca. 10% of the continental fauna and flora), including all vertebrates and selected groups of invertebrates and plants. Our results reveal that 19% of European species are threatened with extinction, with higher extinction risks for plants (27%) and invertebrates (24%) compared to vertebrates (18%). These numbers exceed recent IPBES (Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) assumptions of extinction risk. Changes in agricultural practices and associated habitat loss, overharvesting, pollution and development are major threats to biodiversity. Maintaining and restoring sustainable land and water use practices is crucial to minimize future biodiversity declines.

Original language	English
Article number	e0293083
Number of pages	13
Journal	PLoS ONE
Volume	18
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293083
Publication status	Published - 8 Nov 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding:
The European Commission (EC) has funded all European Red List projects. Co-funders of some of the assessments were National Parks and Wildlife Service, Republic of Ireland; Ministry of Economic Affairs, Department of Nature & Biodiversity (Ministerie van Economische Zaken, Directie Natuur & Biodiversiteit), the Netherlands; Council of Europe; Office fédéral de l’environnement, Switzerland; Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvardsverket), Sweden; British Entomological Society, United Kingdom; Ministry of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, Government of the Grand-Duché of Luxembourg; Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic; and ArtDatabanken from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. The funders had no role in data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript, but the funding decisions determined the taxa that have been assessed.

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Hochkirch, A., Bilz, M., Ferreira, C. C., Danielczak, A., Allen, D., Nieto, A., Rondinini, C., Harding, K., Hilton-Taylor, C., Pollock, C. M., Seddon, M., Vié, J.-C., Alexander, K. N. A., Beech, E., Biscoito, M., Braud, Y., Burfield, I. J., Buzzetti, F. M., Cálix, M., ... Dahanukar, N. (Ed.) (2023). A multi-taxon analysis of European Red Lists reveals major threats to biodiversity. PLoS ONE, 18(11), Article e0293083. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293083

@article{3157e1ddfafd44888d97459c8d124bd9,

title = "A multi-taxon analysis of European Red Lists reveals major threats to biodiversity",

abstract = "Biodiversity loss is a major global challenge and minimizing extinction rates is the goal of several multilateral environmental agreements. Policy decisions require comprehensive, spatially explicit information on species{\textquoteright} distributions and threats. We present an analysis of the conservation status of 14,669 European terrestrial, freshwater and marine species (ca. 10% of the continental fauna and flora), including all vertebrates and selected groups of invertebrates and plants. Our results reveal that 19% of European species are threatened with extinction, with higher extinction risks for plants (27%) and invertebrates (24%) compared to vertebrates (18%). These numbers exceed recent IPBES (Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) assumptions of extinction risk. Changes in agricultural practices and associated habitat loss, overharvesting, pollution and development are major threats to biodiversity. Maintaining and restoring sustainable land and water use practices is crucial to minimize future biodiversity declines.",

author = "Axel Hochkirch and Melanie Bilz and Ferreira, {Catarina C.} and Anja Danielczak and David Allen and Ana Nieto and Carlo Rondinini and Kate Harding and Craig Hilton-Taylor and Pollock, {Caroline M.} and Mary Seddon and Jean-Christophe Vi{\'e} and Alexander, {Keith N.A.} and Emily Beech and Manuel Biscoito and Yoan Braud and Burfield, {Ian J.} and Buzzetti, {Filippo Maria} and Marta C{\'a}lix and Carpenter, {Kent E.} and Chao, {Ning Labbish} and Dragan Chobanov and Christenhusz, {Maarten J. M.} and Collette, {Bruce B.} and Comeros-Raynal, {Mia T.} and Neil Cox and Matthew Craig and Annabelle Cuttelod and Darwall, {William R. T.} and Benoit Dodelin and Dulvy, {Nicholas K.} and Eve Englefield and Fay, {Michael F.} and Nicholas Fettes and J{\"o}rg Freyhof and Silvia Garc{\'i}a and Criado, {Mariana Garc{\'i}a} and Michael Harvey and Nick Hodgetts and Christina Ieronymidou and Kalkman, {Vincent J.} and Kell, {Shelagh P.} and James Kemp and Sonia Khela and Lansdown, {Richard V.} and Lawson, {Julia M.} and Leaman, {Danna J.} and Brehm, {Joana Magos} and Nigel Maxted and Miller, {Rebecca M.} and Eike Neubert and Baudewijn Od{\'e} and David Pollard and Riley Pollom and Rob Pople and {Presa Asensio}, {Juan Jos{\'e}} and Ralph, {Gina M.} and Hassan Rankou and Malin Rivers and Roberts, {Stuart P. M.} and Barry Russell and Alexander Sennikov and Fabien Soldati and Anna Staneva and Emilie Stump and Andy Symes and Dmitry Telnov and Helen Temple and Andrew Terry and Anastasiya Timoshyna and Swaay, {Chris van} and Henry V{\"a}re and Walls, {Rachel H. L.} and Luc Willemse and Brett Wilson and Jemma Window and Wright, {Emma G. E.} and Thomas Zuna-Kratky and Neelesh Dahanukar",

note = "Funding: The European Commission (EC) has funded all European Red List projects. Co-funders of some of the assessments were National Parks and Wildlife Service, Republic of Ireland; Ministry of Economic Affairs, Department of Nature & Biodiversity (Ministerie van Economische Zaken, Directie Natuur & Biodiversiteit), the Netherlands; Council of Europe; Office f{\'e}d{\'e}ral de l{\textquoteright}environnement, Switzerland; Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvardsverket), Sweden; British Entomological Society, United Kingdom; Ministry of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, Government of the Grand-Duch{\'e} of Luxembourg; Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic; and ArtDatabanken from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. The funders had no role in data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript, but the funding decisions determined the taxa that have been assessed.",

year = "2023",

month = nov,

day = "8",

doi = "10.1371/journal.pone.0293083",

language = "English",

volume = "18",

journal = "PLoS ONE",

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publisher = "Public Library of Science (PLOS)",

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Hochkirch, A, Bilz, M, Ferreira, CC, Danielczak, A, Allen, D, Nieto, A, Rondinini, C, Harding, K, Hilton-Taylor, C, Pollock, CM, Seddon, M, Vié, J-C, Alexander, KNA, Beech, E, Biscoito, M, Braud, Y, Burfield, IJ, Buzzetti, FM, Cálix, M, Carpenter, KE, Chao, NL, Chobanov, D, Christenhusz, MJM, Collette, BB, Comeros-Raynal, MT, Cox, N, Craig, M, Cuttelod, A, Darwall, WRT, Dodelin, B, Dulvy, NK, Englefield, E, Fay, MF, Fettes, N, Freyhof, J, García, S, Criado, MG, Harvey, M, Hodgetts, N, Ieronymidou, C, Kalkman, VJ, Kell, SP, Kemp, J, Khela, S, Lansdown, RV, Lawson, JM, Leaman, DJ, Brehm, JM , Maxted, N, Miller, RM, Neubert, E, Odé, B, Pollard, D, Pollom, R, Pople, R, Presa Asensio, JJ, Ralph, GM, Rankou, H, Rivers, M, Roberts, SPM, Russell, B, Sennikov, A, Soldati, F, Staneva, A, Stump, E, Symes, A, Telnov, D, Temple, H, Terry, A, Timoshyna, A, Swaay, CV, Väre, H, Walls, RHL, Willemse, L, Wilson, B, Window, J, Wright, EGE, Zuna-Kratky, T & Dahanukar, N (ed.) 2023, 'A multi-taxon analysis of European Red Lists reveals major threats to biodiversity', PLoS ONE, vol. 18, no. 11, e0293083. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293083

TY - JOUR

T1 - A multi-taxon analysis of European Red Lists reveals major threats to biodiversity

AU - Hochkirch, Axel

AU - Bilz, Melanie

AU - Ferreira, Catarina C.

AU - Danielczak, Anja

AU - Allen, David

AU - Nieto, Ana

AU - Rondinini, Carlo

AU - Harding, Kate

AU - Hilton-Taylor, Craig

AU - Pollock, Caroline M.

AU - Seddon, Mary

AU - Vié, Jean-Christophe

AU - Alexander, Keith N.A.

AU - Beech, Emily

AU - Biscoito, Manuel

AU - Braud, Yoan

AU - Burfield, Ian J.

AU - Buzzetti, Filippo Maria

AU - Cálix, Marta

AU - Carpenter, Kent E.

AU - Chao, Ning Labbish

AU - Chobanov, Dragan

AU - Christenhusz, Maarten J. M.

AU - Collette, Bruce B.

AU - Comeros-Raynal, Mia T.

AU - Cox, Neil

AU - Craig, Matthew

AU - Cuttelod, Annabelle

AU - Darwall, William R. T.

AU - Dodelin, Benoit

AU - Dulvy, Nicholas K.

AU - Englefield, Eve

AU - Fay, Michael F.

AU - Fettes, Nicholas

AU - Freyhof, Jörg

AU - García, Silvia

AU - Criado, Mariana García

AU - Harvey, Michael

AU - Hodgetts, Nick

AU - Ieronymidou, Christina

AU - Kalkman, Vincent J.

AU - Kell, Shelagh P.

AU - Kemp, James

AU - Khela, Sonia

AU - Lansdown, Richard V.

AU - Lawson, Julia M.

AU - Leaman, Danna J.

AU - Brehm, Joana Magos

AU - Maxted, Nigel

AU - Miller, Rebecca M.

AU - Neubert, Eike

AU - Odé, Baudewijn

AU - Pollard, David

AU - Pollom, Riley

AU - Pople, Rob

AU - Presa Asensio, Juan José

AU - Ralph, Gina M.

AU - Rankou, Hassan

AU - Rivers, Malin

AU - Roberts, Stuart P. M.

AU - Russell, Barry

AU - Sennikov, Alexander

AU - Soldati, Fabien

AU - Staneva, Anna

AU - Stump, Emilie

AU - Symes, Andy

AU - Telnov, Dmitry

AU - Temple, Helen

AU - Terry, Andrew

AU - Timoshyna, Anastasiya

AU - Swaay, Chris van

AU - Väre, Henry

AU - Walls, Rachel H. L.

AU - Willemse, Luc

AU - Wilson, Brett

AU - Window, Jemma

AU - Wright, Emma G. E.

AU - Zuna-Kratky, Thomas

A2 - Dahanukar, Neelesh

N1 - Funding: The European Commission (EC) has funded all European Red List projects. Co-funders of some of the assessments were National Parks and Wildlife Service, Republic of Ireland; Ministry of Economic Affairs, Department of Nature & Biodiversity (Ministerie van Economische Zaken, Directie Natuur & Biodiversiteit), the Netherlands; Council of Europe; Office fédéral de l’environnement, Switzerland; Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvardsverket), Sweden; British Entomological Society, United Kingdom; Ministry of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, Government of the Grand-Duché of Luxembourg; Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic; and ArtDatabanken from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. The funders had no role in data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript, but the funding decisions determined the taxa that have been assessed.

PY - 2023/11/8

Y1 - 2023/11/8

N2 - Biodiversity loss is a major global challenge and minimizing extinction rates is the goal of several multilateral environmental agreements. Policy decisions require comprehensive, spatially explicit information on species’ distributions and threats. We present an analysis of the conservation status of 14,669 European terrestrial, freshwater and marine species (ca. 10% of the continental fauna and flora), including all vertebrates and selected groups of invertebrates and plants. Our results reveal that 19% of European species are threatened with extinction, with higher extinction risks for plants (27%) and invertebrates (24%) compared to vertebrates (18%). These numbers exceed recent IPBES (Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) assumptions of extinction risk. Changes in agricultural practices and associated habitat loss, overharvesting, pollution and development are major threats to biodiversity. Maintaining and restoring sustainable land and water use practices is crucial to minimize future biodiversity declines.

AB - Biodiversity loss is a major global challenge and minimizing extinction rates is the goal of several multilateral environmental agreements. Policy decisions require comprehensive, spatially explicit information on species’ distributions and threats. We present an analysis of the conservation status of 14,669 European terrestrial, freshwater and marine species (ca. 10% of the continental fauna and flora), including all vertebrates and selected groups of invertebrates and plants. Our results reveal that 19% of European species are threatened with extinction, with higher extinction risks for plants (27%) and invertebrates (24%) compared to vertebrates (18%). These numbers exceed recent IPBES (Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) assumptions of extinction risk. Changes in agricultural practices and associated habitat loss, overharvesting, pollution and development are major threats to biodiversity. Maintaining and restoring sustainable land and water use practices is crucial to minimize future biodiversity declines.

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0293083

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0293083

M3 - Article

SN - 1932-6203

VL - 18

JO - PLoS ONE

JF - PLoS ONE

IS - 11

M1 - e0293083

ER -

A multi-taxon analysis of European Red Lists reveals major threats to biodiversity

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

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