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Planetary Boundaries for Biodiversity: Implausible Science, Pernicious Policies.

José M Montoya¹, Ian Donohue², Stuart L Pimm³

¹Theoretical and Experimental Ecological Station, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) University Paul Sabatier (UPS), Moulis, France.

Trends in Ecology & Evolution

|November 12, 2017

Summary

The concept of a "safe operating space for biodiversity" is unclear and leads to detrimental policies. Understanding ecological complexity is crucial for effective biodiversity conservation and ecosystem stability.

Keywords:

biodiversity ecological stability extinction rates planetary boundaries tipping points

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Area of Science:

Ecology
Conservation Biology
Environmental Policy

Background:

The concept of a 'safe operating space for biodiversity' is increasingly influential in environmental policy.
However, the vagueness of this concept has led to criticisms regarding its practical application and potential for harmful policy outcomes.
Existing attempts to refine the concept have often diluted its meaningful content.

Purpose of the Study:

To critically evaluate the notion of a 'safe operating space for biodiversity'.
To highlight the inadequacy of current conceptualizations in guiding effective conservation policies.
To emphasize the urgent need for a deeper understanding of ecological complexity and its relationship with ecosystem stability.

Main Methods:

Conceptual analysis of the 'safe operating space for biodiversity' framework.
Review of ecological literature on biodiversity and ecosystem stability.
Policy critique based on ecological principles.

Main Results:

The 'safe operating space for biodiversity' concept is ill-defined and promotes ineffective or harmful policies.
Efforts to clarify the concept have resulted in a loss of its substantive ecological meaning.
Current ecological research increasingly demonstrates strong links between biodiversity and ecosystem stability.

Conclusions:

The 'safe operating space for biodiversity' framework is scientifically unsound and policy-irrelevant in its current form.
A more robust understanding of ecological complexity and biodiversity-ecosystem stability relationships is imperative.
Policy decisions must be grounded in a thorough comprehension of ecological dynamics to ensure effective conservation outcomes.