A functional vulnerability framework for biodiversity conservation

Area of Science:

• Conservation Biology
• Ecosystem Functioning
• Marine Ecology

Background:

• Effective conservation strategies are challenged by multiple threats, ecosystem complexity, and budget limitations.
• Quantifying ecosystem vulnerability and functioning, especially species trait diversity loss, is crucial for safeguarding threatened ecosystems.
• High uncertainty in threat magnitude and biological responses, coupled with a lack of reference conditions, complicates vulnerability assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a generalizable functional vulnerability framework that integrates uncertainty and reference conditions.
• To quantify the vulnerability of communities to diverse threats using in silico simulations.
• To demonstrate the framework's relevance, operationality, and global comparability through marine case studies.

Main Methods:

• Development of a functional vulnerability framework incorporating uncertainty and reference conditions.
• Utilizing in silico simulations of disturbances to quantify community vulnerability.
• Application of the framework to three case studies involving marine fishes and mammals.

Main Results:

• The functional vulnerability framework proved relevant, operational, and globally comparable across diverse marine ecosystems.
• Functional vulnerability exhibited distinct geographic and temporal patterns.
• Species richness and functional redundancy showed contrasting contributions to vulnerability levels, highlighting drivers of vulnerability.

Conclusions:

• The developed framework provides an integrative and quantitative tool for assessing ecosystem vulnerability in data-limited and uncertain environments.
• Understanding functional vulnerability patterns and drivers is essential for adaptive conservation planning in a multi-threat world.
• The framework aids in identifying key factors influencing vulnerability, enabling more targeted and effective conservation interventions.