Building references for nature conservation

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Conservation biology relies on historical references to assess biodiversity changes.
• Ancient references are often data-limited and may be irrelevant for human-modified ecosystems.
• Confusing conservation references with objectives and diverse ethical viewpoints complicates their use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a standardized framework for establishing conservation references.
• To ensure comparability of references across studies and conservation projects.
• To differentiate conservation references from conservation objectives.

Main Methods:

• Developing a common framework for referencing past biological systems.
• Emphasizing explicit, standardized, and transparent selection of references.
• Basing references on state, pressure, or process dynamics rather than static states.

Main Results:

• Current conservation references vary in meaning and message due to heterogeneity in nature and temporal baselines.
• A unified framework allows for more consistent and comparable conservation assessments.
• Recognizing diverse temporal baselines is key to understanding the biodiversity crisis.

Conclusions:

• A common framework is essential for robust conservation biology.
• Conservation references must be dynamic and clearly distinguished from objectives.
• Understanding diverse temporal baselines is vital for addressing the biodiversity crisis.