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Using Scenarios for Reducing Uncertainties in Biodiversity Conservation: From Global Targets to European Steppes
ABSTRACTScenario analysis allows assessing how complex socio‐ecological systems might respond to different policy pathways. We used an expert‐based participatory approach to explore how four different European socio‐ecological scenarios could impact (1) the implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM‐GBF) and (2) the achievement of priority conservation actions for safeguarding European steppe ecosystems. KM‐GBF targets were expected to be met only under the scenario with increased commitment for sustainable development goals and global cooperation, but hardly achievable under the most environment‐adverse and resource‐demanding scenarios. Integrating different views from these scenarios, we identified six overarching recommendations for the conservation of European steppe ecosystems, including improving public awareness, empowering local communities, and promoting the engagement of private companies into conservation planning. Our approach identifies how socioeconomic drivers influence the success of the KM‐GBF and the conservation of European steppes, providing a range of general conservation actions structured and prioritized to be effective under a wide range of likely future developments.
Trait-mediated responses and co-occurrence patterns of breeding steppe birds under human footprint in Inner Mongolia
Key conservation actions for European steppes in the context of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework
Abstract The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM–GBF) envisions a world living in harmony with nature by 2050, with 23 intermediate targets to be achieved by 2030. However, aligning international policy and national and local implementation of effective actions can be challenging. Using steppe birds, one of the most threatened vertebrate groups in Europe, as a model system, we identified 36 conservation actions for the achievement of the KM–GBF targets and we singled out—through an expert-based consensus approach—ten priority actions for immediate implementation. Three of these priority actions address at least five of the first eight KM–GBF targets, those related to the direct causes of biodiversity loss, and collectively cover all the targets when implemented concurrently. These actions include (i) effectively protecting priority areas, (ii) implementing on-the-ground habitat management actions, and (iii) improving the quality and integration of monitoring programmes. Our findings provide a blueprint for implementing effective strategies to halt biodiversity loss in steppe-like ecosystems. Our approach can be adapted to other taxonomic groups and ecosystems and has the potential to serve as a catalyst for policy-makers, prompting a transition from political commitment to tangible actions, thereby facilitating the attainment of the KM–GBF targets by 2030.
Threshold Responses of Bird Communities to Human Footprint: Testing the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis and Implications for Biodiversity Conservation
ABSTRACT Human activities have profoundly altered natural ecosystems, driving widespread biodiversity declines. Birds serve as key environmental health indicators and exhibit high sensitivity to such changes. The Human Footprint Index (HFP) quantifies cumulative anthropogenic pressure, providing a robust framework to assess ecological responses to disturbance. We quantified species‐specific and community‐level thresholds in bird communities along an HFP gradient in northeastern Inner Mongolia using Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis (TITAN). Using piecewise regression, we analyzed HFP‐driven changes in species richness and Shannon diversity to test the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis (IDH)—predicting peak biodiversity at intermediate disturbance levels. Our results reveal a community threshold at HFP around 14, indicating a shift in community composition, with species‐specific thresholds ranging from 3.37 to 43.22. Species richness and Shannon diversity peak at intermediate HFP levels (around 23.5), supporting the IDH, but decline at higher levels. These findings highlight the complex interplay between human impact and biodiversity, emphasizing the need for conservation strategies that consider both community composition and overall diversity, whereas addressing potential extinction debts and the roles of species traits in vulnerability.
Responses of steppe birds to habitat fragmentation: Insights from niche specialization and functional traits
Niche Overlap Between Two Sympatric Steppe Birds in Inner Mongolia: Habitat Selection and Insights for Conservation
ABSTRACTThe destruction and degradation of natural ecosystems is a major driver of biodiversity loss. The steppe ecosystem is under threat from human activities and habitat degradation. Fine‐scale breeding habitat selection is critical for the survival of steppe birds, but understanding the factors that drive this selection remains challenging. This study uses field point‐count surveys to examine factors influencing habitat selection and quantify niche overlap between two closely related steppe bird species: Jankowski's Bunting (Emberiza jankowskii) and Meadow Bunting (E. cioides) in Inner Mongolia, China. These species share similar ecological traits and overlapping habitats, making them ideal for exploring how fine‐scale habitat selection and resource differentiation enable coexistence despite ecological similarity. We use generalized linear models (GLMs) and niche modeling algorithms to analyze the data. The results reveal distinct habitat preferences at both local and landscape scales. Jankowski's Bunting favors areas with higher vegetation cover and height, while Meadow Bunting prefers sites with greater edge density. GLM results show non‐linear responses of both species to habitat variables, with distinct thresholds for optimal occurrence. Niche overlap analysis indicates considerable overlap (Schoener's D = 0.57), but significant differences in niche centroids suggest niche differentiation between the two species. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering fine‐scale habitat characteristics and non‐linear species –habitat relationships in conservation planning for steppe birds. Understanding how these species respond to habitat changes resulting from anthropogenic activities—such as land‐use conversion and agricultural intensification—can help tailor conservation efforts to mitigate negative impacts and promote species coexistence in sensitive habitats.