Publication Details |
| Category | Text Publication |
| Reference Category | Journals |
| DOI | 10.1002/2688-8319.70134 |
Licence  |
|
| Title (Primary) | Operational perspectives for biodiversity indicators |
| Author | Hillebrand, H.; Dajka, J.-C.; Halbach, M.; Happe, A.; Röchert, R.; Seppelt, R.; Settele, J.; Weitere, M.; Winter, M.; Zinngrebe, Y.; Hodapp, D. |
| Source Titel | Ecological Solutions and Evidence |
| Year | 2025 |
| Department | CLE; FLOEK; NSF; iDiv |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Page From | e70134 |
| Language | englisch |
| Topic | T5 Future Landscapes |
| Keywords | assessment; biodiversity indicators; biodiversity strategy and actions plans (NBSAP); complexity; cross-realm; Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework (KM-GBF); management target; operational; steerin |
| Abstract | 1. Smart biodiversity indicators are needed not only for assessing and
managing biodiversity (change) but also for informing target setting for
environmental policies. This need has created a plethora of indicator
frameworks, which are widely debated in terms of their design and
usefulness. We propose that these discussions would benefit from more
clearly separating different types of indicators and more operationally
linking them to management targets and biodiversity goals. 2. Decision makers often consider the multitude of biodiversity indicators as being complicated, whereas scientists emphasize that they barely reflect how complex biodiversity is. It is therefore important to differentiate clearly between indicators for diagnosing (the drivers of) biodiversity change and indicators for steering policies. While the former must be scalable in time and space and reflect the full complexity of biodiversity, the latter need long-term visions and simplicity. 3. Management targets such as proportions of protected areas or mitigation of biodiversity drivers have the advantage of being operation-oriented, well quantifiable and immediately responsive to change. Achieving a management target, however, does not necessarily equal achieving a biodiversity goal. Likewise, management indicators that track how well management targets are achieved cannot replace diagnostic or steering indicators. 4. Solution: Biodiversity goals such as ‘bending the curve’ can only be achieved by closely linking diagnosis, steering and management, while accepting that their distinct design principles need to be addressed. Being aware and accepting such tailored types of different indicators and management targets could strongly improve the interplay between science and policy to reverse negative biodiversity trends in the future. |
| Persistent UFZ Identifier | https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=31838 |
| Hillebrand, H., Dajka, J.-C., Halbach, M., Happe, A., Röchert, R., Seppelt, R., Settele, J., Weitere, M., Winter, M., Zinngrebe, Y., Hodapp, D. (2025): Operational perspectives for biodiversity indicators Ecol. Solut. Evid. 6 (4), e70134 10.1002/2688-8319.70134 |
|