To assess the extent and coverage of ecosystem services, we need to know their geographic distributions. These are typically estimated using environmental data such as land cover. But as biodiversity is closely linked with ecosystem functions, variables describing different dimensions of biodiversity should provide essential information to predict and map services produced by these functions. One persistent problem is that most of the organisms primarily responsible for services are invertebrates that suffer from data shortfalls. For example, we still lack estimates of ranges and aggregate biodiversity patterns for most described insect species. But perhaps more importantly, we are missing information on insect functional diversity, or the variation in species’ functional traits, which is most closely linked with the provision of services. The proliferation of open biodiversity data and development of robust modeling methods now make it possible to predict and map species’ distributions even for those with limited data, but the mapping of insect biodiversity patterns is just getting underway. Here, we mapped taxonomic and functional diversity for bumblebees at the country scale for Japan to assess pollination service potential. Specifically, we used citizen science data on bumblebee occurrences and species distribution models to predict bumblebee richness patterns for Japan, then used multivariate trait data to model the functional hypervolumes of bumblebee communities, and finally mapped these values to compare them with richness. We also ran extinction simulations to map functional resilience, or the ability of communities to retain functional diversity after the loss of resident species. Results showed congruences between taxonomic and functional diversity in the central Japanese Alps, also the most resilient region, but mismatch for Hokkaido in Japan’s far north with high richness yet low functional diversity. Such maps can show how dimensions of insect biodiversity differ over space and can lead to different conservation actions depending on whether species or functions are prioritized. An important next step is to integrate these results with ecosystem service models that link functional diversity estimates with actual service provision.
How to cite: Kass, J., Low, M. M. Y., Ishihama, F., Mammola, S., Suzuki-Ohno, Y., Yokoi, T., and Yokoyama, J.: Functional diversity mapping for bumblebees to predict regional pollination service potential, World Biodiversity Forum 2026, Davos, Switzerland, 14–19 Jun 2026, WBF2026-596, https://doi.org/10.5194/wbf2026-596, 2026.
In our post-GBF context, land protection is looked towards as a feasible, tangible part of the solution to the looming global biodiversity crisis, with commitments to protect 30% of the world by 2030. The selection of lands to be prioritized is a multi-dimensional process which balances multiple priorities. Broadly, these priorities are explicitly acknowledged in the GBF’s 2050 Goals, including Goals A (“Protect & Restore”; protection for nature’s sake) & B (“Prosper with Nature”; emphasizing ecosystem services/ES). Spatial conservation planning should therefore balance socioeconomics and biological factors; however, to optimize this balance on a given landscape, spatial layers mapping the linkages of biodiversity & ES are required but are generally lacking. With the 30x30 deadline fast approaching, in the absence of such knowledge, we can use spatial prioritization to pinpoint potential intersections. Here, we compare and contrast the conservation priorities of Goals A & B, identifying gaps and overlaps in the distributions of two of the GBF’s main ideological axes. Using Europe as our study system, we prioritize land using species distribution model-based estimates for over 10,000 floral and 700 faunal species to quantify biodiversity and distributions of key ES (i.e., pollination, carbon sequestration, flood control, air quality, and foraging). We classify land along a two-dimensional spectrum of biodiversity & ES importance, identifying areas with high potential for both priorities. Further, we assess the impact of incorporating an additional GBF goal into considerations: Goal C (“Share benefits fairly”). Access to green space, and the overall equitable distribution of ES is increasingly known to be vital for the health and stability of populations, but studies pertaining to equity of access have been limited in scope. We next identify zones of “nature access deserts” based on the spatial distribution of current demand and accessibility - ultimately pinpointing habitat for protection that would maximize conservation priorities including equity (Goal C). The 30x30 movement represents an unprecedented coordinated commitment to habitat protection worldwide. Locating space at the crossroads of biodiversity, ecosystem services, and equity will be indispensable in ensuring this commitment be successful for both nature and people.
How to cite: Jones, A., O'Connor, L., and Pollock, L.: At the crossroads of biodiversity, nature’s contributions to people, and equity: parsing patterns for conservation, World Biodiversity Forum 2026, Davos, Switzerland, 14–19 Jun 2026, WBF2026-401, https://doi.org/10.5194/wbf2026-401, 2026.
Biodiversity assessments and policies rely on a multitude of indicators that measure diverse aspects of nature. These indicators are based on various underlying measurements, from in situ observations and ecological monitoring to remote sensing products and model outputs. Therefore, synthesizing and comparing indicators is a demanding task, challenged by mismatched temporal measurement cycles, scattered data sources and inconsistent formats, which can limit their use as robust impact metrics for conservation and business reporting.
Here we present indiGO (Indicators in Generalized Outputs), an open-source R package that standardizes and compares biodiversity indicators in a transparent and reproducible framework aligned with the standards of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The package includes around one hundred datasets that were integrated in the first IPBES Global Assessment on the status and trends of nature, such as Red List Indices, the Biodiversity Intactness Index and cumulative introduced alien species, among others. indiGO offers user-friendly functions to generalize metrics, for example to visualize global trajectories as change since 1970 or as deviation from a pristine world, consistent with the figures presented in the IPBES annex.
A key feature of indiGO is that users can integrate their own indicators by simply adding one text file with the data and one with the metadata, which allows them to display these indicators directly alongside other globally recognized metrics. The workflows are transparent, documented and accompanied by clear step-by-step tutorials, supporting both expert users and newcomers.
indiGO provides scientific infrastructure for emerging efforts towards standardization, governance and coordinated use of biodiversity indicators across scales and sectors. It aligns with FAIR principles through a traceable pathway from raw data to harmonized trends. Its flexible application for more recent and novel data supports upcoming assessments and policy frameworks, and strengthens open science and data-driven decision making for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
How to cite: Hetzer, J., Krug, R., Hickler, T., and Niamir, A.: Standardizing indicators for the status and trends of biodiversity, World Biodiversity Forum 2026, Davos, Switzerland, 14–19 Jun 2026, WBF2026-179, https://doi.org/10.5194/wbf2026-179, 2026.
Biodiversity declines due to human activities are ongoing, with freshwater habitats especially degraded and fragmented. Restoration actions for these habitats need to be cheap and large-scale to be effective, but often empirical testing of restoration methods is missing. Ecosystem engineers have been suggested as an option to restore freshwater ecosystems. The recolonization of beavers (Castor fiber in Eurasia, C. canadensis in North America) offers the chance to leverage the actions of such an ecosystem engineer. Beavers modify ecosystems across aquatic and terrestrial boundaries, which can benefit the ecosystem functionality, biodiversity and community composition of plant and animal species of the whole ecosystem. However, so far, most studies on beaver effects took place in pristine systems, not reflective of the situation in much of the former range. Additionally, while it is known that beavers benefit biodiversity and ecosystem functionality, the pathways leading to these changes are poorly understood. To address these knowledge gaps, we recorded biodiversity and abundance data, ecosystem functions and characteristics across aquatic-terrestrial boundaries in 16 stream systems with a land-use gradient in Switzerland in a beaver-engineered area with a beaver dam and a control site without beavers along the same stream. We found that even in highly human-modified landscapes, beaver-engineered biodiversity benefits persist, although with smaller positive effects for some species. Surprisingly, in more human-dominated areas, beaver-engineering led to a higher species turnover, underscoring the ability of beavers to effectively create new habitats. By studying the bats in beaver systems, we could show that both food availability and habitat heterogeneity drive these changes in biodiversity. These results highlight the potential of beavers as an ecosystem restoration agent even in degraded, high-human land-use systems. Our research shows that beavers have enormous potential for restoration because they restore significant parts of the biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems. For restoration and beaver management, we could show the value of integrating and tolerating beaver activity, also in highly human-altered landscapes. For ecology, we could disentangle the mechanisms leading to biodiversity change in the presence of an ecosystem engineer.
How to cite: Moser, V., Capitani, L., Minnig, S., Angst, C., Pomati, F., and Risch, A.: Beavers as ecosystem restoration agents across human land-use gradients and habitat boundaries, World Biodiversity Forum 2026, Davos, Switzerland, 14–19 Jun 2026, WBF2026-268, https://doi.org/10.5194/wbf2026-268, 2026.
