In search towards suitable biodiversity indicators

original species of ecosystem

Speciesabundance

Range inintact ecosystem

a b c d e f x y zg h

original species of ecosystem

Speciesabundance

Range inintact ecosystem

a b c d e f x y zg h

original species of ecosystem

Speciesabundance

Range inintact ecosystem

a b c d e f x y zg h

original species of ecosystem

Speciesabundance

Range inintact ecosystem

a b c d e f x y zg h

original species of ecosystem

Speciesabundance

Range inintact ecosystem

a b c d e f x y zg h

original species of ecosystem

Speciesabundance

Range inintact ecosystem

a b c d e f x y zg h

original species of ecosystem

Speciesabundance

Range inintact ecosystem

a b c d e f x y zg h

original species of ecosystem

Speciesabundance

Range inintact ecosystem

a b c d e f x y zg h

original species of ecosystem

Speciesabundance

Range inintact ecosystem

a b c d e f x y zg h

original species of ecosystem

Speciesabundance

Range inintact ecosystem

a b c d e f x y zg h

original species of ecosystem

Speciesabundance

Range inintact ecosystem

a b c d e f x y zg h

original species of ecosystem

Speciesabundance

Range inintact ecosystem

a b c d e f x y zg h

A schematic picture of biodiversity

loss

Time

MSA

Red List

100%

0%

50%

MSA

Pristine

Lightly used

Secundary

Plantation

Degraded

A landscape view

Ecosystem extent

species abundanceecosystem quality

ThreatenedRed List Index

Speciesabundance

Speciesabundance

Speciesabundance

Natural range in intact ecoystem

0%

100%

MSA

MSA

MSA

Natural range in intact ecoystem

RLI

Habitat loss

Mean species abundance relative to baseline STIundisturbed disturbed highly disturbed

2. Three

complementary

state indicators

Ecosystem extent (major ecosystem types)

Agriculture area Forest area

Marine area

Built uparea

Heath &tundraarea

Polararea

Grasslandarea

Inland waterarea

Barearea country’s

surface

Indicators may be presented in many ways

A few examples

“Fishing down the foodweb (Pauly)”

We also

log, plough, burn, convert, burn, pollute

and hunt

down ecosystems

Example:Change in abundance ofselected set of species

Example:Change in abundance ofselected set of species

Quality per major ecosystem type Netherlands

Norway, South Africa, Kenya, Belgium, Living Planet Index,

Change 1900 -> 2000 Netherlands

Agriculture (HNV -> intensive)

Forestry (light use -> plantation)

Fisheries (capture -> aquaculture)

Built-up areaInfrastructureInvasivesPollution

• N dep• [N+P]

Climate changeFragmentationFragmentation riversFireHuntingWater use

Ecosystem extent

Species abundance

Threatened

Breed variety

State indicatorsThreats

Modelling extent & MSA by cause-effect relationships-> If no monitoring is available

Modelling MSA South East Asia 1970-> If no monitoring is available

Modelling MSA South East Asia 2000-> If no monitoring is available

Modelling MSA South East Asia 2030-> If no monitoring is available

Desperate for verification with real data

Ben ten BrinkSEBI CT 30-11-2010

60

Linking biodiversity loss with economic sectors

Change in natural ecosystem extent

1.

Universally applicable 2.

Easy to understand

3.

Fair comparison within & between countries4.

Gradually implementable

(cheap -> exp)

5.

Linkable with economic sectors6.

Coherent with CBD and global assessments

7.

Establishing baselines 8.

Monitoring requires expertise & budget (methods available)

4. Pros

& cons

2. Why it happens?

cityroad

Water basin National Park

timberplantation

cropsgolfShrimp

farm

Energy cropcattle

Soil protection

Food

Climate regulation

Energy

Freshwater

1natural

Soil protection

Food

Climate regulation

Energy

Freshwater

1natural

Soil protection

Food

Climate regulation

Energy

Freshwater

1natural

Soil protection

Food

Climate regulation

Energy

Freshwater

1natural

Energy

Soil protection

Food

Climate regulation 2 extensive

Energy

Soil protection

Food

Climate regulation 2 extensive

Freshwater

Energy

Soil protection

Food

Climate regulation 2 extensive

Energy

Soil protection

Food

Climate regulation 2 extensive

Freshwater

regulation

Energy

Soil protection

Food

-

Freshwater 3 intensive

Climate regulation

Energy

Soil protection

Food

-

Freshwater 3 intensive

regulation

Energy

Soil protection

Food

-

Freshwater 3 intensive

Climate regulation

Energy

Soil protection

Food

-

Freshwater 3 intensive

‘We parcelate

the world’Swap services for

goodsFight for the photons

Natural ecosystem

40‐80 kg/ha 400‐800 kg/ha 4000‐8000 kg/haFood:

3. Why is it important?

food, fiber, fuelwood, freshwaterC-seq, soil

formation, flood

control

fish, meat, pollination

Soil

fertility, C-seq, water purification, nutrient

recycling

5

4

3

2

1

-1-2-3-4

Trophic level beauty, recreation, educationcultural

identity

agri-

disease

regulation

Goods & services

original

food, fiber, fuelwood, freshwaterC-seq, soil

formation, flood

control

fish, meat, pollination

Soil

fertility, water purification, nutrient

recycling

beauty, recreation, educationcultural

identity

agri-

disease

regulation

deterioratedIntensive use

food, fiber, fuelwood

fish, meat

Soil

fertility, water purification, nutrient

recycling

Decreasing biodiversity in natural ecosystems ( MSA)

Decreasing biodiversity in agri-ecosystems (MSA)

Settlement

Protected area

Decreasing biodiversity in natural ecosystems ( MSA)

Decreasing biodiversity in agri-ecosystems (MSA)

Settlement

Protected area

Decreasing biodiversity in natural ecosystems ( MSA)

Decreasing biodiversity in agri-ecosystems (MSA)

Settlement

Protected area

Decreasing biodiversity in natural ecosystems ( MSA)

Decreasing biodiversity in agri-ecosystems (MSA)

Settlement

Protected area

time

Original Currentecosystem

Hunting &gathering

Extensiveagriculture

Intensiveagriculture

First strike:Large animals lost

First strike:Large animals lost

Second strike:Habitat loss

Second strike:Habitat loss

Third strike:intensificationThird strike:

intensificationCounter move:Protected areasCounter move:Protected areas

Productivity

of goods

Local

species richness

Naturalness

valueTrTransforming landscapes over millennia

Klein Goldwijk et al., 2008

Human population in Antropocene

3000 BC

cropGrazing & cropland

land use in the past

0 AD

cropGrazing & cropland

1000 AD

cropGrazing & cropland

1700 AD

cropGrazing & cropland

1800 AD

cropGrazing & cropland

1950 AD

cropGrazing & cropland

2000 AD

cropGrazing & cropland

Ben ten BrinkSEBI CT 30-11-2010

Baseline: 10% loss MSA 2000 -

2050

Similar to loss 1.5 entire USA

Species-richecosystems

Loss = 1.5 x USATarget not met

Zooming in on Europe: loss not halted

Zooming

in on

the Netherlands

Agriculture

Wood

Climate

Infrastructure

High biodiversity footprint

Biodiversity impact Dutch consumptionca. 3.5 x terrestrial area Netherlands