Protecting Biodiversity (in All Its Complexity): New Models and Methods

Abstract

We are facing a biodiversity crisis at the same time as we are acquiring an unprecedented view of the world's biodiversity. Vast new datasets (e.g., species distributions, traits, phylogenies, and interaction networks) hold knowledge to better comprehend the depths of biodiversity change, reliably anticipate these changes, and inform conservation actions. To harness this information for conservation, we need to integrate the largely independent fields of biodiversity modeling and conservation. We highlight new developments in each respective field, early examples of how they are being brought together, and ideas for a future synthesis such that conservation decisions can be made with fuller awareness of the biodiversity at stake.

Keywords: conservation prioritization; functional diversity; multi-trophic diversity; phylogenetic diversity; species distribution models.