Laura J. Pollock

The global geography of threats to freshwater biodiversity

Christophe Brabant

Laura J. Pollock

Jonas Geldmann

Mette Bendixen

Lise Comte

Harith M. Farooq

Katherine Hébert

Bernhard Lehner

Catherine Overed-Sayer

Lars Lønsmann Iversen

Human activities are eroding biodiversity, especially in freshwater systems. Despite major advances in quantifying species vulnerability and… (voir plus) threats, we still lack a crucial understanding of where threats are affecting freshwater species globally. Here, we produced a species-centered spatial assessment of threats, mapping the impact of 45 threats across 21,490 freshwater species of amphibians, fish, mammals, odonates, and reptiles. We found that species in highly developed and water-managed regions are strongly affected by multiple overlapping threats. Although threats vary across taxa and regions, increasing threat probabilities elevate extinction risk and population declines, with freshwater species experiencing greater threat intensity and distinct spatial patterns than terrestrial species. Our findings establish a spatially explicit baseline for targeting the most urgently needed freshwater conservation and management interventions.

2026-10-28

Science (publié)

doi.org

Climate vulnerability assessment framework choice influences species prioritization and prediction of population decline

Janaína de Andrade Serrano

Andrea Brown

Laura J. Pollock

Climate change vulnerability assessments (CCVAs) are regarded as an essential strategy to conservation strategies but are rarely used to inf… (voir plus)orm conservation planning and prioritize species for management and adaptation. The main factor inhibiting its use is the challenge of combining exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive-capacity variables and, especially, of evaluating the ability of frameworks to predict species decline. This raises a fundamental challenge for conservation science: can climate vulnerability reliably identify species of conservation concern before widespread declines occur? Using extensive long-term monitoring data for 236 breeding bird species in North America, we compared a Trait-based Vulnerability Index (TVI), which combines variables into a fixed-weight composite index, with a Climate Vulnerability Model (CVM) that estimates the relative contribution of the same variables statistically. The two approaches showed limited agreement in the species identified as highly vulnerable (35.6% overlap), indicating that vulnerability estimates differed substantially among assessment frameworks. This divergence varied by guild and biome, with the greatest disagreement between frameworks found for seabirds, and CVM outperforming TVI in most biomes except for grassland-associated species. Exposure variables, particularly projected habitat loss and cumulative threat burden, outperformed intrinsic traits in predicting both climate-change threat listings and observed population decline. Species assigned higher model-based climate vulnerability were significantly more likely to exhibit long-term population declines, whereas sensitivity and adaptive-capacity traits provided comparatively little additional predictive information. Our study provides a rare empirical evaluation of climate vulnerability assessments and their ability to identify species experiencing biological decline. Our results suggest that different vulnerability assessments can lead to different conservation priorities, indicating that additional work is needed to improve and validate climate-risk frameworks. The positive associations between vulnerability estimates and demographic decline indicate that large-scale assessments can provide useful information for evaluating risk and prioritizing conservation action where direct demographic data are limited.

2026-09-30

EcoEvoRxiv (prépublication)

doi.org

Designing optimal biodiversity observation networks

Michael Catchen

Francis Banville

Penelope S. A. Blyth

Chris Brimacombe

Gabriel Dansereau

Gracielle Higino

Thomas Malpas

Hana Mayall

Kari Norman

Tanya Strydom

Laura J. Pollock

Andrew Gonzalez

Timothée Poisot

Meeting the goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) requires a substantial increase in biodiversity monitoring effort, motivating t… (voir plus)he development of a Global Biodiversity Observing System (GBiOS). However, GBiOS cannot be built without a practical framework for designing effective biodiversity monitoring networks that balances budgetary constraints with competing policy objectives, which we currently lack. Here we provide the foundations for a theory of optimal biodiversity monitoring design based on: (1) a hierarchical, multi-layer architecture for monitoring networks that matches the multi-scale nature of ecological processes and environmental policymaking, (2) a simulation-based framework for evaluating the efficacy of monitoring network design against the variety of plausible “ecological worlds”, and (3) an integrative toolbox for monitoring design, drawing on methods from spatial sampling theory, environmental monitoring design, and optimal decision theory. Together, these form a basis for building the most effective GBiOS possible to best inform policymaking and meet the goals and targets of the GBF.

2026-09-14

EcoEvoRxiv (prépublication)

doi.org

Blitz the Gap: a nation-wide effort to guide citizen science toward the needs of biodiversity science

Katherine Hébert

Nathan G. Earley

John Reynolds

Diane Srivastava

Brian M. Starzomski

Michelle Tseng

Guillaume Larocque

James Pagé

Ciara Raudsepp‐Hearne

Peter Soroye

Sandra Emry

David Hunt

Pierre Rogy

Christophe Brabant

Stephen Deedes-Vincke

María Camilla Diaz-Corzo

Lucas Eckert

Nicole J. Kester

Joshua S. Lee

Eniola Olu-Ayorinde … (voir 16 de plus)

Lindsay Louise Trottier

Lukas van Riel

Sarfaroz Yunusov

Isaac Eckert

Janaína Serrano

Noah Wightman

Maho Horikawa

Ryan Hull

Leeya Nagpal

André‐Philippe Drapeau Picard

Étienne Lacroix-Carignan

Derek Duplessis

Étienne Léveillé‐Bourret

Marc-Antoine Poulin

Anthony Zerafa

Laura J. Pollock

To resolve persistent biases in conservation assessments and forecasting, we urgently need more systematic collection of biodiversity data. … (voir plus)Citizen (or, community) science, despite its reputation for unstructured data, offers a particularly promising path forward, mobilizing participation at scales and speeds unmatched by traditional monitoring. Here, we introduce Blitz the Gap, a pan-Canadian initiative to guide citizen science with sampling ‘challenges’, bioblitzes and paid initiatives using iNaturalist. One year of semi-guided sampling helped to gain 540 species newly recorded on iNaturalist Canada, almost 50,000 km2 of added spatial coverage, better representation of northern climates, and new evidence to help identify Key Biodiversity Areas. These results demonstrate the potential for guided citizen science, especially for taxonomic discovery, range-filling, and early alerts for species on the move. Our experience highlights the need for more tailored guidance and gamification, further development of adaptive sampling methods, and funding for bioblitzes and training of future taxonomists and naturalists. As countries work towards global conservation targets for 2030 and 2050, citizen science should be one of the core pillars of any large-scale monitoring network, contributing unparalleled taxonomic depth and engagement.

2026-06-16

EcoEvoRxiv (prépublication)

doi.org

A call to integrate animal movement into biodiversity indicators

Ruth Y. Oliver

Katherine Hébert

Lacey F. Hughey

Luca Börger

Francesca Cagnacci

Nathan W. Cooper

Sarah C. Davidson

Andrew Gonzalez

Autumn‐Lynn Harrison

Jessica M. Kendall-Bar

Katie L. Millette

Joanna Mills Flemming

Thomas Mueller

Will Rogers

Talia Speaker

Jared A. Stabach

Marlee A. Tucker

Wenjing Xu

Scott W. Yanco

Briana Abrahms … (voir 35 de plus)

Sara Beery

Roxanne S. Beltran

Lily K. Bentley

Larissa T. Beumer

Mary E. Bowers

Steven W. J. Canty

Ying‐Chi Chan

Juliet Cohen

Grant M. Connette

Eduardo Cuevas

Tammy E. Davies

Daniel C. Dunn

Diego Ellis‐Soto

Antonio Ferraz

John Fieberg

Kimberly R. Hall

Neil Hammerschlag

Anne G. Hertel

Dongmin Kim

Samara Manzin

Clive R. McMahon

Robin Naidoo

Aidin Niamir

A. Justin Nowakowski

Matthew B. Ogburn

Jonathan Pye

José Manuel Reyes‐González

Nicholas J. Russo

Christian Rutz

Amy L. Scarpignato

Stella F. Uiterwaal

Raqib Valli

Alessandra Vidal Meza

George Wittemyer

Laura J. Pollock

2026-06-16

Nature Reviews Biodiversity (publié)

doi.org

The utility of herbarium collections for genetic monitoring

Isaac Eckert

Lucas Eckert

Olivia Rahn

Cameron So

Simon Joly

Laura J. Pollock

Abstract Despite growing evidence of widespread genetic responses to anthropogenic activity, data shortfalls constrain genetic monitoring ef… (voir plus)forts and preclude the widespread use of genetic data to inform conservation. For flora, one option is to leverage the wealth of genetic material preserved in Earth’s vast herbarium collections, but the extent to which herbarium specimens can supply the population-level data required to monitor genetic change remains unclear. Using the Essential Biodiversity Variable (EBV) framework developed to monitor population-level genetic change, we show that digitized herbarium specimens could be used to quantify ∼162 K measures of genetic EBVs representing over 41 K species, 86% of regions on Earth, and spanning the past 250 years of global change. As such, we find that herbarium collections offer an invaluable source of historical genetic data, the mobilization of which could transform global efforts to monitor and conserve plant diversity.

2026-05-05

BioScience (publié)

doi.org

The Untapped Potential of Food Webs in Systematic Conservation Planning

Louise M. J. O'Connor

Wilfried Thuiller

Ulrich Brose

Éléonore Chenevois

Carla Freund

Benoit Gauzens

Pierre Gaüzere

Catherine Graham

Michael Harfoot

Myriam R. Hirt

Sébastien Lavergne

Luigi Maiorano

Atte Moilanen

Peter H. Verburg

Piero Visconti

Laura J. Pollock

International conservation policy includes the dual aims of protecting biodiversity and nature's contributions to people (NCP). Achieving th… (voir plus)ese goals requires protecting not only species and habitats but also the networks of biotic interactions that sustain them. Food webs, which represent predator‐prey interactions between species, are increasingly recognised as a link between ecosystem structure, function, and resilience, which are concepts that are frequently cited in conservation policy. Yet, conservation planning and policy typically focus on individual species and habitats and overlook the interactions that support their persistence. We review the literature at the intersection of food web ecology and conservation, and highlight how food webs can inform three conservation goals: preventing species extinctions, maintaining ecosystem functions and NCP, and fostering ecosystem resilience. Food web data and metrics, such as interaction diversity, trophic diversity, connectance, or modularity, can be used to prioritize species that are key to ecosystem structure and functioning, and to guide spatial prioritization to protect functionally diverse and resilient communities. Given the growing availability of food web data, incorporating food webs in conservation planning can lead to more effective and resilient conservation outcomes that sustain biodiversity and ecosystem functions in the long term.

2026-02-09

Conservation Letters (publié)

doi.org

BON in a Box: An Open and Collaborative Platform for Biodiversity Monitoring, Indicator Calculation, and Reporting

Jory Griffith

Jean-Michel Lord

Michael Catchen

María Isabel Arce-Plata

F Guillaume Blanchet

Mathusan Chandramohan

M Camila Diaz-Corzo

Gravel Dominique

César Gutiérrez

Isabelle S. Helfenstein

Sean Hoban

Jamie M. Kass

Linda Laikre

Guillaume Larocque

Deborah M. Leigh

Brian Leung

Alicia Mastretta‐Yanes

Katie L. Millette

Maria Alejandra Molina Berbeo

Dat Nguyen … (voir 27 de plus)

Kari Norman

María Helena Olaya-Rodríguez

Simon Pahls

Kaitlyn M. Pereira

Pedro R. Peres‐Neto

Timothée Poisot

Laura J. Pollock

Juan Carlos Rey-Velasco

Víctor J. Rincón-Parra

Claudia Roeoesli

François Rousseu

Lina María Sánchez-Clavijo

Meredith C. Schuman

Oliver Selmoni

Jessica M. da Silva

Erika Suárez-Valencia

Thilina D. Surasinghe

Eren Turak

Luis Urbina

Sarah Valentin

Noah Wightman

Juan Zuloaga

Maria Cecilia Londoño

Andrew Gonzalez

Manuel Galvez Bohorquez

Luis Felipe Verdeja González

Diego Moreno

Abstract The Convention on Biological Diversity’s Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) sets ambitious goals to protect a… (voir plus)nd restore biodiversity. It includes a monitoring framework that mandates countries to track progress toward these goals using indicators that summarize biodiversity trends. Calculating indicators is challenging for countries because of fragmented biodiversity monitoring efforts, technical barriers, a lack of available data and tools, and capacity bottlenecks. The BON in a Box platform for biodiversity monitoring and indicator calculation, developed by the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network, was created to address these challenges by providing open, transparent, and reproducible analysis pipelines that convert data into essential biodiversity variables and indicators. These pipelines are built by experts and contributed by the community, follow FAIR principles, and help scientists apply their research to coordinate biodiversity monitoring efforts, build capacity to track progress toward the GBF, and affect policy change.

2026-01-12

BioScience (publié)

doi.org

Species Loss Scenarios Identify Canada's Northern Ecosystems as Disproportionately Vulnerable

Isaac Eckert

Dominique Caron

Laura J. Pollock

2026-01-11

Journal of Biogeography (publié)

doi.org

Trophic Interactions Are Key to Understanding the Effects of Global Change on the Distribution and Functional Role of the Brown Bear

Pablo M. Lucas

Wilfried Thuiller

Lauren Talluto

Ester Polaina

Jörg Albrecht

Nuria Selva

Marta De Barba

Vincenzo Penteriani

Maya Guéguen

Niko Balkenhol

Trishna Dutta

Ancuta Fedorca

Shane C. Frank

Andreas Zedrosser

Ivan Afonso‐Jordana

Hüseyin Ambarlı

Fernando Ballesteros

Andriy‐Taras Bashta

Cemal Can Bilgin

Neda Bogdanović … (voir 67 de plus)

Edgars Bojārs

Katarzyna Bojarska

Natalia Bragalanti

Henrik Brøseth

Mark W. Chynoweth

Duško Ćirović

Paolo Ciucci

Andrea Corradini

Daniele De Angelis

Miguel de Gabriel Hernando

Csaba Domokos

Aleksander Dutsov

Alper Ertürk

Stefano Filacorda

Lorenzo Frangini

Claudio Groff

Samuli Heikkinen

Bledi Hoxha

Djuro Huber

Otso Huitu

Georgeta Ionescu

Ovidiu Ionescu

Klemen Jerina

Ramon Jurj

Alexandros A. Karamanlidis

Jonas Kindberg

Ilpo Kojola

José Vicente López‐Bao

Peep Männil

Dime Melovski

Yorgos Mertzanis

Paolo Molinari

Anja Molinari‐Jobin

Andrea Mustoni

Javier Naves

Sergey Ogurtsov

Deniz Özüt

Santiago Palazón

Luca Pedrotti

Aleksandar Perović

Vladimir N. Piminov

Ioan‐Mihai Pop

Marius Popa

Maria Psaralexi

Pierre‐Yves Quenette

Georg Rauer

Slaven Reljic

Eloy Revilla

Urmas Saarma

Alexander P. Saveljev

Ali Onur Sayar

Çagan H. Şekercioğlu

Agnieszka Sergiel

George Sîrbu

Tomaž Skrbinšek

Michaela Skuban

Anil Soyumert

Aleksandar Stojanov

Egle Tammeleht

Konstantin Tirronen

Aleksandër Trajçe

Igor Trbojević

Tijana Trbojević

Filip Zięba

Diana Zlatanova

Tomasz Zwijacz‐Kozica

Laura J. Pollock

ABSTRACT Biotic interactions are expected to influence species' responses to global changes, but they are rarely considered across broad spa… (voir plus)tial extents. Abiotic factors are thought to operate at larger spatial scales, while biotic factors, such as species interactions, are considered more important at local scales within communities, in part because of the knowledge gap on species interactions at large spatial scales (i.e., the Eltonian shortfall). We assessed, at a continental scale, (i) the importance of biotic interactions, through food webs, on species distributions, and (ii) how biotic interactions under scenarios of climate and land‐use change may affect the distribution of the brown bear ( Ursus arctos ). We built a highly detailed, spatially dynamic, and empirically sampled food web based on the energy contribution of 276 brown bear food species from different taxa (plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates) and their ensemble habitat models at high resolution across Europe. Then, combining energy contribution and predicted habitat of food species, we modelled energy contribution across space and included these layers within Bayesian‐based models of the brown bear distribution in Europe. The inclusion of biotic interactions considerably improved our understanding of brown bear distribution at large (continental) scales compared with Bayesian models including only abiotic factors (climate and land use). Predicted future range shifts, which included changes in the distribution of food species, varied greatly when considering various scenarios of change in biotic factors, providing a warning that future indirect climate and land‐use change are likely to have strong but highly uncertain impacts on species biogeography. Our study confirmed that advancing our understanding of ecological networks of species interactions will improve future projections of biodiversity change, especially for modelling species distributions and their functional role under climate and land‐use change scenarios, which is key for effective conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

2025-06-03

Global Change Biology (publié)

doi.org

Bridging biodiversity and ecosystem services through useful plant species

Nina Obiar

Isaac Eckert

Janelle Baker

Daniel Moerman

Laura J. Pollock

2025-03-27

Plants, People, Planet (publié)

doi.org

Harnessing artificial intelligence to fill global shortfalls in biodiversity knowledge

Laura J. Pollock

Justin Kitzes

Sara Beery

Kaitlyn M. Gaynor

Marta A. Jarzyna

Oisin Mac Aodha

Bernd Meyer

David Rolnick

Graham W. Taylor

Devis Tuia

Tanya Berger-Wolf

2025-02-19

Nature Reviews Biodiversity (publié)

doi.org

Communauté de pratique de Mila : L'IA agentique

Formation d'entrepreneurs scientifiques

Demandes de supervision

Laura J. Pollock

Biographie

Publications

Communauté de pratique de Mila : L'IA agentique

Formation d'entrepreneurs scientifiques

Demandes de supervision

Mots-clés populaires:

Laura J. Pollock

Biographie

Publications