Anthropogenic climate and land-use change drive short- and long-term biodiversity shifts across taxa

This research investigates the impact of climate change and land-use change on biodiversity in Great Britain using historical land use, climate data, and species observation data for birds, butterflies, and plants. The study reveals that anthropogenic climate change and land conversion have increased species richness and biotic homogenization, leading to warmer-adapted communities over both long (50+ years) and short (20 years) timescales. Baseline environmental conditions, particularly semi-natural grasslands, significantly influenced biodiversity change, especially in the short term. Climate-land-use interactions were primarily associated with long-term changes in species richness and beta diversity. The findings emphasize the importance of protecting and restoring natural and semi-natural habitats for biodiversity management and policy.

Teresa Montràs-Janer, Andrew J. Suggitt, Richard Fox, Mari Jönsson, Blaise Martay, David B. Roy, Kevin J. Walker, Alistair G. Auffret