Global impoverishment of natural vegetation revealed by dark diversity

Meelis Pärtel; Riin Tamme; Carlos P. Carmona; Kersti Riibak; Mari Moora; Jonathan A. Bennett; Alessandro Chiarucci; Milan Chytrý; Francesco de Bello; Ove Eriksson; Susan Harrison; Robert John Lewis; Angela T. Moles; Maarja Öpik; Jodi N. Price; Vistorina Amputu; Diana Askarizadeh; Zohreh Atashgahi; Isabelle Aubin; Francisco M. Azcárate; Matthew D. Barrett; Maral Bashirzadeh; Zoltán Bátori; Natalie Beenaerts; Kolja Bergholz; Kristine Birkeli; Idoia Biurrun; José M. Blanco-Moreno; Kathryn J. Bloodworth; Laura Boisvert-Marsh; Bazartseren Boldgiv; Pedro H.S. Brancalion; Francis Q. Brearley; Charlotte Brown; C. Guillermo Bueno; Gabriella Buffa; James F. Cahill; Juan A. Campos; Giacomo Cangelmi; Michele Carbognani; Christopher Carcaillet; Bruno E.L. Cerabolini; Richard Chevalier; Jan S. Clavel; José M. Costa; Sara A.O. Cousins; Xavier Domene; Moisès Guardiola; Josep M. Serra-Diaz

doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08814-5

Global impoverishment of natural vegetation revealed by dark diversity

Meelis Pärtel^*, Riin Tamme, Carlos P. Carmona, Kersti Riibak, Mari Moora, Jonathan A. Bennett, Alessandro Chiarucci, Milan Chytrý, Francesco de Bello, Ove Eriksson, Susan Harrison, Robert John Lewis, Angela T. Moles, Maarja Öpik, Jodi N. Price, Vistorina Amputu, Diana Askarizadeh, Zohreh Atashgahi, Isabelle Aubin, Francisco M. AzcárateMatthew D. Barrett, Maral Bashirzadeh, Zoltán Bátori, Natalie Beenaerts, Kolja Bergholz, Kristine Birkeli, Idoia Biurrun, José M. Blanco-Moreno, Kathryn J. Bloodworth, Laura Boisvert-Marsh, Bazartseren Boldgiv, Pedro H.S. Brancalion, Francis Q. Brearley, Charlotte Brown, C. Guillermo Bueno, Gabriella Buffa, James F. Cahill, Juan A. Campos, Giacomo Cangelmi, Michele Carbognani, Christopher Carcaillet, Bruno E.L. Cerabolini, Richard Chevalier, Jan S. Clavel, José M. Costa, Sara A.O. Cousins, Xavier Domene, Moisès Guardiola, Josep M. Serra-Diaz

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Resum

El declivi de la biodiversitat antropogènica amenaça el funcionament dels ecosistemes i els múltiples beneficis que proporcionen a la humanitat. A més de causar pèrdues d'espècies en ubicacions directament afectades, la influència humana també podria reduir la biodiversitat en vegetació relativament no modificada si els efectes antropogènics de llarg abast desencadenen extincions locals i dificulten la recolonització. Aquí mostrem que la diversitat vegetal local està relacionada negativament a nivell global amb el grau d'activitat antropogènica a la regió circumdant. L'empobriment de la vegetació natural només va ser evident quan es va considerar la integritat comunitària: la proporció de totes les espècies adequades en una regió que estan presents en un lloc. Per estimar la integritat comunitària, comparem el nombre d'espècies registrades amb les espècies ecològicament adequades que no són presents en un lloc però sí a la regió circumdant. En regions mostrejades amb un índex de petjada humana mínim, una mitjana del 35% de les espècies vegetals adequades estaven presents localment, comparat amb menys d'un 2ль% en regions altament afectades. A més de tenir el potencial per descobrir amenaces a la biodiversitat que s'han passat per alt, la diversitat fosca també ofereix orientacions per a la conservació de la natura. Les espècies en la diversitat fosca romanen presents regionalment i les seves poblacions locals podrien ser restaurades mitjançant mesures que millorin la connectivitat entre fragments de vegetació natural i redueixin les amenaces a la persistència poblacional.

Idioma original	Anglès
Número d’article	e1400253
Pàgines (de-a)	917-924
Nombre de pàgines	8
Revista	Nature
Volum	641
Data online anticipada	2 d’abr. 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08814-5
Estat de la publicació	Publicada - 2 d’abr. 2025

SDG de les Nacions Unides

Aquest resultat contribueix als següents objectius de desenvolupament sostenible.

ODG 15 Flora i fauna terrestres

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10.1038/s41586-025-08814-5

Com citar-ho

Pärtel, M., Tamme, R., Carmona, C. P., Riibak, K., Moora, M., Bennett, J. A., Chiarucci, A., Chytrý, M., de Bello, F., Eriksson, O., Harrison, S., Lewis, R. J., Moles, A. T., Öpik, M., Price, J. N., Amputu, V., Askarizadeh, D., Atashgahi, Z., Aubin, I., ... Serra-Diaz, J. M. (2025). Global impoverishment of natural vegetation revealed by dark diversity. Nature, 641, 917-924. Article e1400253. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08814-5

@article{cd63f657adf34c6a80e48ce61b5c8a6f,

title = "Global impoverishment of natural vegetation revealed by dark diversity",

abstract = "Anthropogenic biodiversity decline threatens the functioning of ecosystems and the many benefits they provide to humanity1. As well as causing species losses in directly affected locations, human influence might also reduce biodiversity in relatively unmodified vegetation if far-reaching anthropogenic effects trigger local extinctions and hinder recolonization. Here we show that local plant diversity is globally negatively related to the level of anthropogenic activity in the surrounding region. Impoverishment of natural vegetation was evident only when we considered community completeness: the proportion of all suitable species in the region that are present at a site. To estimate community completeness, we compared the number of recorded species with the dark diversity—ecologically suitable species that are absent from a site but present in the surrounding region2. In the sampled regions with a minimal human footprint index, an average of 35\% of suitable plant species were present locally, compared with less than 20\% in highly affected regions. Besides having the potential to uncover overlooked threats to biodiversity, dark diversity also provides guidance for nature conservation. Species in the dark diversity remain regionally present, and their local populations might be restored through measures that improve connectivity between natural vegetation fragments and reduce threats to population persistence.",

keywords = "Anthropogenic Effects, Biodiversity, Conservation of Natural Resources, Ecosystem, Human Activities, Humans, Plants/classification, Biodiversity loss, Land-use, Rarefaction, Extrapolation, Species richness, Framework",

author = "Meelis P{\"a}rtel and Riin Tamme and Carmona, \{Carlos P.\} and Kersti Riibak and Mari Moora and Bennett, \{Jonathan A.\} and Alessandro Chiarucci and Milan Chytr{\'y} and \{de Bello\}, Francesco and Ove Eriksson and Susan Harrison and Lewis, \{Robert John\} and Moles, \{Angela T.\} and Maarja {\"O}pik and Price, \{Jodi N.\} and Vistorina Amputu and Diana Askarizadeh and Zohreh Atashgahi and Isabelle Aubin and Azc{\'a}rate, \{Francisco M.\} and Barrett, \{Matthew D.\} and Maral Bashirzadeh and Zolt{\'a}n B{\'a}tori and Natalie Beenaerts and Kolja Bergholz and Kristine Birkeli and Idoia Biurrun and Blanco-Moreno, \{Jos{\'e} M.\} and Bloodworth, \{Kathryn J.\} and Laura Boisvert-Marsh and Bazartseren Boldgiv and Brancalion, \{Pedro H.S.\} and Brearley, \{Francis Q.\} and Charlotte Brown and Bueno, \{C. Guillermo\} and Gabriella Buffa and Cahill, \{James F.\} and Campos, \{Juan A.\} and Giacomo Cangelmi and Michele Carbognani and Christopher Carcaillet and Cerabolini, \{Bruno E.L.\} and Richard Chevalier and Clavel, \{Jan S.\} and Costa, \{Jos{\'e} M.\} and Cousins, \{Sara A.O.\} and Xavier Domene and Mois{\`e}s Guardiola and Serra-Diaz, \{Josep M.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = apr,

day = "2",

doi = "10.1038/s41586-025-08814-5",

language = "English",

volume = "641",

pages = "917--924",

journal = "Nature",

issn = "0028-0836",

}

Pärtel, M, Tamme, R, Carmona, CP, Riibak, K, Moora, M, Bennett, JA, Chiarucci, A, Chytrý, M, de Bello, F, Eriksson, O, Harrison, S, Lewis, RJ, Moles, AT, Öpik, M, Price, JN, Amputu, V, Askarizadeh, D, Atashgahi, Z, Aubin, I, Azcárate, FM, Barrett, MD, Bashirzadeh, M, Bátori, Z, Beenaerts, N, Bergholz, K, Birkeli, K, Biurrun, I, Blanco-Moreno, JM, Bloodworth, KJ, Boisvert-Marsh, L, Boldgiv, B, Brancalion, PHS, Brearley, FQ, Brown, C, Bueno, CG, Buffa, G, Cahill, JF, Campos, JA, Cangelmi, G, Carbognani, M, Carcaillet, C, Cerabolini, BEL, Chevalier, R, Clavel, JS, Costa, JM, Cousins, SAO, Domene, X , Guardiola, M & Serra-Diaz, JM 2025, 'Global impoverishment of natural vegetation revealed by dark diversity', Nature, vol. 641, e1400253, pàg. 917-924. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08814-5

TY - JOUR

T1 - Global impoverishment of natural vegetation revealed by dark diversity

AU - Pärtel, Meelis

AU - Tamme, Riin

AU - Carmona, Carlos P.

AU - Riibak, Kersti

AU - Moora, Mari

AU - Bennett, Jonathan A.

AU - Chiarucci, Alessandro

AU - Chytrý, Milan

AU - de Bello, Francesco

AU - Eriksson, Ove

AU - Harrison, Susan

AU - Lewis, Robert John

AU - Moles, Angela T.

AU - Öpik, Maarja

AU - Price, Jodi N.

AU - Amputu, Vistorina

AU - Askarizadeh, Diana

AU - Atashgahi, Zohreh

AU - Aubin, Isabelle

AU - Azcárate, Francisco M.

AU - Barrett, Matthew D.

AU - Bashirzadeh, Maral

AU - Bátori, Zoltán

AU - Beenaerts, Natalie

AU - Bergholz, Kolja

AU - Birkeli, Kristine

AU - Biurrun, Idoia

AU - Blanco-Moreno, José M.

AU - Bloodworth, Kathryn J.

AU - Boisvert-Marsh, Laura

AU - Boldgiv, Bazartseren

AU - Brancalion, Pedro H.S.

AU - Brearley, Francis Q.

AU - Brown, Charlotte

AU - Bueno, C. Guillermo

AU - Buffa, Gabriella

AU - Cahill, James F.

AU - Campos, Juan A.

AU - Cangelmi, Giacomo

AU - Carbognani, Michele

AU - Carcaillet, Christopher

AU - Cerabolini, Bruno E.L.

AU - Chevalier, Richard

AU - Clavel, Jan S.

AU - Costa, José M.

AU - Cousins, Sara A.O.

AU - Domene, Xavier

AU - Guardiola, Moisès

AU - Serra-Diaz, Josep M.

PY - 2025/4/2

Y1 - 2025/4/2

N2 - Anthropogenic biodiversity decline threatens the functioning of ecosystems and the many benefits they provide to humanity1. As well as causing species losses in directly affected locations, human influence might also reduce biodiversity in relatively unmodified vegetation if far-reaching anthropogenic effects trigger local extinctions and hinder recolonization. Here we show that local plant diversity is globally negatively related to the level of anthropogenic activity in the surrounding region. Impoverishment of natural vegetation was evident only when we considered community completeness: the proportion of all suitable species in the region that are present at a site. To estimate community completeness, we compared the number of recorded species with the dark diversity—ecologically suitable species that are absent from a site but present in the surrounding region2. In the sampled regions with a minimal human footprint index, an average of 35% of suitable plant species were present locally, compared with less than 20% in highly affected regions. Besides having the potential to uncover overlooked threats to biodiversity, dark diversity also provides guidance for nature conservation. Species in the dark diversity remain regionally present, and their local populations might be restored through measures that improve connectivity between natural vegetation fragments and reduce threats to population persistence.

AB - Anthropogenic biodiversity decline threatens the functioning of ecosystems and the many benefits they provide to humanity1. As well as causing species losses in directly affected locations, human influence might also reduce biodiversity in relatively unmodified vegetation if far-reaching anthropogenic effects trigger local extinctions and hinder recolonization. Here we show that local plant diversity is globally negatively related to the level of anthropogenic activity in the surrounding region. Impoverishment of natural vegetation was evident only when we considered community completeness: the proportion of all suitable species in the region that are present at a site. To estimate community completeness, we compared the number of recorded species with the dark diversity—ecologically suitable species that are absent from a site but present in the surrounding region2. In the sampled regions with a minimal human footprint index, an average of 35% of suitable plant species were present locally, compared with less than 20% in highly affected regions. Besides having the potential to uncover overlooked threats to biodiversity, dark diversity also provides guidance for nature conservation. Species in the dark diversity remain regionally present, and their local populations might be restored through measures that improve connectivity between natural vegetation fragments and reduce threats to population persistence.

KW - Anthropogenic Effects

KW - Biodiversity

KW - Conservation of Natural Resources

KW - Ecosystem

KW - Human Activities

KW - Humans

KW - Plants/classification

KW - Biodiversity loss

KW - Land-use

KW - Rarefaction

KW - Extrapolation

KW - Species richness

KW - Framework

U2 - 10.1038/s41586-025-08814-5

DO - 10.1038/s41586-025-08814-5

M3 - Article

C2 - 40175550

AN - SCOPUS:105001849992

SN - 0028-0836

VL - 641

SP - 917

EP - 924

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

M1 - e1400253

ER -

Global impoverishment of natural vegetation revealed by dark diversity

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