A function-based typology for Earth’s ecosystems

David A. Keith; José R. Ferrer-Paris; Emily Nicholson; Melanie J. Bishop; Beth A. Polidoro; Eva Ramirez-Llodra; Mark G. Tozer; Jeanne L. Nel; Ralph Mac Nally; Edward J. Gregr; Kate E. Watermeyer; Franz Essl; Don Faber-Langendoen; Janet Franklin; Caroline E.R. Lehmann; Andrés Etter; Dirk J. Roux; Jonathan S. Stark; Jessica A. Rowland; Neil A. Brummitt; Ulla C. Fernandez-Arcaya; Iain M. Suthers; Susan K. Wiser; Ian Donohue; Leland J. Jackson; R. Toby Pennington; Thomas M. Iliffe; Vasilis Gerovasileiou; Paul Giller; Belinda J. Robson; Nathalie Pettorelli; Angela Andrade; Arild Lindgaard; Teemu Tahvanainen; Aleks Terauds; Michael A. Chadwick; Nicholas J. Murray; Justin Moat; Patricio Pliscoff; Irene Zager; Richard T. Kingsford

doi:10.1038/s41586-022-05318-4

A function-based typology for Earth’s ecosystems

David A. Keith, José R. Ferrer-Paris, Emily Nicholson, Melanie J. Bishop, Beth A. Polidoro, Eva Ramirez-Llodra, Mark G. Tozer, Jeanne L. Nel, Ralph Mac Nally, Edward J. Gregr, Kate E. Watermeyer, Franz Essl, Don Faber-Langendoen, Janet Franklin, Caroline E.R. Lehmann, Andrés Etter, Dirk J. Roux, Jonathan S. Stark, Jessica A. Rowland, Neil A. BrummittUlla C. Fernandez-Arcaya, Iain M. Suthers, Susan K. Wiser, Ian Donohue, Leland J. Jackson, R. Toby Pennington, Thomas M. Iliffe, Vasilis Gerovasileiou, Paul Giller, Belinda J. Robson, Nathalie Pettorelli, Angela Andrade, Arild Lindgaard, Teemu Tahvanainen, Aleks Terauds, Michael A. Chadwick, Nicholas J. Murray, Justin Moat, Patricio Pliscoff, Irene Zager, Richard T. Kingsford

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

77 Scopus citations

Abstract

As the United Nations develops a post-2020 global biodiversity framework for the Convention on Biological Diversity, attention is focusing on how new goals and targets for ecosystem conservation might serve its vision of ‘living in harmony with nature’^1,2. Advancing dual imperatives to conserve biodiversity and sustain ecosystem services requires reliable and resilient generalizations and predictions about ecosystem responses to environmental change and management³. Ecosystems vary in their biota⁴, service provision⁵ and relative exposure to risks⁶, yet there is no globally consistent classification of ecosystems that reflects functional responses to change and management. This hampers progress on developing conservation targets and sustainability goals. Here we present the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Global Ecosystem Typology, a conceptually robust, scalable, spatially explicit approach for generalizations and predictions about functions, biota, risks and management remedies across the entire biosphere. The outcome of a major cross-disciplinary collaboration, this novel framework places all of Earth’s ecosystems into a unifying theoretical context to guide the transformation of ecosystem policy and management from global to local scales. This new information infrastructure will support knowledge transfer for ecosystem-specific management and restoration, globally standardized ecosystem risk assessments, natural capital accounting and progress on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	513-518
Number of pages	6
Journal	Nature
Volume	610
Issue number	7932
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05318-4
State	Published - Oct 20 2022
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General

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10.1038/s41586-022-05318-4

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Keith, D. A., Ferrer-Paris, J. R., Nicholson, E., Bishop, M. J., Polidoro, B. A., Ramirez-Llodra, E., Tozer, M. G., Nel, J. L., Mac Nally, R., Gregr, E. J., Watermeyer, K. E., Essl, F., Faber-Langendoen, D., Franklin, J., Lehmann, C. E. R., Etter, A., Roux, D. J., Stark, J. S., Rowland, J. A., ... Kingsford, R. T. (2022). A function-based typology for Earth’s ecosystems. Nature, 610(7932), 513-518. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05318-4

Keith, DA, Ferrer-Paris, JR, Nicholson, E, Bishop, MJ, Polidoro, BA, Ramirez-Llodra, E, Tozer, MG, Nel, JL, Mac Nally, R, Gregr, EJ, Watermeyer, KE, Essl, F, Faber-Langendoen, D, Franklin, J, Lehmann, CER, Etter, A, Roux, DJ, Stark, JS, Rowland, JA, Brummitt, NA, Fernandez-Arcaya, UC, Suthers, IM, Wiser, SK, Donohue, I, Jackson, LJ, Pennington, RT, Iliffe, TM, Gerovasileiou, V, Giller, P, Robson, BJ, Pettorelli, N, Andrade, A, Lindgaard, A, Tahvanainen, T, Terauds, A, Chadwick, MA, Murray, NJ, Moat, J, Pliscoff, P, Zager, I & Kingsford, RT 2022, 'A function-based typology for Earth’s ecosystems', Nature, vol. 610, no. 7932, pp. 513-518. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05318-4

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abstract = "As the United Nations develops a post-2020 global biodiversity framework for the Convention on Biological Diversity, attention is focusing on how new goals and targets for ecosystem conservation might serve its vision of {\textquoteleft}living in harmony with nature{\textquoteright}1,2. Advancing dual imperatives to conserve biodiversity and sustain ecosystem services requires reliable and resilient generalizations and predictions about ecosystem responses to environmental change and management3. Ecosystems vary in their biota4, service provision5 and relative exposure to risks6, yet there is no globally consistent classification of ecosystems that reflects functional responses to change and management. This hampers progress on developing conservation targets and sustainability goals. Here we present the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Global Ecosystem Typology, a conceptually robust, scalable, spatially explicit approach for generalizations and predictions about functions, biota, risks and management remedies across the entire biosphere. The outcome of a major cross-disciplinary collaboration, this novel framework places all of Earth{\textquoteright}s ecosystems into a unifying theoretical context to guide the transformation of ecosystem policy and management from global to local scales. This new information infrastructure will support knowledge transfer for ecosystem-specific management and restoration, globally standardized ecosystem risk assessments, natural capital accounting and progress on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.",

author = "Keith, {David A.} and Ferrer-Paris, {Jos{\'e} R.} and Emily Nicholson and Bishop, {Melanie J.} and Polidoro, {Beth A.} and Eva Ramirez-Llodra and Tozer, {Mark G.} and Nel, {Jeanne L.} and {Mac Nally}, Ralph and Gregr, {Edward J.} and Watermeyer, {Kate E.} and Franz Essl and Don Faber-Langendoen and Janet Franklin and Lehmann, {Caroline E.R.} and Andr{\'e}s Etter and Roux, {Dirk J.} and Stark, {Jonathan S.} and Rowland, {Jessica A.} and Brummitt, {Neil A.} and Fernandez-Arcaya, {Ulla C.} and Suthers, {Iain M.} and Wiser, {Susan K.} and Ian Donohue and Jackson, {Leland J.} and Pennington, {R. Toby} and Iliffe, {Thomas M.} and Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Paul Giller and Robson, {Belinda J.} and Nathalie Pettorelli and Angela Andrade and Arild Lindgaard and Teemu Tahvanainen and Aleks Terauds and Chadwick, {Michael A.} and Murray, {Nicholas J.} and Justin Moat and Patricio Pliscoff and Irene Zager and Kingsford, {Richard T.}",

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AU - Ramirez-Llodra, Eva

AU - Tozer, Mark G.

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AU - Rowland, Jessica A.

AU - Brummitt, Neil A.

AU - Fernandez-Arcaya, Ulla C.

AU - Suthers, Iain M.

AU - Wiser, Susan K.

AU - Donohue, Ian

AU - Jackson, Leland J.

AU - Pennington, R. Toby

AU - Iliffe, Thomas M.

AU - Gerovasileiou, Vasilis

AU - Giller, Paul

AU - Robson, Belinda J.

AU - Pettorelli, Nathalie

AU - Andrade, Angela

AU - Lindgaard, Arild

AU - Tahvanainen, Teemu

AU - Terauds, Aleks

AU - Chadwick, Michael A.

AU - Murray, Nicholas J.

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AU - Zager, Irene

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A function-based typology for Earth’s ecosystems

Abstract

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Indicative distribution maps for Ecosystem Functional Groups - Level 3 of IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology

Indicative distribution maps for Ecosystem Functional Groups - Level 3 of IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology

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A function-based typology for Earth’s ecosystems

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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Indicative distribution maps for Ecosystem Functional Groups - Level 3 of IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology

Indicative distribution maps for Ecosystem Functional Groups - Level 3 of IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology

Cite this