KEVIN J GASTON

Sanders, D., Hirt, M.R., Brose, U., Evans, D.M., Gaston, K.J., Gauzens, B. & Ryser, R. 2023. How artificial light at night may rewire ecological networks: concepts and models. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 378, 20220368.

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is eroding natural light cycles and thereby changing species distributions and activity patterns. Yet little is known about how ecological interaction networks respond to this global change driver. Here, we assess the scientific basis of the current understanding of community-wide ALAN impacts. Based on current knowledge, we conceptualize and review four major pathways by which ALAN may affect ecological interaction networks by (i) impacting primary production, (ii) acting as an environmental filter affecting species survival, (iii) driving the movement and distribution of species, and (iv) changing functional roles and niches by affecting activity patterns. Using an allometric–trophic network model, we then test how a shift in temporal activity patterns for diurnal, nocturnal and crepuscular species impacts food web stability. The results indicate that diel niche shifts can severely impact community persistence by altering the temporal overlap between species, which leads to changes in interaction strengths and rewiring of networks. ALAN can thereby lead to biodiversity loss through the homogenization of temporal niches. This integrative framework aims to advance a predictive understanding of community-level and ecological-network consequences of ALAN and their cascading effects on ecosystem functioning.

Gaston, K.J., Phillips, B.B. & Soga, M. 2023. Personalised ecology and the future of biodiversity. Cambridge Prisms: Extinction 1, e18.

The future of biodiversity lies not just in the strategies and mechanisms by which ecosystems and species are practically best protected from anthropogenic pressures. It lies also, and perhaps foremost, in the many billions of decisions that people make that, intentionally or otherwise, shape their impact on nature and the conservation policies and interventions that are implemented. Personalised ecology – the set of direct sensory interactions that each of us has with nature – is one important consideration in understanding the decisions that people make. Indeed, it has long been argued that people’s personalised ecologies have powerful implications, as captured in such concepts as biophilia, extinction of experience and shifting baselines. In this paper, we briefly review the connections between personalised ecology and the future of biodiversity, and the ways in which personalised ecologies might usefully be enhanced to improve that future.

Gaston, K.J. 2023. Common ecology. International Ecology Institute, Oldendorf/Luhe.

This book is a manifesto and a synthesis. It is a manifesto for increased attention to common ecology. Common species shape much of the natural world, provide much of ecosystem functioning and services, and are under great pressure from human activities, but this significance seems often not to receive the focus that it should. The book is also a synthesis of much present understanding of common ecology, and with a focus on general principles it covers a lot of ground in a short space. It addresses how commonness is defined and some of its fundamental features, its temporal dynamics, and what determines which species become common. It then turns to evolutionary issues, followed by the ecological importance of common species. Finally, it considers how anthropogenic impacts on common species have manifested themselves, addressing in turn species declines, the loss of wildlife spectacles and extinctions, and then what might be done to keep the common, common. In the midst of a global biodiversity crisis, and profound concerns over the loss of rare species, this book argues the case also for those species that are often more familiar and literally commonplace.

Gardner, A.S., Trew, B.T., Maclean, I.M.D., Sharma, M.D. & Gaston, K.J. 2023. Wilderness areas under threat from global redistribution of agriculture. Current Biology 33, 4721-4726.

Agriculture expansion is already the primary cause of terrestrial biodiversity loss globally; yet, to meet the demands of growing human populations, production is expected to have to double by 2050. The challenge of achieving expansion without further detriment to the environment and biodiversity is huge and potentially compounded by climate change, which may necessitate shifting agriculture zones poleward to regions with more suitable climates, threatening species or areas of conservation priority. However, the possible future overlap between agricultural suitability and wilderness areas, increasingly recognized for significant biodiversity, cultural, and climate regulation values, has not yet been examined. Here, using high-resolution climate data, we model global present and future climate suitability for 1,708 crop varieties. We project, over the next 40 years, that 2.7 million km² of land within wilderness will become newly suitable for agriculture, equivalent to 7% of the total wilderness area outside Antarctica. The increase in potentially cultivable land in wilderness areas is particularly acute at higher latitudes in the northern hemisphere, where 76.3% of newly suitable land is currently wilderness, equivalent to 10.2% of the total wilderness area. Our results highlight an important and previously unidentified possible consequence of the disproportionate warming known to be occurring in high northern latitudes. Because we find that, globally, 72.0% of currently cultivable land is predicted to experience a net loss in total crop diversity, agricultural expansion is a major emerging threat to wilderness. Without protection, the vital integrity of these valuable areas could be irreversibly lost.

Evans, M.J., Gaston, K.J., Cox, D.T.C. & Soga, M. 2023. The research landscape of direct, sensory human-nature interactions. People and Nature 5, 1893-1907.

1. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the human–nature interactions research landscape can benefit researchers by providing insights into the most relevant topics, popular research areas and the distribution of topics across different disciplines, journals and regions.

2. The research literature on direct human–nature interactions is constituted from a rich and diverse spectrum of disciplines. This multidisciplinary structure poses challenges in keeping up with developments and trends.

3. We conducted a multidisciplinary text-analysis review of research on direct, sensory human–nature interactions to understand the main topics of research, the types of interactions, the disciplines within which they manifest in the literature, their growth through time and their global localities and contexts.

4. Our analysis of 2773 articles showed that there has been recent growth in research interest in positive human–nature interactions that is biased towards high-income countries. There is a substantial body of research on negative human–nature interactions, mostly from the medical fields, which is distinct from research on positive human–nature interactions in other fields such as ecology, psychology, social science, environmental management and tourism. Of particular note is the very large amount of medical research on the causes and consequences of snake bites, particularly in Asia.

5. Understanding the relationship between these two contrasting types of interactions is of significant practical importance. More recent attention towards positive human–nature interactions in high-income societies biases views of the relationship between people and nature.

6. Research into human–nature interactions needs to take the next step towards a unified and holistic understanding of the benefits and costs of direct experiences with nature. This step is crucial to achieve a more sustainable future that benefits both biodiversity and human society, during great environmental and climatic change.

Delahay, R.J., Sherman, D., Soyalan, B. & Gaston, K.J. 2023. Biodiversity in residential gardens: a review of the evidence base. Biodiversity and Conservation 32, 4155-4179.

Residential gardens are a principal component of urban green infrastructure throughout the world and their potential positive contributions to biodiversity are increasingly recognised. But the characteristics of gardens reflect the needs, values and interests of individual households. The present review summarises evidence from studies of garden biodiversity published in the scientific literature, describes major themes and identifies important knowledge gaps. A search of the Web of Science database identified 408 published articles on the biodiversity of residential gardens (1981–2022), with numbers increasing over time and a strong bias towards Europe (32.1%) and North America (23.8%). Plants and invertebrates were most frequently studied, and species diversity was often correlated with garden size and habitat complexity. Botanic composition and vegetation cover were often positively associated with the diversity and abundance of fauna. Non-native plants contributed substantially to garden plant diversity and evidence from some studies indicated benefits to other species linked to their functional attributes. Intensive management including frequent lawn mowing, fertiliser and pesticide application, and a more formal, ‘neater’ garden appearance were often associated with reduced biodiversity. However, results varied amongst studies, for example in relation to the impacts of mowing frequency on lawn diversity. There was a general paucity of experimental evidence on the impacts of different management regimes on garden biodiversity and few replicated experimental tests of recommended ‘wildlife-friendly practices’. Several studies identified the importance of connectivity amongst gardens and with other green infra-structure for species dispersal and ecosystem functioning. Emerging threats to garden biodiversity include their replacement by development, conversion to hard surfaces and declining plot sizes. Managing these challenges and maximising the biodiversity value of residential gardens requires greater engagement from policymakers and planners, and partnerships between public bodies and private households to co-ordinate local initiatives.