Links between biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, ecosystem services delivery and societal processes

Links between biodiversity, ecosystems functioning and the delivery of ecosystem services that enable life on Earth which underpin the effectiveness of NbS actions are widely recognised as a key area for strategic development. An improved understanding of cascading impacts of extreme events and slow onset changes, and the feedback among ecological integrity ("ecosystem conditions"), biodiversity and ecosystem services delivery at multiple scales and in different biogeographic regions is essential to plan effective NbS actions. There is an urgent need to address the present lack of mechanistic and long-term knowledge regarding the relationships between biological diversity, ecosystem functioning, ecosystem services delivery and societal processes in the face of changing conditions, in order to "future proof” NbS actions.

Chausson, A. et al. Mapping the effectiveness of nature‐based solutions for climate change adaptation. Glob. Change Biol. 26, 6134–6155 (2020).

Clough, Y. et al. Combining high biodiversity with high yields in tropical agroforests. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 108, 8311–8316 (2011).

Eggermont, H. et al. Strategic Research & Innnovation Agenda : Horizon Europe Partnership on Biodiversity. (2021).

Johnson, J. A., Runge, C. F., Senauer, B., Foley, J. & Polasky, S. Global agriculture and carbon trade-offs. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 111, 12342–12347 (2014).

Raymond, C. M. et al. An impact evaluation framework to support planning and evaluation of nature-based solutions projects: prepared by the EKLIPSE Expert Working Group on nature-based solutions to promote climate resilience in urban areas. (Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, 2017)