Open AccessAbundance decline in the avifauna of the European Union reveals cross‐continental similarities in biodiversity change
Author(s) -
Burns Fiona,
Eaton Mark A.,
Burfield Ian J.,
Klvaňová Alena,
Šilarová Eva,
Staneva Anna,
Gregory Richard D.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
ecology and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.17
H-Index - 63
ISSN - 2045-7758
DOI - 10.1002/ece3.8282
Subject(s) - biodiversity , abundance (ecology) , european union , ecology , global biodiversity , geography , relative species abundance , population , land use, land use change and forestry , biology , agriculture , demography , economics , international trade , sociology
Although global assessments provide evidence of biodiversity decline, some have questioned the strength of the evidence, with local assemblage studies often showing a more balanced picture of biodiversity change. The multifaceted nature of biodiversity and imperfect monitoring datasets may partially explain these findings. Here, using an extensive dataset, we find significant biodiversity loss in the native avifauna of the European Union (EU). We estimate a decline of 17–19% in the overall breeding bird abundance since 1980: a loss of 560–620 million individual birds. Both total and proportional declines in bird numbers are high among species associated with agricultural land. The distribution of species’ population growth rates (ln) is centered close to zero, with numerical decline driven by substantial losses in abundant species. Our work supports previous assessments indicating substantial recent biodiversity loss and calls to reduce the threat of extinctions and restore species’ abundances, for the sake of nature and people.