Biodiversity conservation requires integration of species-centric and process-based strategies
Author(s)
Tobias, Joseph A
Bullock, James M
Dicks, Lynn V
Forester, Brenna R
Razgour, Orly
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Conservation science and policy are geared primarily toward the preservation of species and habitats, with priority often given to the rarest, most vulnerable or most charismatic forms. This pattern-based approach has broad appeal and offers a pragmatic short-cut for targeting conservation action. However, the long-term efficacy of species and landscape conservation programs remains highly uncertain, amid growing evidence that sustainable conservation action requires an increased emphasis on preserving ecological and evolutionary processes. This reframing of conservation goals was first proposed 50 y ago, but the concept has struggled to gain traction, particularly in terms of translation into policy. Nonetheless, recent events have shifted the narrative, with multiple interlinked global challenges—including biological invasions, food security, disease, and climate change—putting ecological processes firmly back on the agenda. Concurrently, conservation finance is changing rapidly, driven in part by the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which prioritized actions to enhance and restore ecosystem stability, connectivity, and resilience. These ecosystem properties are fundamentally process-driven and appear to create an operational gulf between current conservation practice and the targets of international agreements. We describe how new approaches can be used to close this gap by redirecting conservation attention toward processes at the heart of ecosystem function, including adaptation, gene flow, dispersal, and trophic interactions. Wider adoption of these approaches is urgently needed to forge a deeper connection between conservation practice and policy targets, thereby ensuring that ongoing investment in biodiversity conservation goes beyond damage limitation and instead leaves a lasting legacy of resilient ecosystems.
Date Issued
2025-08-05
Date Acceptance
2025-07-01
Citation
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2025, 122 (31)
ISSN
0027-8424
Publisher
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Start Page
e2410936122
Journal / Book Title
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Volume
122
Issue
31
Copyright Statement
© 2025 the Author(s). Published by PNAS. This open access article is distributed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License 4.0 (CC BY-NC-ND).
Subjects
Conservation of Natural Resources
Ecosystem
Biodiversity
Climate Change
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
e2410936122
Date Publish Online
2025-07-28