Large biodiversity monitoring gaps remain across Europe

Santana, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4100-8012, Porto, M., Morán‐Ordóñez, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5815-6089, Brotons, L., Junker, J., Kissling, W. D., Lumbierres, M., Moe, S. J., Solheim, A. L., Villero, D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5562-3809, Breeze, T. D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8929-8354, Carvalho, L., Fernández, N. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9645-8571, Herrando, S., López‐Baucells, A., Shamoun‐Baranes, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1652-7646, Silero, N., Pereira, H. M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1043-1675, Moreira, F. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4393-8018 and Beja, P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8164-0760 (2025) Large biodiversity monitoring gaps remain across Europe. Conservation Letters, 18 (5). e13134. ISSN 1755-263X doi: 10.1111/conl.13134

Abstract/Summary

Transnational monitoring frameworks are crucial for tracking progress and guiding biodiversity conservation policies at continental and global levels. Yet their development is constrained by the lack of comprehensive analyses of biodiversity monitoring gaps. Focusing on Europe, we quantified the shortfall between data integrated by transnational initiatives and the requirements for producing 48 Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) identified with stakeholders for continent‐wide monitoring. About 20% of EBVs lacked transnational data integration, and existing initiatives often covered fewer than 70% of countries. Even where integration occurred, major deficiencies remained in sampling standardization, taxonomic and ecosystem coverage, spatial and temporal resolution, data collection frequency, and data accessibility. Monitoring shortfalls varied widely across countries. Addressing monitoring gaps will require sustained funding for new transnational initiatives, stronger alignment between national and supranational efforts, improved sampling designs, novel technologies, and equitable open data sharing. Establishing such a framework could offer a model for global biodiversity monitoring.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/124503
Identification Number/DOI	10.1111/conl.13134
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Agriculture, Policy and Development > Department of Sustainable Land Management > Centre for Agri-environmental Research (CAER)
Publisher	Wiley
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