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Reconciling Different Forms of Ecological Integrity

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GEDT member Dr. Peter Billie Larsen co-authored a new peer-reviewed article, ","  with Valeria Y. Mendez Angarita, Lara Marcolin, and Moreno Di Marco. The article explores the critical role of ecological integrity in global biodiversity conservation.

Published in Conservation Letters, the study evaluates how global maps of terrestrial ecological integrity represent different dimensions—structure, composition, and function—and assesses their effectiveness in guiding conservation efforts under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The findings highlight that while 73% of the terrestrial surface holds conservation value according to at least one map, less than 1% is consistently classified as having high integrity across all maps. The research underscores the risks of relying on a single indicator, which could overlook the integrity value of 41 million km² of land, including key biodiversity areas.

However, the study also reveals that combining multiple integrity measures provides a more comprehensive approach, identifying 41.1% of the terrestrial surface as crucial for conservation—two-thirds of which require urgent action. This work emphasizes the need to integrate diverse ecological dimensions to strengthen the implementation of Target 1 of the GBF and promote more equitable conservation paradigms.

Building on Valeria Y. Mendez Angarita’s stay as a visiting researcher at the Geneva Heritage Lab and the GEDT, this publication reflects the hub’s commitment to advancing interdisciplinary research on environmental governance and biodiversity conservation.

You can read the full article in open access .