Biodiversity underpins the functioning of ecosystems and the diverse benefits that nature provides to people, yet is being lost at an unprecedented rate. To halt or reverse biodiversity loss, it is critical to understand the complex interdependencies between biodiversity and key drivers and sectors to inform the development of holistic policies and actions. We conducted a literature review on the interlinkages between biodiversity and climate change, food, water, energy, transport and health ("the biodiversity nexus"). Evidence extracted from 194 peer-reviewed articles was analysed to assess how biodiversity is being influenced by and is influencing the other nexus elements. Out of the 354 interlinkages between biodiversity and the other nexus elements, 53 % were negative, 29 % were positive and 18 % contained both positive and negative influences. The majority of studies provide evidence of the negative influence of other nexus elements on biodiversity, highlighting the substantial damage being inflicted on nature from human activities. The main types of negative impacts were land or water use/change, land or water degradation, climate change, and direct species fatalities through collisions with infrastructure. Alternatively, evidence of biodiversity having a negative influence on the other nexus elements was limited to the effects of invasive alien species and vector-borne diseases. Furthermore, a range of studies provided evidence of how biodiversity and the other nexus elements can have positive influences on each other through practices that promote co-benefits. These included biodiversity-friendly management in relevant sectors, protection and restoration of ecosystems and species that provide essential ecosystem services, green and blue infrastructure including nature-based solutions, and sustainable and healthy diets that mitigate climate change. The review highlighted the complexity and context-dependency of interlinkages within the biodiversity nexus, but clearly demonstrates the importance of biodiversity in underpinning resilient ecosystems and human well-being in ensuring a sustainable future for people and the planet.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171692 | DOI Listing |
ACS Omega
December 2024
UCL Institute for Materials Discovery, University College London, Malet Place, London WC1E 7JE, United Kingdom.
Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) are widely used in modern electronics because they have both high transmittance and good conductivity, which is beneficial for many applications such as light-emitting diodes. Tailoring electronic states and hence the conductive types by design is important for developing new materials with optimal properties for TCOs. SnO, with a wide band gap, low cost, no toxins, and high stability, is a promising host material for TCOs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVeterans treatment court (VTC) is the fastest growing type of treatment court in the United States with over 600 VTCs in operation today. Despite this recent proliferation, minimal scholarship has been conducted investigating how the state-level statutory landscape influences VTCs. The current study begins to address this gap by comprehensively reviewing and analyzing state legislation that governs the enactment, operation, and eligibility requirements of VTCs nationwide.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPNAS Nexus
December 2024
Complexity Science Hub, Vienna 1080, Austria.
Political conflict is an essential element of democratic systems, but can also threaten their existence if it becomes too intense. This happens particularly when most political issues become aligned along the same major fault line, splitting society into two antagonistic camps. In the 20th century, major fault lines were formed by structural conflicts, like owners vs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntib Ther
October 2024
Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States.
Connexin 43 (Cx43) protein forms hemichannels (connexons) and gap junctions, with hemichannels consisting of six Cx43 molecules and gap junctions formed by two hemichannels. While gap junctions are prevalent in organs like the heart and liver, hemichannels are found in specific cell types, such as astrocytes and osteocytes. They allow the passage of small molecules (<1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPNAS Nexus
December 2024
College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Industrial pollution and the associated spatial environmental inequality increase health risks and hinder sustainable development, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Large-scale public transportation infrastructure that connects developed and developing cities, exemplified by high-speed railway (HSR), has the potential to be an effective instrument. Here, we provide nationwide micro-level estimates for the overall and distributional environmental impacts of HSR in a middle-income context.
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