Tag: Biodiversity Loss

Flusspferd als eingeschleppte Süßwasser-Megafauna
Hippopotamus – This mammal, weighing up to three tons, is one of the largest freshwater inhabitants on Earth. In Colombia, feral populations exist today after animals escaped from a private collection and spread along the Magdalena River. (© Joachim Huber, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Introduced freshwater megafauna: Benefits and risks of large animals in rivers and lakes

Rivers and lakes are home to some of the largest animals in inland waters—from giant catfish, sturgeons, salmon, and carp to turtles and crocodiles. However, many of these species have been deliberately introduced by humans into new regions. A new global study in the journal One Earth systematically examines for

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EIner der Vögel Nordamerikas, dessen Bestandsrückgang sich beschleunigt: der Rotflügelstärling (Agelaius phoeniceus)
The red-winged blackbird is one of the most recognizable birds of North American wetlands and agricultural landscapes. Yet even for this once very common species, the decline in populations is accelerating. (© Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Bird populations in North America: Decline accelerating—nearly every second species affected

Bird populations in North America have been declining for decades. But a new study now shows that not only are bird numbers falling, the speed of this decline is also increasing. This is the conclusion of a study published in the journal Science by researchers from Ohio State University and

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Qutang-Schlucht am Jangtse (Changjiang) in der Drei-Schluchten-Region in China
The Qutang Gorge on the Yangtze (Three Gorges region): heavily burdened for decades—a study now shows the first signs of ecological recovery. (© Tan Wei Liang Byorn, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Hope for the Yangtze: study shows how a fishing ban is reviving the river

The Yangtze River is Asia’s longest river at over 6,300 kilometers and the third-longest river in the world. For millennia it was among the world’s most species-rich freshwater ecosystems. It supplied people, animals, and entire cultures with water, food, and habitat—and formed the ecological backbone of large parts of China.

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Threatened by invasive species: Partula radiolata
The endangered tree snail Partula radiolata from the island of Guam. A recent study shows that snails are particularly often victims of invasive species: since the 1970s, the introduction of the rosy wolfsnail has led to the extinction of more than 50 Partula species on Pacific islands. (© USFWS - Pacific Region, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Invasive species & extinction: What role do non-native animals and plants play?

Whether rats on tropical islands, introduced snails in the Pacific, or feral cats in remote bird colonies – invasive alien species (IAS) can throw entire ecosystems off balance and push animal and plant species to the brink of extinction. In 2023, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

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Earthworms as indicators of healthy soil
Earthworms are considered indicators of healthy soils because they promote soil structure, nutrient cycles, and microbial activity – and at the same time are sensitive to stressors such as pesticides. (© Donald Hobern from Copenhagen, Denmark, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Study: Pesticide residues found in more than two-thirds of European soils – not only in agricultural landscapes

When pesticides are discussed, the focus is usually on bees, birds, or residues in food. Less attention is paid to the place where many of their effects begin: the soil. Yet it forms the basis of our food supply and is home to billions of organisms. An international study, published

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Red List of breeding birds in Rhineland-Palatinate 2025: Barn Owl
The barn owl (Tyto alba) is among the losers on the new Red List in Rhineland-Palatinate: While it was still on the preliminary warning list in 2014, it is now considered critically endangered. The same trend is evident in the spotted nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes).

Red List of breeding birds in Rhineland-Palatinate: 55% of species at risk

Birds shape our landscapes, accompany our everyday lives, and are also sensitive indicators of the state of nature. When their populations shrink, it is almost always a warning sign of profound ecological problems. The new Red List of breeding birds in Rhineland-Palatinate clearly shows: The loss of biodiversity continues to

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Decline in insect biomass
Species-rich meadows are increasingly disappearing from the landscape. As insect species are lost, not only biodiversity declines, but also biomass – with consequences for entire ecosystems.

New study shows: insect biomass decline is primarily driven by species loss

For years, there has been talk of insect decline. People describe silent summer nights, clean windshields, and meadows where hardly anything is buzzing anymore. What was initially dismissed as a subjective impression has now been confirmed: several long-term studies show that insect biomass in Central Europe has declined sharply. The

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Rediscoveries in 2025: Animal species believed to be lost and extinct
In 2025, several animal species returned to the focus of scientific attention after having long been considered lost or even thought to be extinct. (© Shrews: Tatiana Petrova, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons / Snake: Photo courtesy of Professor Blair Hedges)

Rediscoveries in 2025: These animal species were considered lost or extinct

Species do not simply disappear just because no one has seen them for a long time. And they are just as little “saved” just because they suddenly reappear. Rediscoveries mark a narrow line between hope and uncertainty: they show that life can endure – often, however, only barely. In 2025,

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