Strengthening participation of Global South researchers in tropical ecology and conservation is a target of our scientific community, but strategies for fostering increased engagement are mostly directed at Global North institutions and researchers. Whereas such approaches are crucial, there are unique challenges to addressing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within the Global South given its socio-economic, cultural and scientific contexts. Sustainable solutions protecting biodiversity in the tropics depend on the leadership of Global South communities, and therefore DEI improvements in the Global South are paramount in our field. Here, we propose ten key actions towards equitable international collaborations in tropical ecology, which, led by Global South researchers, may improve DEI at institutional, national and international levels. At an institutional level, we recommend (1) becoming role models for DEI, (2) co-developing research with local stakeholders, and (3) promoting transparent funding management favouring local scientists. At a national level, we encourage (4) engagement in political actions protecting scientists and their research in tropical countries, (5) participation in improving biodiversity research policies, and (6) devising research that reaches society. At an international level, we encourage Global South researchers in international collaborations to (7) lead and direct funding applications, (8) ensure equitable workloads, and (9) procure equal benefits among national and foreign collaborators. Finally, (10) we propose that Global South leadership in DEI efforts has the most potential for worldwide improvements, supporting positive long-lasting changes in our entire scientific community. Supplementary materials provide this abstract in 18 other languages spoken in the Global South.
Abstract To increase the effectiveness of agri‐environmental schemes, innovative approaches that focus on the landscape scale beyond individual fields and farms are widely discussed and tested. Central to these approaches is collaboration between several farmers and other actors in agricultural landscapes. The effectiveness of collaborative agri‐environmental initiatives is strongly related to the motivation of actors. Administrative and social issues might hamper actor decisions to join an initiative. Based on our experience in implementing a participatory landscape‐scale project in Germany, we raise the question in which ways actors can be motivated and empowered to participate in such initiatives and how collaborative approaches can stimulate and maintain the exchange of participants. We find that establishing bridging structures (for an equal exchange of ideas and experiences), identifying and involving regional facilitators (to promote the participation of farmers and other actors) and addressing the expectations of actors (e.g. regarding administrative burden) can jointly support the establishment of collaborative initiatives in agriculture. This is particularly relevant when local actors have little experience with joint measure implementation and institutional framework conditions for collaborative governance are limited or not provided. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Abstract How to enhance biodiversity in monoculture-dominated landscapes is a key sustainability question that requires considering the spatial organization of ecological communities (beta diversity). Here, we experimentally tested if increasing landscape heterogeneity – through tree islands – is a suitable landscape restoration strategy when aiming to enhance multi-taxa diversity. We found that multi-taxa diversity resulted from islands fostering unique species (turnover: between 0.18 - 0.73) rather than species losses and gains (nestedness: between 0.03 - 0.34), suggesting that tree islands enhance diversity at the landscape scale. Through partial correlation networks, we revealed that landscape heterogeneity is associated with multi-taxa diversity (strength = 0.84). Soil biota were also central to the overall community by connecting beta diversity patterns across taxa. Our results show that increasing landscape heterogeneity enhances multi-taxa diversity in monoculture-dominant landscapes. Furthermore, we highlight that strategies aiming to enhance multi-taxa diversity should consider that spatial distributions of above- and below-ground communities are associated.
Integrated data of EFForTS-BEE: 10 indicators of biodiversity using the Hill number framework (species richness, shannon diversity and simpson diversity) and 20 indicators of ecosystem functioning.
Abstract In the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 1 , large knowledge gaps persist on how to increase biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in cash crop-dominated tropical landscapes 2 . Here, we present findings from a large-scale, 5-year ecosystem restoration experiment in an oil palm landscape enriched with 52 tree islands, encompassing assessments of ten indicators of biodiversity and 19 indicators of ecosystem functioning. Overall, indicators of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, as well as multidiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality, were higher in tree islands compared to conventionally managed oil palm. Larger tree islands led to larger gains in multidiversity through changes in vegetation structure. Furthermore, tree enrichment did not decrease landscape-scale oil palm yield. Our results demonstrate that enriching oil palm-dominated landscapes with tree islands is a promising ecological restoration strategy, yet should not replace the protection of remaining forests.
Abstract Enhancing biodiversity in monoculture-dominated landscapes is a key sustainability challenge that requires considering the spatial organization of ecological communities (beta diversity). Here, we tested whether increasing landscape heterogeneity, through establishing 52 tree islands in an oil-palm landscape, is a suitable restoration strategy to enhance the diversity of six taxa (multi-taxa diversity). Further, we elucidated whether patterns in the spatial distribution of above- and below-ground taxa are related, and their role in shaping multi-taxa beta diversity. After five years, islands enhanced diversity at the landscape scale by fostering unique species (turnover). Partial correlation networks revealed that dissimilarity, in vegetation structural complexity and soil conditions, impacts multi-taxa beta diversity and turnover. In addition, soil fauna, bacteria, and fungi were more strongly associated with the overall community than aboveground taxa. Thus, strategies aiming to enhance multi-taxa diversity should consider the central role of landscape heterogeneity and soil biota.
