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1. Looking back on biodiversity change: lessons for the road ahead

   https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2022.0199  

   Dornelas, Maria; Chase, Jonathan M; Gotelli, Nicholas J; Magurran, Anne E; McGill, Brian J; Antão, Laura H; Blowes, Shane A; Daskalova, Gergana N; Leung, Brian; Martins, Inês S; et al (July 2023, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences)

   Estimating biodiversity change across the planet in the context of widespread human modification is a critical challenge. Here, we review how biodiversity has changed in recent decades across scales and taxonomic groups, focusing on four diversity metrics: species richness, temporal turnover, spatial beta-diversity and abundance. At local scales, change across all metrics includes many examples of both increases and declines and tends to be centred around zero, but with higher prevalence of declining trends in beta-diversity (increasing similarity in composition across space or biotic homogenization) and abundance. The exception to this pattern is temporal turnover, with changes in species composition through time observed in most local assemblages. Less is known about change at regional scales, although several studies suggest that increases in richness are more prevalent than declines. Change at the global scale is the hardest to estimate accurately, but most studies suggest extinction rates are probably outpacing speciation rates, although both are elevated. Recognizing this variability is essential to accurately portray how biodiversity change is unfolding, and highlights how much remains unknown about the magnitude and direction of multiple biodiversity metrics at different scales. Reducing these blind spots is essential to allow appropriate management actions to be deployed. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Detecting and attributing the causes of biodiversity change: needs, gaps and solutions’. 

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2. Plant diversity dynamics over space and time in a warming Arctic

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08946-8  

   García_Criado, Mariana; Myers-Smith, Isla H; Bjorkman, Anne D; Elmendorf, Sarah C; Normand, Signe; Aastrup, Peter; Aerts, Rien; Alatalo, Juha M; Baeten, Lander; Björk, Robert G; et al (April 2025, Nature)

   Abstract The Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average¹and plant communities are responding through shifts in species abundance, composition and distribution^2–4. However, the direction and magnitude of local changes in plant diversity in the Arctic have not been quantified. Using a compilation of 42,234 records of 490 vascular plant species from 2,174 plots across the Arctic, here we quantified temporal changes in species richness and composition through repeat surveys between 1981 and 2022. We also identified the geographical, climatic and biotic drivers behind these changes. We found greater species richness at lower latitudes and warmer sites, but no indication that, on average, species richness had changed directionally over time. However, species turnover was widespread, with 59% of plots gaining and/or losing species. Proportions of species gains and losses were greater where temperatures had increased the most. Shrub expansion, particularly of erect shrubs, was associated with greater species losses and decreasing species richness. Despite changes in plant composition, Arctic plant communities did not become more similar to each other, suggesting no biotic homogenization so far. Overall, Arctic plant communities changed in richness and composition in different directions, with temperature and plant–plant interactions emerging as the main drivers of change. Our findings demonstrate how climate and biotic drivers can act in concert to alter plant composition, which could precede future biodiversity changes that are likely to affect ecosystem function, wildlife habitats and the livelihoods of Arctic peoples^5,6. 

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3. Widespread homogenization of plant communities in the Anthropocene

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-27186-8  

   Daru, Barnabas H.; Davies, T. Jonathan; Willis, Charles G.; Meineke, Emily K.; Ronk, Argo; Zobel, Martin; Pärtel, Meelis; Antonelli, Alexandre; Davis, Charles C. (December 2021, Nature Communications)

   Abstract Native biodiversity decline and non-native species spread are major features of the Anthropocene. Both processes can drive biotic homogenization by reducing trait and phylogenetic differences in species assemblages between regions, thus diminishing the regional distinctiveness of biotas and likely have negative impacts on key ecosystem functions. However, a global assessment of this phenomenon is lacking. Here, using a dataset of >200,000 plant species, we demonstrate widespread and temporal decreases in species and phylogenetic turnover across grain sizes and spatial extents. The extent of homogenization within major biomes is pronounced and is overwhelmingly explained by non-native species naturalizations. Asia and North America are major sources of non-native species; however, the species they export tend to be phylogenetically close to recipient floras. Australia, the Pacific and Europe, in contrast, contribute fewer species to the global pool of non-natives, but represent a disproportionate amount of phylogenetic diversity. The timeline of most naturalisations coincides with widespread human migration within the last ~500 years, and demonstrates the profound influence humans exert on regional biotas beyond changes in species richness. 

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4. Responses to climate change – insights and limitations from herbaceous plant model species

   https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.70468  

   Kooyers, Nicholas J; Anderson, Jill T; Angert, Amy L; Avolio, Meghan L; Campbell, Diane R; Exposito‐Alonso, Moises; Juenger, Thomas E; Moeller, David A; Napier, Joseph D; Sheth, Seema N (October 2025, New Phytologist)

   Summary Herbaceous plant species have been the focus of extensive, long‐term research into climate change responses, but there has been little effort to synthesize results and predicted outlooks. This primer summarizes research on climate change responses for eight intensively studied herbaceous plant species. We establish generalities across species, examine limitations, and propose a path forward. Climate change has reduced fitness, caused maladaptation, and/or led to population declines in at least part of the range of all six forb species. Plasticity alone is likely not sufficient to allow adjustment to shifting climates. Most model species also have spatially restricted dispersal that may limit genetic and evolutionary rescue. These results are surprising, given that these species are generally widespread, span large elevation ranges, and have substantial genetic and phenotypic variation. The focal species have diverse life histories, reproductive strategies, and habitats, and most are native to North America. Thus, species that are rare, habitat specialists, or endemic to other parts of the world are poorly represented in this review. We encourage researchers to design demographic and field experiments that evaluate plant traits and fitness in contemporary and potential future conditions across the full life cycle, and that consider biotic interactions in climate change responses. 

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5. Responses to climate change – insights and limitations from herbaceous plant model systems

   https://doi.org/10.32942/X22K84  

   Kooyers, Nicholas; Anderson, Jill; Angert, Amy; Avolio, Meghan; Campbell, Diane; Exposito-Alonso, Moises; Juenger, Thomas; Moeller, David; Napier, Joseph; Sheth, Seema (March 2025, EcoEvoRxiv)

   Herbaceous plant species have been the focus of extensive, long-term research into climate change responses, but there has been little effort to synthesize results and predicted outlooks from different model species. We summarize research on climate change responses for eight intensively-studied herbaceous plant species. We establish generalities across species, examine limitations, interrogate biases, and propose a path forward. All six forb species exhibit reduced fitness, maladaptation, and/or population declines in at least part of the range. Plasticity alone is likely not sufficient to allow adjustment to shifting climates. Most model species also have spatially-restricted dispersal that may limit genetic and evolutionary rescue. These results are surprising, given that these species are widespread, span large elevation ranges, and generally have substantial levels of genetic and phenotypic variation. The focal species have diverse life histories, reproductive strategies, and habitats, but most are native to North America. Thus, these species may poorly represent rare species, habitat specialists, or species endemic to other parts of the world. We encourage researchers to design demographic and field experiments that evaluate plant traits and fitness in contemporary and potential future conditions across the full life cycle, and that consider the effects of climate change on biotic interactions. 

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