This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Climate change and shifts in land use are affecting habitats and, consequently, plant diversity. To better understand the consequences of these developments, long-term and comprehensive data are essential.
The "Floristic Mapping of Baden-Württemberg," coordinated by the Stuttgart State Museum of Natural History, provides a foundation for this. The data collected over five decades as part of this citizen science project document significant changes in the flora of southwestern Germany, drawing on more than 2.5 million plant observations. They also provide insights into changes in plant diversity in Germany and Central Europe.
A research team from the Stuttgart State Museum of Natural History and the University of Hohenheim has jointly analyzed these data. The results show that while some areas in southwestern Germany have gained plant species, particularly diverse areas—hotspots of diversity—tend to lose diversity. The analysis underscores how crucial the local context is for biodiversity and effective nature conservation.
It is not enough to simply preserve as many species as possible. Conservation measures should be tailored to the specific area and also take into account the ecological characteristics and evolutionary distinctiveness of the plant species found there. The study was published in the journal Global Change Biology.
The plant data revealed a clear pattern: Areas that were particularly diverse at the start of the investigations tended to lose diversity over time. Regions such as the Swabian Alb and the Black Forest have been particularly affected, with characteristic species and ecological features in decline. "The question of whether biodiversity is increasing or decreasing overall does not go far enough.
Patterns of change vary depending on the area and the aspect of biodiversity under consideration. An increase in species numbers is not automatically positive. If widespread species expand while specialized species disappear, landscapes may lose some of their distinctive ecological character.
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