How the use of chemicals and biodiversity loss are connected

Newswise — The insufficient examination of chemicals in the environment as a contributing factor to the decline in biodiversity is a concern that has been highlighted by a group of forty scientists. These researchers, affiliated with the RobustNature research network of Goethe University Frankfurt and collaborating institutes, have recently published a study in the journal "Nature Ecology and Evolution" supporting this notion. They propose that adopting an interdisciplinary approach will provide new opportunities to enhance our understanding of biodiversity loss and develop more effective countermeasures. Their focus is on investigating the interactions between chemical pollution and the decline in biodiversity.

The decline in biodiversity poses a significant threat to the fundamental basis of human life. While science acknowledges that multiple factors contribute to this decline, there is a disparity in the level of attention given to the impact of chemicals on biodiversity. In a recent study led by Professor Henner Hollert, Dr. Francisco Sylvester, and Fabian Weichert from Goethe University Frankfurt, a comprehensive analysis of scientific literature on this subject from 1990 to 2021 was conducted. The findings reveal that research papers concerning environmental pollution caused by chemicals were predominantly published in highly specialized ecotoxicological journals, with only occasional inclusion of papers addressing biodiversity loss. This suggests a high level of isolation within the field, contrasting with the publication patterns observed for other causes of global biodiversity loss. According to Henner Hollert, "Research on the environmental impact of chemicals remains largely disconnected from the assessment of biodiversity loss."

The researchers advocate for a stronger interdisciplinary approach in order to gain a better understanding of the impacts of chemical substances on biodiversity and to mitigate these effects. They express optimism due to recent methodological advancements in ecotoxicology and ecology. These advancements include the use of cutting-edge chemical and effect-based analytics, as well as big data science, which enables the simultaneous detection of numerous known and unknown substances in environmental samples. Additionally, technologies such as remote environmental monitoring, such as satellites, and computer models for predicting ecological risks of chemicals, along with methods for assessing biodiversity using environmental DNA, provide further opportunities for research.

However, despite the interdisciplinary approach, the researchers acknowledge significant challenges. These challenges include the lack of fundamental data, the unique characteristics of each studied area, and the complexity of processes at the ecosystem scale. To address these challenges, the researchers have put forward 16 recommendations. Some of these recommendations include mandating the public disclosure of relevant data by industries and developing ecological test models that encompass not only individual organisms but also populations, communities, and entire ecosystems.

The RobustNature research network focuses on investigating the robustness and resilience of nature-society systems in the developing Anthropocene, particularly the interaction between chemical pollution and biodiversity loss. To address crucial questions related to the dynamics between humans and ecosystems, RobustNature collaborates with interdisciplinary partners from Germany and abroad. More information about the research network can be found at their website: https://www.robustnature.de/en

Partners:

• Goethe University Frankfurt (Coordination; Faculty of Biological Sciences (15) with the faculties of Law (1), Economics & Business (2), Social Sciences (3), Educational Sciences (4), Geosciences & Geography (11), Computer Science & Mathematics (12), Medicine (16) and the profile area Sustainability & Biodiversity)
• Institute for Social-Ecological Research (ISOE)
• Senckenberg – Leibniz Institution for Biodiversity and Earth System Research (SGN)
• LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG)
• Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig
• Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE, Frankfurt
• Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME), Schmallenberg
• RWTH Aachen University
• University of Saskatchewan, Canada
• ETH Zurich, Switzerland
• Stockholm University, Sweden