He Dark Diversity Concept that can be translated as dark or absent diversity, It is how the identification of potential species is known that could live in a certain place, but that are absent. It is a new way to measure the impact of human activity, whose most complete work has been published so far in the prestigious Nature Magazine.
The results show that, In regions with little human impact, ecosystems contain more than a third of the potentially adequate speciesWhile other types remain absent for natural reasons, such as a limited dispersion. On the other hand, ecosystems in regions that are very affected by human activities contain only one in five potential species.
Weld Traditional measurements of biodiversity, such as the simple number of the number of registered species, They have not detected this impact because, according to researchers, the natural variation of biodiversity between regions and ecosystems hid the true scope of human activities.
Dark diversity (dark diversity) or absent
OneThe Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (IPE) participates in a worldwide study of the ‘Dark Diversity (Dark Diversity) or absent in which absent vegetables have been analyzed In more than a hundred regions around the world, the National Park of Ordesa and Monte has been lost and that reveals the hidden impact of human activity on nature.
Various CSIC centers have collaborated in an international project published in ‘Nature’ that includes the effects of The functioning of humans in the absence of indigenous species of plantsknown as ‘Diversity dark ‘.
The Natural vegetation usually lacks many species that could live in those ecosystems, Especially in regions with a strong human impact, according to a new study published in Nature and coordinated by the University of Tartu (Estonia), the CSIC reports in Aragon.
More DE 200 scientists from the DarkDivnet International Consortium, including researchers from the Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (IPE-CSIC), analyzed plants in nearly 5,500 suddenly Distributed in 119 regions around the world.
On every site, local teams They registered all species present and calculated the so -driven “dark diversity”: native species That could live there, but be absent. This new way to the Biodiversity It showed the hidden impact of human activities on natural vegetation.
Human action and its consequences for ecosystems
In zones With low human intervention, ecosystems usually contain more than a third of the potentially adequate species, Although absences are usually explained by natural processes such as limited dispersion.
Instead of, In very affected regions there is only one in five suitable taxa. The traditional biodiversity measures, such as the number of observed species, have not detected this effect because the natural variation between ecosystems masked the human influence.
This Research shows that many indigenous species, although still present in the region, have disappeared Ecosystems For those who could live, reducing local ecological functionality.
In Aragon, The study was coordinated by IPE in JacaDue to the hand of researcher Ramón and Cajal Guillermo Bueno and the conservative of the Herbarium Pablo Tejero.
Sampling It was held between 2023 and 2024 in the National Park of Ordesa and Monte Lost, Where 30 vegetation plots of 10 x 10 meters were characterized in various types of habitats, under permission and with the cooperation of the National Park, to whom its support is deeply rated.
I know too They established two reference plots of 50 × 50 meters with the collaboration of the Technology of the IPE-CSIC Blanca Santamaría and various volunteer people and students (Cabe Destacar A Daniela Barria, Pablo Domínguez, Alba Lopez y Setra Vlahou, Entre Otras).
Aragonese of course jewel is therefore integrated into this global study to understand how Human activities influence absent diversity. In addition, soil samples were taken with the aim of the analysis of the diversity Hidden from fungi, especially mycorrin symbiontes.
The degree of human impact
Nasty Measures the degree of human disruption, the study used the human impact indexIncluding data on population density, land use (such as agriculture or urbanization) and infrastructure. It turned out that the diversity Real of plants in a site decreases considerably as this index increases in the area, even hundreds of kilometers away.
“It is worrying to see that the human impact even reaches protected areas. The effects of pollution, induced fires, illegal collection and habitat fragmentation They limit the return of absent species. We also saw that maintaining at least 30 % of the territory that is well stored in a region that reduces impact, which supports the global objective to protect 30 % of the planet by 2030, ”says Meelis Pärtel, main author of the study.
‘We had developed the theory of dark diversity and the methods to study them, but we needed a global sample network to make world comparisons“He explains. EFE/ECOTICIA.COM