The issue

Biodiversity is under threat with species declining at the fastest rate ever recorded. The biggest threats include habitat fragmentation and loss, climate change, pollution, invasive species and pathogens. At the same time, society is entirely dependent on ecosystem services, such as clean air and water, nutrient cycling, pollination and healthy soils, arising from the interactions between biodiversity and the physical and chemical environment. It is therefore essential to understand the extent that diversity links to the resilience of ecosystems.

UKCEH brings together the scientific capabilities and data necessary to understand the status of species populations, and links between biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. 

 

Our role

 

Our flagship Biological Records Centre brings together the scientific capabilities and data resources necessary to assess the status and trends of species populations. Integrating work across monitoring, experimentation, and modelling gives us the capacity to deliver solutions for conserving and restoring biodiversity.

Our commitment

  • To better understand the response and interactions between biodiversity and environmental change.
  • To define the impact of the many drivers of change, including climate, land use, invasive species and globalisation.
  • To develop effective, evidence-based mitigation strategies that inform and improve biosecurity preparedness, and halt and reverse the decline in biodiversity.