Has land use pushed terrestrial biodiversity beyond the planetary boundary? A global assessment

Land use and related pressures have reduced local terrestrial biodiversity, but it is unclear how the magnitude of change relates to the recently proposed planetary boundary ("safe limit"). We estimate that land use and related pressures have already reduced local biodiversity intactness--the average proportion of natural biodiversity remaining in local ecosystems--beyond its recently proposed planetary boundary across 58.1% of the world's land surface, where 71.4% of the human population live. Biodiversity intactness within most biomes (especially grassland biomes), most biodiversity hotspots, and even some wilderness areas is inferred to be beyond the boundary. Such widespread transgression of safe limits…

• SR
  Sight Research UK

  Awards: NE/J011193/2, NE/J011193/1, NE/M014533/1
• BA
  Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

  Award: BB/F017324/1
• NE
  Natural Environment Research Council

  Awards: NE/J011193/2, NE/L002515/1, NE/J011193/2, NE/J011193/1, NE/M014533/1