[Science] Thousands of UK wildlife and plant species are in decline – AI

By Adam Vaughan The biggest driver for biodiversity loss is the intensification of farmingPaul White – UK Industries / Alamy Stock Photo The UK’s ongoing loss of wildlife and plants is showing no signs of slowing. The most comprehensive assessment yet of the state of nature in the UK has found that the area occupied by more than 6500 species has shrunk by 5 per cent since 1970. Of the species that we have more detailed data on, nearly 700 saw their numbers fall by 13 per cent. The declines have left 15 per cent of species facing extinction, including the turtle dove, numbers of which are down 98 per cent in half a century. “We have this pattern of ongoing loss, which is showing no slowing in the rate of decline. Overall, we are losing more species than we are gaining,” says Daniel Hayhow of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. The RSPB is a member of the State of Nature partnership alongside other conservation groups, such as The Wildlife Trusts, and government bodies such as Natural England. Advertisement While the 5 per cent fall in distribution of species may sound small, Hayhow calls it a “canary in the coal mine signal” because changes in distribution usually happen much more slowly than changes in abundance. This year’s report was able for the first time to draw on figures on less well-studied species, such as lacewings, hoverflies and lichens, after biases in the data were adjusted for. The picture for moths and butterflies, such as the northern brown argus, is one of steep declines. Mammals and birds show a slight increase since 1970, which masks dramatic falls in some species such as kittiwakes and hen harriers. “You’ve got some species declining at a rate that is a massive conservation concern,” says Hayhow. The biggest driver for change is the intensification of farming, followed by climate change. Public funding for nature conservation has also been hit hard, falling by 42 per cent as a percentage of GDP between 2008 and 2018. Cuts mean public spending on biodiversity is now at £456 million a year. The report also notes that the UK will miss most of its biodiversity targets for 2020, which will be assessed at a landmark summit in China next year. Only five of the 20 targets will be met, according to the UK government, and the State of Nature partnership disagrees on whether those five will really be achieved. The findings come ahead of protests next Monday in London by environmental campaign group Extinction Rebellion, which wants the government to declare an “ecological emergency” and stop biodiversity loss. Environment secretary Theresa Villers welcomed the report, saying: “It is critical that we continue to act now, both internationally and at home.” More on these topics: biodiversity wildlife