Bimodal Habitat Changes and Associated Changes in Ecosystem Functions in European Biodiversity Coldspots

Habitat condition and availability are fundamental for sustaining biodiversity and the ecosystem services that support human well-being. Achieving biodiversity-related sustainability goals, therefore, necessitates a focus on habitat itself. This study examines habitat dynamics in biodiversity “coldspots”, or relatively species-poor areas not currently under protection, to provide insights into their trends and patterns of habitat change. Using freely available remote sensing data and local environmental datasets, we analyze habitat changes across test sites from four European ecoregions between 2000 and 2018 and evaluate the impact of pressures driving these changes on local ecosystem functioning. The study identifies seven primary drivers of habitat change, with Range Shift and Regrowth emerging as the most widespread pressures, while Conversion, Degradation, and Deforestation exerted the strongest influence on ecosystem functions such as Aboveground Biomass and Water Yield. A consistent bimodal distribution of habitat changes was observed, with frequent small-scale events, fewer large-scale events, but a lack of intermediate-scale events. By drawing attention to conservation needs in biodiversity coldspots, these findings emphasize the importance of integrating such areas into sustainable land use planning and protected area network expansion, ensuring that efforts extend beyond species-rich regions to prevent the loss of irreplaceable habitats and safeguard long-term conservation goals.