Determinants of Terrestrial and Limnic Species Richness in Germany

ABSTRACT Aim Biodiversity is increasingly threatened by human impacts. While abiotic conditions are well known to shape species richness, the role of human activities remains less clear. We examined how abiotic and human factors influence terrestrial and limnic species richness in a densely populated region with a long land‐use history. Location Germany. Time Period 1900–2023 (varies by taxonomic group). Major Taxa Studied Mammals, breeding birds, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, butterflies, dragonflies, fungi, vascular plants. Methods Species richness data were aggregated in 11 × 11 km grid cells and related to abiotic (climate, soil) and human drivers (land use, protection status). We applied a two‐step approach: (1) Boosted Regression Trees (BRTs) to select relevant predictor variables and (2) Generalised Additive Models (GAMs) to test their effects, accounting for spatial autocorrelation. Results Land‐use and climate were similarly important for species richness (26% vs. 21% in BRTs), while protection status and soil contributed less (8% and 9%). GAMs showed positive effects of temperature across many groups. Among land‐use factors, human footprint, urban open spaces and water bodies consistently enhanced richness. Protected areas were positively related to richness, whereas soil variables had mixed effects. Main Conclusions In Germany, species richness peaks not only in semi‐natural, protected areas but also along water bodies and within settlement open spaces. These results suggest that conservation strategies should integrate both traditional protected areas and human‐modified habitats that sustain high biodiversity.

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Publication Details

Journal
Diversity and Distributions
Published
2026-03-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.70170
Primary Topic
Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
Type
article
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article

Determinants of Terrestrial and Limnic Species Richness in Germany

Heiko Brunken, Anja Schmidt, Nina Farwig, Elisabeth Kühn et al.
Diversity and Distributions
Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
article

Determinants of Terrestrial and Limnic Species Richness in Germany

Heiko Brunken, Anja Schmidt, Nina Farwig, Elisabeth Kühn, André Mascarenhas, Klaus‐Jürgen Conze, Jörn Müller, Christian Albert, Fabian Herder, Peter Pogoda, Julia S. Ellerbrok, Frank Suhling, Vera Schreiner, Christian Ristok, Veronika Braunisch, Martin Wirth, Jori Maylin Marx, Bettina Gerlach, G. Hahn, Götz Ellwanger, Axel Ssymank, Peter Keil, Alexander Harpke, Reinhard Klenke, J Ferenczy, Thilo Wellmann, Florian Jansen, M. Musche, J. Settele, Maria Sporbert, Claus Bässler, Johannes Kamp, David Eichenberg, Dagmar Haase, Heide‐Rose Vatterrott, Nico Eisenhauer, Gunnar Seidler, Helge Bruelheide, Hong Hanh Nguyen, Jakob Katzenberger
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Aim Biodiversity is increasingly threatened by human impacts. While abiotic conditions are well known to shape species richness, the role of human activities remains less clear. We examined how abiotic and human factors influence terrestrial and limnic species richness in a densely populated region with a long land‐use history. Location Germany. Time Period 1900–2023 (varies by taxonomic group). Major Taxa Studied Mammals, breeding birds, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, butterflies, dragonflies, fungi, vascular plants. Methods Species richness data were aggregated in 11 × 11 km grid cells and related to abiotic (climate, soil) and human drivers (land use, protection status). We applied a two‐step approach: (1) Boosted Regression Trees (BRTs) to select relevant predictor variables and (2) Generalised Additive Models (GAMs) to test their effects, accounting for spatial autocorrelation. Results Land‐use and climate were similarly important for species richness (26% vs. 21% in BRTs), while protection status and soil contributed less (8% and 9%). GAMs showed positive effects of temperature across many groups. Among land‐use factors, human footprint, urban open spaces and water bodies consistently enhanced richness. Protected areas were positively related to richness, whereas soil variables had mixed effects. Main Conclusions In Germany, species richness peaks not only in semi‐natural, protected areas but also along water bodies and within settlement open spaces. These results suggest that conservation strategies should integrate both traditional protected areas and human‐modified habitats that sustain high biodiversity.

Diversity and DistributionsVol. 32(3)
University of Stuttgart (DE), Leibniz University Hannover (DE), University of Bern (CH), German Society of Surgery (DE), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (DE), Leipzig University of Applied Sciences (DE), Philipps University of Marburg (DE), Hochschule Bremen (DE), Cal Poly Humboldt (US), University of Würzburg (DE), Bavarian Forest National Park (DE), Luther University (KR), German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (DE), Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (DE), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE), Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (DE), PFH Private University of Applied Sciences (DE), Stifterverband (DE), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Hämatologie und Medizinische Onkologie (DE), Arbeitsgemeinschaft Urologische Onkologie (DE), Forest Research Institute (BG), Institut für biologische Forschung (DE), Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (DE), University of Rostock (DE), University of Bayreuth (DE), University of Duisburg-Essen (DE), Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (DE), University of Göttingen (DE), Leipzig University (DE), University of Bologna (IT), Technische Universität Braunschweig (DE)
Sustainable cities and communities
Openalex Percentile: Top 6%
Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
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