Understanding mental constructs of biodiversity: Implications for biodiversity management and conservation

The participation of the public in environmental decision-making and management is increasingly seen as essential for the success of conservation initiatives. Ecological scientists and conservation practitioners have, however, argued that a lack of understanding of biodiversity issues by the public is a barrier to their effective participation in decision-making processes. These arguments are often based on studies where scientific knowledge is used as the sole measure of public understanding of biodiversity, and therefore fail to account for individuals’ constructs of biodiversity and related issues such as biodiversity management.We examined individuals’ mental constructs of biodiversity, and their conceptual contexts, through a series of focus group discussions with members of the general public in Scotland. To gain a fuller picture of public understanding of biodiversity, we distinguished between mental associations with the term ‘biodiversity’, and the meanings associated with biodiversity-related concepts independent of scientific terminology.We found participants to express rich mental concepts of biodiversity, irrespective of their scientific knowledge. These included notions of balance, food chains and human-nature interactions, and showed strong normative dimensions that were used to define desirable or ideal states of nature. These concepts of biodiversity were, in turn, strongly related to their attitudes towards how best to manage biodiversity.This study highlights that a better understanding of individuals’ mental constructs of biodiversity, which are linked to their attitudes towards biodiversity management, is essential for the design of biodiversity-related policies that are supported by the public.     

Invasive plant suppresses charismatic seabird - the construction of attitudes towards biodiversity management options

Public attitudes towards biodiversity issues and the value judgments underlying biodiversity management and conservation are still poorly understood. This has raised serious concerns regarding the effective use of public participation in biodiversity policy making. We conducted quantitative face-to-face interviews with members of the general public in southeast Scotland to assess attitudes towards biodiversity management and examine attitude formation. For this, we applied social psychological attitude-behaviour theories to a case study investigating biodiversity management options for an island ecosystem in which the abundance of a charismatic seabird, the Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) is compromised by the expansion of a tall invasive plant, tree mallow (Lavatera arborea). We found that attitudes as expressed by members of the public are informed by both value- and knowledge-based elements. Our research provides clear support for the notion that, in a conservation context, value-based principles matter to the public. Out of a set of seven conservation-related values, ‘balance’ and ‘naturalness’ were important factors that related strongly to the respondents’ attitudes. These relationships were even stronger for individuals emotionally involved with the topic. Other value-based principles such as uniqueness, autochthony and endangeredness of the species involved appeared to be of lesser relevance. The findings provide evidence that attitudes can be considered as distinct constructs that offer valuable and meaningful information to biodiversity policymakers and managers, and allow empirical insights into the way value judgments influence biodiversity management and conservation.     

Effects of urbanization on California’s fish diversity: Differentiation, homogenization and the influence of spatial scale

Human development of freshwater ecosystems has lead to drastic changes in freshwater fish faunas, including the loss of many native species and the gain of non-natives. Typically conservation ecologists view these two opposing forces as contributing to biological homogenization, and consider homogenization as one of the principle negative consequences of urbanization. However, homogenization is only one outcome out of many that can result from the loss and gain of species. In particular, it is possible for invasions and extinctions to lead to differentiation; a process whereby two (or more) regions become less similar to one another through time. Using the freshwater fishes of California, we show that urbanization is highly positively correlated to both the endangerment of native fish and the invasion of non-native fish within watersheds. Despite this, the fish faunas of California’s watersheds have differentiated from one another through time. Furthermore, the degree of differentiation is positively correlated with measures of urbanization, which is contrary to expectation. We suggest that this result reflects: (1) the haphazard manner in which non-native fishes have been introduced into California watersheds, (2) the difficulty that both native and non-native fishes have in expanding their geographical ranges, and (3) the continued presence of vestiges of formerly distinct regional faunas. This pattern of differentiation among watersheds is likely a matter of scale, as previous work on freshwater fishes has demonstrated homogenization at both larger and smaller spatial scales. In addition the observed pattern is probably a short-term (temporal) phenomena and will disappear with continued invasion and extinction. We suggest that similar patterns may occur for other taxa that have limited natural dispersal abilities and that are idiosyncratically released as non-natives via human activities (e.g. herptiles).     

The influence of disturbance and habitat on the presence of non-native plant species along transport corridors

The impact from transportation corridors on surrounding habitat often reaches far beyond the edge of the corridor. The altered disturbance regime in plant communities along corridor edges and vehicle traffic facilitate the spread and establishment of invasive non-native plant species. We compared the frequency of non-native plant species along highways and railways and the ability of these species to invade grasslands and dense forests along these corridors. We measured the frequency of several non-native plant species along transects 0-150 m from the edge of highways and railways in grasslands and forests, as well as at control sites away from corridors. Both transportation corridors had higher frequency of non-native species than respective control sites. Grasslands had higher frequency of non-native species than forested habitats, but the frequency did not differ between the highways and the railways. The frequency of non-native species in grasslands along highways and railways was higher than at grassland control sites up to 150 m from the corridor edge, whereas the frequency in forested habitats along corridors was higher than at forested control sites up to only 10 m from the corridor edge. There was a significant decrease in the frequency of non-native species with increasing distance from both corridors in the forest, while grasslands showed no significant change in non-native species frequency with distance from corridors. This suggests that corridor edges and grassland habitats act as microhabitats for non-native species and are more prone to invasion than forests, especially if disturbed. Our results emphasize the importance of minimizing the disturbance of adjacent plant communities along highways and railways during construction and maintenance, particularly in grassland habitats and in areas sensitive to additional fragmentation and habitat loss.     

Recovery of native plant communities after the control of a dominant invasive plant species, Foeniculum vulgare: Implications for management

The control and/or removal of a dominant invasive species is expected to lead to increases in native species richness and diversity. Small pilot studies were performed on Santa Cruz Island (SCI), California, in the early 1990s to test the efficacy of different methods on the control of Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) and management’s effects on native species recovery. We chose a treatment that showed significant native species recovery, applied it at the landscape scale, and followed its effects on fennel infested plant communities. We tested the hypothesis that results from small-scale studies translate to the landscape level. We found that although the control of fennel translated from the small to landscape scale, decreasing from an average of 60% to less than 3% cover, native species recovery did not occur in the landscape study as it did in the pilot studies. Invasive fennel cover was replaced by non-native grass cover over time. Unexpectedly, fennel cover in untreated fennel plots decreased significantly (though not as drastically) from over 60% cover to just under 40% cover while native species richness in untreated areas increased significantly. The correlation between precipitation and changes in native and non-native species richness and abundance in this study imply that changes in species abundances were highly correlated with environmental fluctuations. The lack of a native seedbank and the accumulation of non-native grass litter likely prevented the recovery of native species in treated areas. Greater vertical complexity found in fennel communities, which increased visitation by frugivorous birds and likely increased native seed dispersal, may have been responsible for the increase in native species richness in the untreated areas. These results suggest that successful invasive species control and native species recovery experiments conducted at small scales may not translate to the landscape level, and active restoration should be an organic component of such large-scale projects.     

Universal criteria for species conservation priorities? Findings from a survey of public views across Europe

Decisions on biodiversity management and conservation are increasingly based on indicators. These imply, explicitly or implicitly, a number of criteria such as nativeness, rarity, endangeredness and (economic) value. We investigated to which degree such criteria matter to members of the general public and conducted a survey in eight sites across Europe (n = 2378). We explored the relationships between perceived desirability of a species’ population increase and six species-related attributes, including previous population change, rarity, vulnerability, harmfulness, value, attractiveness, and nativeness.For all three species types investigated, previous population change, followed by perceived harmfulness and value, had the strongest relationship with desirability of future increase. Perceived nativeness played only a minor role in informing a species’ desirability. A strong relationship between previous change and desirability of future increase could also be found in a number of additional species and six different habitat types, suggesting that previous change is a key criterion that the general public draws on to inform their attitudes towards biodiversity management.We compare the roles of such criteria for the general public to those used in the scientific and political discourse, and draw conclusions for the use of indicators in the conservation debate, arguing that biodiversity management that is strongly focused on nativeness might fall short of the interests of the citizenship, whereas other criteria, such as population trends, harmfulness and role and value of a species in the ecosystem strongly resonate with the views of the general public.     

Evaluating barriers to native seedling establishment in an invaded Hawaiian lowland wet forest

Many tropical island forest ecosystems are dominated by non-native plant species and lack native species regeneration in the understorey. Comparison of replicated control and removal plots offers an opportunity to examine not only invasive species impacts but also the restoration potential of native species. In lowland Hawaiian wet forests little is known about native species seed dynamics, recruitment requirements, or the effects of management. In a heavily invaded lowland wet forest, we examined the relationship between seed presence and seedling establishment in control and removal plots. Non-native species were competitively superior because they had higher germination percentages and dominated the seed bank; only seven out of 33,375 seedlings were native. In contrast, the seed rain contained native seed, but native seedling recruitment was almost exclusively limited to removal plots, suggesting that optimum establishment conditions are not met in the presence of a dense mid-storey of non-native species. Non-native species dominance was altered and biomass significantly decreased over time resulting in a reduced weeding effort (12.38-0.77 g day⁻¹). We suggest that with opening of the canopy through non-native species removal and subsequent weeding, it may be possible to reduce the seed bank enough to skew the regeneration potential towards native species. Our results suggest that germination success and lack of a seed bank are the main bottlenecks for native species. We conclude that without invasive species control, future regeneration of Hawaiian lowland wet forests is likely to be almost entirely non-native.     

What drives policy decision-making related to species conservation?

While many countries have developed and expanded efforts to sustain and enhance the protection of biodiversity, the effectiveness of such programs, as well as the manner in which funds are distributed, has been questioned. We examined funding allocation decisions for species conservation in Spain at different governmental scales. Several factors that may impact conservation spending patterns and policy decisions were examined, including available scientific data, current scientific policies, and public awareness and perceptions of conservation needs. Our analyses revealed a strong connection between existing conservation policies and scientific information, research priorities and public concern. We found that there is a substantial bias in the taxa that are studied, the funding levels for those studies and public policy which triggers and supports the studies. The relationships, however, are not strictly cause and effect, but are instead enmeshed in a complex feed-back system in which conventional scientific activity acts as the main driver but is itself influenced by both policy and public perception. By acknowledging both the essential role of science in this system and the critical factors that can influence the acquisition of scientific information, a constructive dialog can be established that will propel conservation activities to a more productive and environmentally sound outcome.     

Survival of the western pond turtle (Emys marmorata) in an urban California environment

The western pond turtle Emys (formerly Clemmys) marmorata is declining throughout its range, primarily due to loss of habitat via urbanization and conversion to agriculture. Urban waterways present several important challenges to freshwater turtle populations, but they also present an opportunity to maintain declining species in a ubiquitous habitat that has high public visibility. The arboretum waterway on the University of California, Davis campus is an example of an extensively altered urban habitat that supports a relatively large E. marmorata population. Over the last 6 years, we monitored the turtle population inhabiting the arboretum waterway to determine the demographic health of the population, and the challenges and opportunities that urban environments pose for pond turtles. Since 1993, the naturally existing arboretum pond turtle population has declined by approximately 40% and has shown little natural recruitment. During this time, we also introduced 31 headstarted turtles into the arboretum. Headstarting is the process of raising juveniles in captivity until they have outgrown their period of greatest vulnerability to predators, and then releasing them into the wild. Our headstarting results demonstrate that this contentious strategy is a viable option for adding young turtles to the population, although it does not address the causes of decline. Over the course of our study, we encountered nine species of non-native turtles in the waterway, and these appear to be a serious threat to the native species. As more habitat becomes urbanized, it is increasingly important to understand how freshwater turtles, such as E. marmorata, adapt to urban waterways and the impact of non-native turtles on native turtle species. Our strong feeling is that urban waterways can provide habitat for viable populations of freshwater turtles and showcase them to the public, but both the aquatic and terrestrial habitat must be managed according to the biological requirements of individual species.     

Using self-organizing maps to investigate spatial patterns of non-native species

Our ability to demonstrate statistical patterns of invasion by non-native species will determine the success of future management projects. We investigated the suitability of self-organizing maps (SOM, neural network) for patterning habitat invasion by exotic fish species at the regional scale (Southwest France), using a binary dataset of species occurrences. The SOM visualization can be used as an analytical tool to bring out relationships between sample locations and biological variables, but in addition the weight of each species in the output of the SOM can be interpreted as its occurrence probability in various geographic areas. After training the SOM with fish presence/absence data, the k-means algorithm helped to derive three major clusters of sites (headwater, montane, and plain areas). Each cluster was divided into two subsets of sites according to non-native fish, because assemblage compositions delineated different geological areas: Pyrenees Mountains, Massif Central Mountains, and alluvial plain. Occurrence probabilities of species within our study stream system were roughly influenced by river typology, with a higher occurrence probability for most species (i.e. a greater risk) in downstream sections. Conversely, headwater streams at the highest elevations in the study area showed the lowest risk of invasion. Efficient analytical tools such as SOM may thus help to yield explicit schemes that could influence the measures to be taken in the latter phase of conservation plans.     

DNA sequences identify invasive alien Cardamine at Lake Constance

The shores of Lake Constance in southwest Germany inhabit an endemic and highly endangered lake-shore community. In spring 2004, a so far unknown Cardamine (Brassicaceae) was detected at the lake-shores. In the subsequent years, this taxon has spread rapidly, 95 locations have been recorded until spring 2007. We tested the utility of DNA sequences to distinguish between two alternative hypotheses regarding the appearance of this new invasive taxon: a local formation via hybridization between native species versus an introduction of a non-native taxon. The relative DNA contents was analysed as an additional independent character. DNA sequences provided substantial evidence that the unknown Cardamine taxon, recently discovered at Lake Constance in southwest Germany, is a non-native species introduced from abroad. Sequences of the internal transcribed spacer of the large subunits of nuclear ribosomal DNA and two noncoding regions of chloroplast DNA (trnL intron, trnL/F spacer) were distant from sequences of all native Cardamine species providing evidence against a hybridization hypothesis. In contrast, DNA sequences of the unknown Cardamine were identical to one accession of Cardamine flexuosa auct. non With. (Asian C. flexuosa) from Japan. The introduction history of Asian C. flexuosa at Lake Constance and the potential threat to the native lake-shore vegetation is discussed. Our study highlights the potential of DNA sequences to identify invasive genotypes and source regions.     

Concerns regarding the scientific evidence informing impact risk assessment and management recommendations for invasive birds

Invasive species can be a major threat to biodiversity and economy. Given the large number of introduced invasive species and the limited resources available, a rigorous assessment of the potential impact of these species is of vital importance for prioritizing management programs. Often, general scoring systems in which certain criteria are used to assess the impact of an invader along several impact categories are applied to obtain a ranking of troublesome invaders. Likewise, Kumschick and Nentwig (2010) provided a first categorization of invasive bird impacts in Europe, and argued that several invasive birds should be eradicated because of the threat they pose to biodiversity.This is surprising, as recent reviews suggest that there is little evidence that invasive birds strongly impact biodiversity. We therefore re-evaluated this risk assessment. We found that in the majority of cases, the evidence presented to support impact claims is weak, as they are generally not based on direct scientific research but on often anecdotal observations relating to small areas only. Moreover, even if all claims would materialize, this does not necessarily justify a call for eradication. Previous experiences with eradications have learnt that a feasibility study, encompassing all aspects of biological invasions (including public opinion and possible benefits of the invader) is critical for the achievement of any strategy against invasive species. This is essential, as ill-conceived calls for eradication could result in a public backlash, causing funding agencies and managers to shy away from the problems posed by invasive species.     

The American mink in Europe: Status, impacts, and control

We examine the distribution of American mink Mustela vison in 28 European countries, and we review the impacts of this invasive species and the efforts made so far in controlling it. Our study reveals that, although mink farms are mostly concentrated in northern countries, mink are widely distributed across Europe, and that in some countries mink are apparently declining, although in most cases the causes are unknown. Countries for which the impact of mink on native species has been studied show that mink can have a significant effect on ground-nesting birds, rodents, amphibians and mustelids. The overall economic impact of feral mink seems to be relatively small but can be significant in specific regions. Recently, a number of eradication and local control projects have been carried out throughout Europe, indicating that these actions could be effective to protect native species. A consistent body of knowledge is starting to accumulate on issues concerning the American mink as an invasive alien species, but, as this review highlights, for most European countries there is currently a limited knowledge about its distribution or impacts. Taking all these observations together, we present some of the actions that have recently emerged as effective for dealing with this species and discuss which considerations may further encourage competent European authorities to take action to prevent and mitigate impacts of American mink.     

Disperser communities and legacies of goat grazing determine forest succession on the remote Three Kings Islands, New Zealand

Many remote islands are degraded as a result of deforestation and browsing of vegetation by introduced goats. Goat eradication is therefore a focus for island restoration, but there are few long-term records of change on islands after eradications. In 1946, three permanent plots were established immediately after goats were eradicated from Great Island (Manawa Tawhi), 60 km from northern New Zealand, and provide a 57-year record of change across a sequence of forest succession. Since 1946, the native and non-native bird communities that disperse 75% of the woody flora have increased from six to eight species and bird-dispersed woody plants in plots have increased from 7 to 11 species. After 1946, palatable trees were recruited in the plots. Unpalatable understorey sedges, present when goats were abundant, have persisted and may impede tree seedling establishment. Of the bird-dispersed woody plant species, 41% occur in the plots compared with 67% of the non-bird-dispersed species. Large-seeded species were unable to germinate away from parents until native pigeons Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae were present during the last decade. Forest succession is a consequence of interactions between the legacy of goat grazing and current disperser communities. Survival of seed-limited rare plants is not guaranteed in these circumstances. Although non-native goats no longer influence succession directly, non-native birds have been and remain important components of the disperser community. Our study supports the view that a whole-ecosystem understanding of the interactions between native and non-native species is needed to predict the consequences of eradications on islands worldwide.     

Projecting impacts of human disturbances to inform conservation planning and management in a dryland forest landscape

Systematic approaches to conservation planning and management require spatially explicit information on the dynamics of multiple disturbance processes, but progress in providing such information has been limited to date. Here we examine the use of a spatially explicit model of forest dynamics (LANDIS-II), incorporating a range of ecological processes, to examine the impacts of different types of disturbance on a dryland forest landscape in Central Chile. The model was parameterized using spatial data and results of a field survey, in which 21 native tree species were recorded, and one invasive exotic (Acacia dealbata). Seven disturbance scenarios were simulated, with different combinations of fire, browsing and tree cutting. Model results indicated relatively little impact of disturbance on forest cover but substantial differences in forest structure, with relatively old-growth forest stands (>120 years old) being virtually eliminated from the landscape in scenarios with both browsing and cutting. Tree species richness tended to be lower in those scenarios without disturbance, highlighting potential trade-offs between forest structure and species richness. Spread of A. dealbata was projected only to occur in the presence of fire when combined with browsing and/or cutting. These interactive effects of different forms of disturbance illustrate the value of process-based modeling approaches for exploring the spatial dynamics of multiple disturbance processes, but highlight the difficulty of identifying an optimum disturbance regime that would enable conservation objectives to be achieved. It is suggested that process-based models should form part of an analytical ‘toolkit’ to support the practical implementation of systematic conservation planning approaches.     

Flora and lepidoptera fauna adversely affected by invasive Lupinus polyphyllus along road verges

An increasing number of invasive species are changing ecosystems around the world. Road verges have commonly become the first footholds of non-native species in the new environments. Regularly mown road verges also offer habitats for meadow flora and fauna, which in Europe have suffered from the radical decline of semi-natural biotopes due to the agricultural modernization. We studied impacts of an invasive plant Lupinus polyphyllus on the plant and Lepidoptera species composition along road verges. The plant species composition was studied on 15 sites (with 1 m² quadrats) and butterflies and diurnal moths along 15 transects (with weekly censuses) in SE Finland, each site and transect representing equally lupine invaded verge and an adjacent non-lupine verge. The species richness and diversity of flora and the cover and species richness of low growing (<20 cm) species, in particular, was lower in lupine verges compared to non-lupine verges. Also, the abundance of butterflies was lower in lupine verges. As the lupine cover approached 100%, fewer butterflies were observed in lupine transects compared to the adjacent non-lupine transects and a higher proportion of individuals were flying. Our results suggest that the changes in plant species assemblages and lower plant species richness in lupine invaded areas had “bottom-up” effects on higher trophic levels. Further studies on the control of lupine are urgently needed, but meanwhile we suggest regular mowing before the lupines have shed their seeds, together with the removal of the cuttings, to be the best management option.     

Patterns of fish invasions in the Great Plains of North America

A basic step toward controlling invasive species outbreaks is to predict which assemblages or habitats are most susceptible to invasion and effects of invading species on native communities. However, because predictive models may not work across a wide range of conditions it is important to examine processes associated with fish invasions across different regions. In this study, we use data from 949 sites in Oklahoma and Kansas to examine spatial patterns of species invasions in the Great Plains region of the US. Of these sites, 16 were intensively sampled between 1977 and 1994 and used to evaluate temporal patterns of species introductions. We found a trend of increasing introduced species richness without a decline in native species richness over 18 years. However, total abundance and community structure of native assemblages has changed at several of these sites during this time period. Because some of these changes occurred at sites with few or no introduced species, factors other than interactions with introduced fishes may have been responsible for this pattern. A stepwise multiple regression model that included human population size, native species richness, mean annual precipitation and drainage area explained 43% of the variation in the number of non-native species across all sites. Most introduced species in this region have native ranges within the Mississippi River basin and therefore are presumably adapted to regional environmental conditions. Great Plains streams have, to some extent, resisted invasion by introduced species; however, our analysis shows that proximity to dense human populations and importance to humans has largely structured species introductions and can partly explain spatial patterns of species invasions in this region.     

A future for soil ecology ? Connecting the system levels: moving from genomes to ecosystems: Opening Lecture to the XIII ICSZ “Biodiversity of soil organisms and ecosystem functioning”

As an introduction to the XIII ICSZ “Biodiversity of soil organisms and ecosystem functioning” the question is raised what contribution soil ecology has made to general ecology. Although the appearance of soil ecological papers in general ecological journals is limited, soil ecologists have had a major contribution to especially functional aspects of ecology like nutrient release and energy turnover mechanisms, perhaps partly due to the applied character of soil ecology. As a way forward it is suggested to unify further work and scientific discussions according to five research themes: 1. Combined spatial and temporal heterogeneity; 2. Scaling up from individual mobility via distribution patterns to bio-geography; 3. Structural and functional biodiversity: from gene- to ecosystem level; 4. Nutrient cycling/energy transfer at the micro- to macro-level; 5. Adaptability from bacteria to ecosystems: is there a mutual mechanism connecting genetic variation with ecosystemś adaptive mechanisms?     

Holoparasitic Cuscuta campestris suppresses invasive Mikania micrantha and contributes to native community recovery

Traditional biocontrol uses introduced non-native agents to control alien invasive species. Recently, using species of the invaded regions to control invaders has been proposed as a potential alternative to traditional biocontrol. To explore the effects of the obligate parasite Cuscuta campestris in the invaded regions on controlling the alien invasive weed Mikania micrantha and on recovering the heavily invaded communities in the coastal Guangdong Province in South China, we conducted a field survey in four sites on the Neilingding Island where Cuscuta has been artificially introduced to the Mikania-invaded communities for one to 4 years, and also three sites in Shenzhen, Dongguan and Haifeng where the Mikania-invaded communities have been naturally parasitized by Cuscuta for at least 5 years. Cuscuta effectively suppressed the growth and invasiveness of Mikania, leading to its decline. The restraint on Mikania by Cuscuta increased richness and diversity of native plants, contributing to native community recovery. Moreover, Cuscuta declined with decreasing Mikania, and its parasitism rate on Mikania was much higher than that on the native species, suggesting little non-target effects. The effects of Cuscuta varied little among sites of Shenzhen, Dongguan and Haifeng, but increased greatly with time of introduction on the Neilingding Island. Our results suggest that Cuscuta is an effective agent for controlling Mikania, and that enemies of the invaded regions may be a promising alternative to traditional biocontrol.     

Managing agricultural change for biodiversity conservation in a Mediterranean upland

In Europe, land use changes follow public policies, and particularly the Common Agricultural Policy. To predict the effect of policies on agricultural practices, landscape, and ultimately biodiversity, requires understanding of the interactions between social, economic and ecological dynamics at regional scale. We studied by means of prospective scenarios the possible effects of agricultural changes on biodiversity in a Mediterranean upland. This area is characterised by extensive grasslands that have been maintained for centuries by agriculture and are now threatened by tree and shrub encroachment. We built four scenarios that describe possible changes in agricultural EU policies by 2030. We selected 15 bird species on the basis of a high natural heritage responsibility of the study area for these species and 45 plant species on the same basis plus local rarity and habitat vulnerability. We analysed how these species were affected by the four scenarios by considering changes in their habitats. For each scenario, we analysed the driving forces that determine land use changes. Landscape dynamics was modelled with a Generalised Linear Model combining environmental and land use factors. Most of the 60 selected species depend on open habitats. Only the scenario where public support was only granted if it provided environmental services had a positive impact on open habitats and their associated biodiversity. This ‘natural heritage’ scenario was also rated positively by local stakeholders. This approach sheds light on the interest of inter/transdisciplinary studies, scenarios, and stakeholder involvement in the definition of public policies for biodiversity conservation.