Conserving biological diversity

We have another thick issue of BioScience, with most of the content focused on the conservation of biological diversity. Clifford and colleagues (https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae122), in their Viewpoint article, “Is our climate fight killing the environment? A case for smart from the start planning,” recommend seven strategies to balance the impacts from the energy transition with biodiversity conservation from a socioecological perspective. In their Forum contribution, “A new indicator for the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: Capturing non-monetary benefit data from access and benefit-sharing agreements,” Nunez-Vega and colleagues (https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae132) propose a methodology to deliver data to the KMGBF on nonmonetary benefit-sharing indicators that will facilitate the promotion of more equitable and useful research on biodiversity. Ágnes Vári and colleagues’ (https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae133) Viewpoint contribution, “Monitor social–ecological systems to achieve global goals for biodiversity and nature's contributions to people,” calls for the development of a framework for “jointly monitoring biodiversity and ecosystem services,” so as to “guide appropriate monitoring practices and technologies.” VonHoldt and fellow behavioral ecologists (https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae134), in their Forum contribution “Species recovery as a half empty process: The case against ignoring social ecology for gray wolf recovery,” argue that the Endangered Species Act needs to take into special consideration the ecology of social animals because “the loss of conspecifics in social species has an enhanced impact on demographic viability that is not captured by estimates of population abundance.” Haubrock and colleagues’ (https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae138) Forum contribution, “Conceptual and ethical considerations in invasion science,” provides a nuanced and critical view of the field of biological invasions. This essay will be of interest to many ecologists and conservationists. Barley and Cole (https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf010), in their Biology in History contribution, “Speciation by hybridization: The mind-boggling nature, educational, and research value of the largest group of unisexual vertebrates,” discuss the remarkable 13 species of North American lizards with only females, which reproduce by cloning unfertilized eggs. They make the strong case that “these lizards hold tremendous potential in science education as a fascinating model for learning about fundamental biological concepts, and in research for developing knowledge with medical applications for reproductive biology, embryonic development, and genetic interactions.” Denny and colleagues’ (https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf014) Overview article, “Snaring and wildlife wastage in Africa: Drivers, scale, impacts, and paths to sustainability,” makes a strong argument that “snaring is a regional-scale threat to wildlife and the sustainable use of biodiversity in Africa” and provides policy recommendations “through changes to governance and enforcement and through reductions of wild meat demand in cities.”

Kudos to the scientists recognized in the Special Report “AIBS Photo Contest: Through the Scientific Lens” (https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf041). This is the American Institute of Biological Sciences’ (AIBS) annual Faces of Biology Photo Contest (www.aibs.org/faces-of-biology), cosponsored with the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, and was put together by Diane Bosnjak, the membership and senior communications manager at AIBS. This annual competition draws attention to scientists as individuals who represent a wide swath of humanity with one common passion for science.

Finally, let me draw your attention to an upcoming BioScience special collection. The teaching of evolution in the public schools of the United States continues to be controversial, even in the 100^th anniversary year of the Scopes trial, in which a young teacher in Dayton, Tennessee, was tried for violating a statutory ban on teaching human evolution. To commemorate the anniversary, BioScience, led by Glenn Branch (deputy director of the National Center for Science Education), is preparing a special collection of articles relevant to evolution; the teaching of evolution in both formal education, at the K–12 level and the college level, and in informal education; and the surrounding historical and contemporary controversies. Please see our call for papers for further information.