Widespread winners and narrow-ranged losers: Land use homogenizes biodiversity in local assemblages worldwide

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2006841
• Publication Date: 2018-12-04T18:23:33Z
• Authors: Tim Newbold; Lawrence N. Hudson; Sara Contu; Samantha L. L. Hill; Jan Beck; Yunhui Liu; Carsten Meyer; Helen R. P. Phillips; Jörn P. W. Scharl...; Andy Purvis
• Keywords: Global biodiversity; Extinction debt; Rare species; Extinction (optical mineralogy); Local extinction; Human settlement; Biodiversity hotspot; Umbrella species

Human use of the land (for agriculture and settlements) has a substantial negative effect on biodiversity globally. However, not all species are adversely affected by use, indeed, some benefit from creation novel habitat. Geographically rare may be more negatively than widespread species, but data limitations have so far prevented global multi-clade assessments land-use effects narrow-ranged species. We analyse large, database to show consistent differences in assemblage composition. Compared with natural habitat, assemblages disturbed habitats average, especially urban areas tropics. All else being equal, this result means that human is homogenizing composition across space. Disturbed both reduced abundances increased Our results very important for conservation because typically at higher risk extinction Furthermore, shift also affect ecosystem functioning reducing contribution diversity species' responses environmental changes among local assemblages.