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Globally, biodiversity is experiencing widespread, rapid decline.  Global policy frameworks such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, aim to halt and reverse this decline. They rely on effective biodiversity indicators to monitor progress and help implement targets and goals. We work with the UN Convention on Biological Diversity secretariat, NGOs, IUCN and government partners to shape policy settings, and to design and evaluate indicators and monitoring frameworks.

About our research:

Testing biodiversity indicators: Few existing biodiversity indicators have been subject to rigorous testing, and their ability to detect trends of interest remain poorly understood.  Our lab is working to develop and apply new theory for designing, testing and selecting global biodiversity indicators for use in conservation decisions.  Biodiversity metrics are also used to aggregate data for quantifying the effects of future scenarios and make planning decisions at different scales. See our page on the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems for more on indicators, decision making and risk assessment tools specific to ecosystems. Our indicators for ecosystems were adopted as headline indicators for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. This work is currently funded by an ARC Discovery grant.

UN Convention on Biological Diversity: Emily Nicholson works with the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat to evaluate indicators and progress towards the Global Biodiversity framework goals. She currently co-chairs the Ad Hoc Scientific and Technical Advisory Group for the Preparation of the Global Report on Collective Progress in the Implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, or AHSTAG, established by parties to the CBD. She was previously a member of the Ad Hoc Techical Expert Group (AHTEG) on indicators, guiding development and operationalization of the monitoring framework of the Global Biodiversity Framework. This work is currently funded by an ARC Discovery grant.

Australia’s biodiversity monitoring capacity: We are currently working with federal and state environmental agencies to provide the first comprehensive evaluation of Australia’s monitoring capacity to meet national and state needs for biodiversity policy. We will undertake a horizon scan of data and knowledge needs, evaluate current data and indicators, and translate findings into tools and guidelines for governments and across sectors. Expected outcomes will include a roadmap to fit-for-purpose indicators and data. Benefits will include alignment of local, state and national monitoring, maximising synergies and cost-effectiveness, and helping Australia meet its global commitments to biodiversity conservation and reporting. This research is funded by an ARC Industry Fellowship to Emily Nicholson.

Key Publications (also see here):

• Nicholson, E., Watermeyer, K.E., Rowland, J.A., Sato, C.F., Stevenson, S.L., Andrade, A., Brooks, T.M., Burgess, N.D., Cheng, S.-T., Grantham, H.S., Hill, S.L., Keith, D.A., Maron, M., Metzke, D., Murray, N.J., Nelson, C.R., Obura, D., Plumptre, A., Skowno, A.L., Watson, J.E.M. (2021) Scientific foundations for an ecosystem goal, milestones and indicators for the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. Nature Ecology and Evolution. doi:10.1038/s41559-021-01538-5
• Rowland J.A., Bland L.M., James S. Nicholson E. (2021), A guide to representing variability and uncertainty in biodiversity indicators. Conservation Biology. link
• Stevenson S.L., Watermeyer K., Caggiano G., Fulton E.A., Ferrier S. and Nicholson E. (2020) Matching biodiversity indicators to policy needs. Conservation Biology. doi:10.1111/cobi.13575
• Watermeyer K.E., Guillera‐Arroita G., Bal P., Burgass M.J., Bland L.M., Collen B., Hallam C., Kelly L.T., McCarthy M.A., Regan T.J., Stevenson S., Wintle B.A. and Nicholson E. (2020) Using decision science to evaluate global biodiversity indices. Conservation Biology. doi:10.1111/cobi.13574
• Rowland J.A., Bland L.M., Keith D.A. , Juffe Bignoli D., Burgman M.A., Etter A., Ferrer-Paris J.R., Miller R.M., Skowno A.L. & Nicholson E. (2021) Ecosystem indices to support global biodiversity conservation. Conservation Letters ie12680. [link].
• Rowland J.A., Lee C.K.F., Bland L.M., Nicholson E. (2020) Testing the performance of ecosystem indices for biodiversity monitoring. Ecological Indicators 116, 106453. [link]
• Costelloe, B.T., Collen, B., Milner-Gulland, E.J., Craigie, I.D., McRae, L., Rondinini, C. & Nicholson, E. (2015) Global biodiversity indicators reflect the modelled impacts of protected area policy change. Conservation Letters, in press [link].
• Collen B. & Nicholson E. (2014). Taking the measure of change. Science, 346, 166-167 [link]
• Nicholson, E., Collen, B., Barausse, A., Blanchard, J. L., Costelloe, B. T., Sullivan, K. M. E., Underwood, F. M., Burn, R. W., Fritz, S., Jones, J. P. G., McRae, L., Possingham, H. P. & Milner-Gulland, E. J. (2012) Robust policy decisions with global biodiversity indicators. PLoS One, 7(7): e41128 [link]
• Jones J.P.G., Collen B., Atkinson G., Baxter P., Bubb P., Illian J., Katzner T., Keane A., Loh J., Macdonald-Madden E., Nicholson E., Pereira H., Possingham H.P., Pullin A., Rodrigues A.S.L., Viviana Ruiz-Gutierrez V., Sommerville M. & Milner-Gulland E.J. (2010). The why, what and how of global biodiversity indicators beyond the 2010 Target. Conservation Biology, 25, 450–457. [link]
• Nicholson, E., Collen, B., Barausse, A., Blanchard, J. L., Costelloe, B. T., Sullivan, K. M. E., Underwood, F. M., Burn, R. W., Fritz, S., Jones, J. P. G., McRae, L., Possingham, H. P. & Milner-Gulland, E. J. (2012) Robust policy decisions with global biodiversity indicators. PLoS One, 7(7): e41128 [link]