A new article published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution draws attention to a surprising blind spot in global biodiversity research — cultivated lands. Although farmland covers almost half of the world’s habitable land, it remains underrepresented in open biodiversity data.
The study, titled “Cultivated lands: blind spots in global biodiversity data,” was co-authored by Dr. Anna F. Cord from the University of Bonn, a key member of the EarthBridge project. The research received funding from the Horizon Europe programme, within which EarthBridge plays an important role in advancing sustainable land management and biodiversity monitoring.
The authors — Ruben Remelgado, Christian Levers, and Anna F. Cord — reveal that large areas of agricultural land, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, still lack consistent biodiversity data. This gap limits the ability of scientists and policymakers to track progress toward the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) goals for 2030 and beyond.
The article calls for new ways to include farmers and rural communities in biodiversity monitoring. It suggests offering incentives for farmers, integrating biodiversity observations into agricultural data systems, and using digital agriculture tools to make data collection easier and more beneficial for those working the land.
By connecting science, technology, and farmer engagement, the study’s message aligns closely with the mission of EarthBridge — building stronger links between research, policy, and practice to bridge the gap between agriculture and biodiversity conservation.
📖 Read the full article here:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2025.09.017
