SCAR Antarctic Biodiversity Portal
Published July 17, 2025 | Version v3
Report Open

Essential Biodiversity Variables Framework for Terrestrial Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Ecosystems

Creators

  • 1. ROR icon Institute of Natural Sciences
  • 2. ROR icon Australian Antarctic Division
  • 3. EDMO icon Australian Antarctic Data Centre, Australian Antarctic Division, Department of the Environment, Australian Government
  • 4. ROR icon British Antarctic Survey
  • 5. EDMO icon Monash University
  • 6. South African Polar Research Infrastructure (SAPRI), Cape Town, ZA
  • 7. ROR icon Centro Científico Tecnológico - Córdoba
  • 8. ROR icon Universidad Nacional de Córdoba
  • 9. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal
  • 10. ROR icon University of Edinburgh
  • 11. ROR icon Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
  • 12. ROR icon University of Zurich
  • 13. ROR icon Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences
  • 14. ROR icon Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales
  • 15. Technological Institute of Chascomús (INTECH, UNSAM-CONICET), Argentina
  • 16. EDMO icon Scottish Association for Marine Science
  • 17. Helmholtz Zentrum München
  • 18. ROR icon University Hospital Leipzig
  • 19. EDMO icon University of Wollongong
  • 20. ROR icon Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • 21. EDMO icon National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
  • 22. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas
  • 23. ROR icon Institut de Ciències del Mar
  • 24. Universidad de la Republica. Centro Universitario Regional del Este
  • 25. FRS-FNRS / University of Liège
  • 26. Geomatics and Cartographic Research Center
  • 27. ROR icon Ocean Networks Canada Society
  • 28. Queensland University of Technology
  • 29. ROR icon Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
  • 30. ROR icon Instituto Geológico y Minero de España
  • 31. ROR icon Universidad Continental
  • 32. Black Bawks Data Science, Oceanites
  • 33. State Institution National Antarctic Scientific Center
  • 34. Institute for Environmental Research and Engineering (IIIA, UNSAM-CONICET), Argentina
  • 35. South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), South Africa
  • 36. EDMO icon University of Tasmania, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies
  • 37. ROR icon Universidad de la República
  • 38. ROR icon University of Toronto
  • 39. ROR icon University of Colorado Boulder
  • 40. ROR icon Université Libre de Bruxelles

Description

This report presents the outcomes of the international workshop “Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBV) Framework for Terrestrial Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Ecosystems,” held in Cambridge, UK, from 18–20 September 2024. The workshop aimed to develop a standardized framework for identifying and monitoring terrestrial EBVs across these vulnerable and rapidly changing high-latitude environments. Building on global frameworks while addressing regional ecological and logistical challenges, the adoption of standardized EBVs will enable consistent, comparable biodiversity data to assess ecological status and trends, understand anthropogenic pressures, and inform evidence-based conservation and policy.

A preliminary suite of EBVs is proposed, spanning multiple levels of biological organization, from genes to ecosystems, including metrics on species composition, population dynamics, functional traits, and ecosystem processes. The report underscores the need for harmonized monitoring protocols, robust data standards, long-term continuity, and shared analytical workflows for EBV computation. It also stresses the importance of leveraging existing datasets, infrastructure, and open science practices to enhance integration and accessibility.

This report marks a foundational step toward establishing a terrestrial Antarctic biodiversity observing system grounded in EBVs. Achieving this vision will require sustained collaboration among researchers, data managers, and policymakers.

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Terrestrial_EBV_workshop_report.pdf

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Additional details

Related works

References
Report: 10.5281/zenodo.13730496 (DOI)

Funding

Belgian Federal Science Policy Office
ADVANCE IM/RT/23/ADVANCE