The threat to biodiversity in Europe

Biodiversity thus describes the diversity of nature, which is contrasted with the diversity of human culture and its achievements, and is threatened by various factors - biodiversity decreases through the extinction of living beings and has far-reaching consequences for global ecosystems.

Europe is warming faster than other regions of the world – plants and animals are adapting to climate change at different rates, shifting their locations according to prevailing climatic conditions. Nevertheless, migration in relation to biodiversity remains largely invisible in public debate. However, biodiversity change is measurable and can be observed across Europe, with implications for nature conservation policy, agriculture, ecosystems, and protected areas.

01 - Endangered species in Germany - Animals & Plants

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, German: The International Organisation for the Conservation of Threatened Species (IOC) has identified 11 factors that are responsible for the extinction of living organisms and continuously documents the observations in its database – the so-called IOC. IUCN Red List.

The two data visualizations "Endangered animals in Germany" and "Endangered plants in Germany" summarizes the critically endangered animals and plants in Germany recorded for 2024 by visualizing the individual threats for each species recorded.

With animals, the visual narrative is paramount. Ammonite for the cephalopod species that became extinct 66 million years ago (extant species include squid, octopuses, and cuttlefish). In the case of plants, the visual narrative is a fern as representatives of the over 400 million year old group of vascular spore plants - both symbols stand for the destruction as well as the continuation of biological diversity on Earth.

The legends describe how to read the data visualization – each ammonite represents an animal species and explains the respective threats that could lead to its extinction. The animal species are hierarchically sorted according to their animal classes. The population trend explains the potential development for the future population of the threatened species. A species may also be regionally extinct in the area where it originally existed, even though it still occurs in other regions of Germany.

The legends describe how to read the data visualization – each fern represents a plant species and explains the respective threats that could lead to its extinction. The plant species are sorted hierarchically according to their classes. The population trend explains the potential development for the future survival of the threatened species. A species may also be regionally extinct in the area where it originally existed, even though it still occurs in other regions of Germany.

02 - Endangered species in EUROPE - Country comparisons

The two data visualizations "Endangered species in Europe" The visualizations show the vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered species recorded for 2022 and should be viewed and interpreted more as data art than as an infographic.

The data is presented less informatively than visually appealingly with a DonutThe diagram, which resembles an eye, represents two levels of information, grouping them into the three major systematic realms. Plant, Animals and Mushrooms and the respective classifications of the classes within the animals, is possible. As a visual narrative, this eye points us towards looking closely in order to grasp the threats of species loss. The number of threatened species cannot be directly determined – just as the accuracy of the data depends on a multitude of factors such as uncertainties in observation and documentation.

In the black data visualization, each European country is linked by a network of interwoven lines, highlighting this focus – a symbol that the path to species conservation is as complex as the networks of ecological systems in which these species are embedded, given the many challenges we face. The pink graphic presents the countries' data in a scatter plot, directly comparing their number of threatened species with their country size.