Newsflash Faculty of Science: human impact on biodiversity greater than previously thought, and limits of quantum materials

At Utrecht University’s Faculty of Science, we are committed to keeping you informed about the latest developments, breakthroughs, and achievements that shape our academic landscape. In this newsflash, you will find quick, bite-sized updates on a range of topics that we wish to share with you in addition to the other, more extensive articles in our newsfeed.

Missing species reveal that human impact on biodiversity is greater than previously thought

A new global study published yesterday in Nature reveals that in human-disturbed regions, many native plant species are missing from areas where they could potentially grow.

Traditional methods of measuring biodiversity—such as simply counting the species present—fail to provide the full picture, as they do not account for missing species. To address this, an international team of researchers, including Utrecht ecologist Jonas Lembrechts, developed a new approach. Instead of only mapping the plant species currently found in an area, they also identified which species could potentially grow in those areas. By looking at the difference between the two, they uncovered the missing biodiversity, which they call "dark diversity."

As part of the international collaborative network DarkDivNet, more than 200 researchers gathered data on dark diversity from 5,500 sites across 119 regions worldwide. They then analysed how the dark diversity correlated with the Human Footprint Index, a measure of human disturbance in a given area.

The results reveal that a higher Human Footprint Index is associated with a decline in plant diversity, even hundreds of kilometers away. In areas with minimal human impact, more than one-third of the potential plant species were typically present. However, in regions heavily affected by human activities, only one in five suitable species was actually found.

Lembrechts: “By looking at the species that are missing rather than those that are present, we gain a unique perspective on the lost potential of our landscapes. This approach offers a clearer picture of what has vanished compared to traditional methods. It is especially valuable for nature management, helping us identify areas with high potential for biodiversity restoration and accurately track the success of conservation efforts.”

Exploring the limits of quantum materials

What happens when you take an ultra-thin ribbon and make it even thinner? At what point does it stop being a ribbon and turn into something entirely new? Researchers from the University of Twente and Utrecht University, together with an international team, have been pushing the limits of quantum materials—and they've made a surprising discovery. The researchers published their findings in Nature Communications.

Using ultra-narrow ribbons of germanene (a single layer of germanium atoms), they found that these tiny structures hold onto their special quantum properties down to a critical width of just two nanometers. Any smaller, and something interesting happens: new quantum states emerge at the ends of the ribbons, hinting at possibilities for quantum computing and ultra-efficient electronics.

While the experiments took place in Twente, Lumen Eek and Cristiane Morais Smith from Utrecht University developed the theoretical framework to explain these quantum effects.