Simone Stevenson

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Postdoctoral research fellow at Deakin University

Biofouling of ships and boats is a dominant global transport pathway for marine invasive species. Many marine non-indigenous species (NIS) can only be entrained by vessels and subsequently ‘discharged’ during their short-lived but highly mobile larval form. This means their ability to spread is reliant on vessels arriving in suitable habitat during...

Use of network modelling approaches to identify priority sites for marine pest surveillance

Recreational vessels are an important pathway for spreading marine non‐indigenous species (NIS) around coastal environments globally. However, most vessels are not tracked, limiting our ability to map their movements and identify locations at greater risk of NIS introductions. Using New Zealand as a case study, we quantified spread and risk pattern...

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity set the agenda for global aspirations and action to reverse biodiversity loss. The GBF includes an explicit goal for maintaining and restoring biodiversity, encompassing ecosystems, species and genetic diversity (goal A), targets for ecosystem prot...

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity set the agenda for global aspirations and action to reverse biodiversity loss. The Framework includes an explicit goal for maintaining and restoring biodiversity, encompassing ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity (Goal A), targets for ecosyst...

Despite substantial conservation efforts, the loss of ecosystems continues globally, along with related declines in species and nature’s contributions to people. An effective ecosystem goal, supported by clear milestones, targets and indicators, is urgently needed for the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and beyond to support biodiversity co...

Ecosystems are central to the definition of biodiversity. Sustaining ecosystems is essential for safeguarding species, ecosystem processes, and the natural capital and ecosystem services on which people rely. A new goal and associated action targets for ecosystem conservation form a core part of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (OEWG 202...

At the global scale, biodiversity indicators are typically used to monitor general trends, but are rarely implemented with specific purpose or linked directly to decision making. Some indicators are better suited to predicting future change, others are more appropriate for evaluating past actions, but this is seldom made explicit. We developed a co...

Global biodiversity indices are used to measure environmental change and progress toward conservation goals, yet few indices have been evaluated comprehensively for their capacity to detect trends of interest, such as declines in threatened species or ecosystem function. Using a structured approach based on decision science, we qualitatively evalua...

It is nearly three decades since the world recognized the need for a global multilateral treaty aiming to address accelerating biodiversity loss. However, biodiversity continues to decline at a concerning rate. Drawing on lessons from the implementation of the current strategic plan of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the 2010 Aichi Targe...

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are the preferred tool for preventing marine biodiversity loss, as reflected in international protected area targets. Although the area covered by MPAs is expanding, there is a concern that opposition from resource users is driving them into already low‐use locations, whereas high‐pressure areas remain unprotected, whi...

Global biodiversity targets have far-reaching implications for nature conservation worldwide. Scenarios and models hold unfulfilled promise for ensuring such targets are well founded and implemented; here, we review how they can and should inform the Aichi Targets of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and their reformulation. They offer two clear...