Global threats to rock outcrops – new paper in Conservation Biology

Rock outcrops may look like barren landscapes, but they are home to extraordinary biodiversity, including many rare and endemic species found nowhere else on Earth. In a new paper published in Conservation Biology, an international team of researchers warns that these unique ecosystems are increasingly threatened by mining, climate change and habitat destruction, while remaining largely overlooked in global conservation policies.

Our lab contributed to this international collaboration, bringing our expertise on the biodiversity and ecology of isolated rock outcrops in Africa and Austrlia, including inselbergs and their unique aquatic habitats. Together with colleagues from around the world, we highlight the urgent need to recognise these ancient landscapes as conservation priorities. The paper proposes a roadmap for protecting rock outcrop ecosystems before their biodiversity is lost.

de Paula et al. (2026), Scientists’ warning on the global destruction of rock outcrop ecosystems, Conservation Biology.