Declining diversity of wild-caught species puts dietary nutrient supplies at risk

Although biodiversity loss adversely influences a variety of ecosystem functions, how declining wild food diversity affects nutrient supplies for people is poorly understood. Here, we analyze the impact of declining biodiversity on nutrients supplied by fish using detailed information from the Peruvian Amazon, where inland fisheries provide a critical source of nutrition for many of the region's 800,000 people. We found that the impacts of biodiversity loss on nutrient supplies depended on compensation, trophic dynamics, and functional diversity. When small sedentary species compensated for declines in large migratory species, fatty acid supplies increased, while zinc and iron supplies decreased. In contrast, the probability of failing to maintain supplies or nutrient supply risk increased when species were nutritionally unique. Our results show that trait-based regulations and public health polices need to consider biodiversity's vital role in sustaining nutritional benefits for over 2 billion people dependent on wild foods across the globe.

Automated summary

This study analyzes the impact of declining biodiversity on nutrient supplies, particularly focusing on compensation, trophic dynamics, and functional diversity. The results show that when small sedentary species compensate for declines in large migratory species, there is an increase in fatty acid supplies but a decrease in zinc and iron supplies. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering biodiversity's essential role in sustaining nutritional benefits for the global population dependent on wild foods.