- A new study challenges the long-held belief that the Black Death's population decline in Europe led to increased plant diversity.
- Contrary to previous assumptions of a “rewilding” event, analysis of fossil pollen records revealed a significant drop in plant biodiversity in the 150 years following the pandemic.
- Researchers suggest that many plant species, valued today, depend on long-term human disturbance such as farming, grazing, and land clearance.
- These findings imply that simply removing human activity from landscapes does not automatically result in healthier or more diverse ecosystems, questioning modern conservation strategies.
- Scientists advocate for a “patchwork approach” to conservation, integrating diverse land uses like crops, woodlands, and pastures to maintain biodiversity, demonstrating that human land use and biodiversity can be interdependent.
IN FULL
Scientists reveal why Black Death led to plant diversity plummeting across Europe
