War and Biodiversity Conservation: The Role of Warfare Ecology

The environmental impacts of war are widely recognized but poorly understood, leading to calls for a dedicated subfield known as warfare ecology. Recent research establishes the relevance of warfare ecology to biodiversity conservation. Studies show that war is exceedingly prevalent in the world’s most biodiverse regions and that both overt and secondary impacts of conflict can be well documented. Additionally, specific conservation strategies for war-torn areas have been shown to reduce negative impacts to wildlife and habitat. Warfare ecology offers integrated models that can help predict the occurrence and cascading effects of war in biodiversity hotspots, as well as integrated research, education, and publication opportunities to advance policy goals. Priorities include incorporating conservation issues into military, relief, and reconstruction planning, as well as research to elucidate complex links between recurring conflicts, ecosystems, and the biological diversity they sustain.