Sustainable Development Goal 15 – Life on Land aims to protect, restore, and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, halt biodiversity loss, and prevent species extinction by 2030. Achieving these ambitious targets requires robust scientific foundations: detailed knowledge of where species live, how ecosystems function, and what genetic diversity exists across landscapes.

The research highlighted here demonstrates how modern scientific tools are directly supporting life on land objectives. From mapping rare orchids in Mediterranean habitats to creating digital twins of entire forest landscapes and sequencing the genomes of protected moth species, scientists are collecting the in-depth data needed for evidence-based conservation decisions.

Together, these scientific innovations provide the knowledge infrastructure essential for meeting SDG-15 commitments, ensuring that life on land can be effectively conserved and sustainably managed for future generations.

Detailed biogeographical mapping as a useful novel tool for the conservation of endemic taxa: a case study of Iberian orchids

Researchers have created detailed maps showing where five rare orchid species grow across Spain and the Balearic Islands. These orchids are found nowhere else in the world and live in habitats like Mediterranean grasslands and forests that are protected by European Union conservation laws.

In this Research Article, the researchers gathered location data from existing wildlife databases and used Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to plot where each orchid species occurs. They developed a standardised method for classifying orchids by their geographic ranges, making it easier to compare different species objectively.

For each orchid, the researchers identified which plant communities it grows alongside, what climate conditions it prefers, and how threatened it currently is. The resulting maps reveal detailed patterns about where these orchids thrive and what environmental conditions they need.

This work provides crucial information for conservation managers and policymakers who need to protect these vulnerable species. By understanding exactly where the orchids grow and what conditions they require, authorities can make better decisions about habitat protection. The findings may also change how these orchids are officially classified, ensuring conservation efforts match the actual risks they face.

Diameter, height and species of 42 million trees in three European landscapes generated from field data and airborne laser scanning data

Scientists have developed detailed digital maps of three massive European forest landscapes in France, Poland, and Slovenia, recording information about individual trees across more than 100,000 hectares, an area roughly the size of Greater London. These datasets contain information on over 42 million trees from 51 different species, including each tree’s diameter, height, and species.

This Data Note is important to ecologists, who need fine-grained landscape data to understand how small-scale processes scale up to affect entire ecosystems, and to forest managers, who need it to test different management strategies and predict how forests will provide services such as carbon storage or timber production.

The researchers combined three data sources: traditional ground surveys, vegetation maps, and airborne laser scanning, a technology where aircraft use lasers to measure forest structure from above. The authors shared both the datasets and their methodology so others can create similar detailed forest maps using these increasingly available tools.

To verify accuracy, the team conducted rigorous testing, including checking predictions against real measurements. The findings are promising: when conditions are favourable, tree density and diameter predictions were highly accurate, and the method correctly identified the dominant tree species 76% of the time. These digital forest landscapes provide powerful tools for both ecological research and practical forest management decisions.

ERGA-BGE genome of the Spanish moon moth Actias isabellae Graells, 1849: a nocturnal lepidopteran protected by the Habitats Directive

Scientists have sequenced the first genetic map of the Spanish moon moth (Actias isabellae), a protected nocturnal species found in Europe. This Data Note discusses the species’ “reference genome”, which acts like an instruction manual containing all the moth’s genetic information, organised into 31 chromosome-like structures.

The team also mapped the moth’s mitochondrial DNA (genetic material passed down through mothers) and identified nearly 12,000 protein-coding genes. Quality checks confirmed the genome is over 94% complete, making it highly reliable for research.

This genetic blueprint serves multiple purposes: it helps scientists understand how sex chromosomes evolve in moths and butterflies, enables detailed monitoring of wild populations to guide conservation efforts, and contributes to international projects mapping Earth’s biodiversity. For a species protected under EU law, having this genetic resource available is crucial for ensuring its long-term survival.

This article is part of a collection by the Biodiversity Genomics Europe project, using genomic science to enhance understanding of biodiversity, monitor biodiversity change, and guide interventions to address its decline.

Discover further research from authors funded by the European Union related to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, as part of the Sustainable Development Community Gateway on Open Research Europe.