In our 2024 paper, “Integrative Research of Mediterranean Climate Regions: A Global Call to Action“ we highlight the need for a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to studying Mediterranean-climate regions. These regions, found in areas like the Mediterranean Basin, California, Chile, South Africa, and Australia, are home to an extraordinary array of biodiversity, with many species found nowhere else on Earth but facing increasing threats from climate change and human activity. Despite extensive research efforts across habitats such as temporal freshwater ecosystems, sclerophyll forests, and Posidonia seagrass meadows, there has been little integration across systems or regions.

We argue for a framework that promotes cross-ecosystem, cross-regional, and cross-boundary research that can reveal shared resilience mechanisms and help predict critical tipping points, aiding conservation efforts. Ecosystems are not isolated, and their interactions must be studied to fully understand the complex dynamics that shape them. For example, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are often linked, and changes in one can affect the other. Research should focus on these interactions, particularly at key ecological boundaries like coastlines and riparian zones.

Additionally, research comparisons between Mediterranean-climate regions around the globe are needed. While the Mediterranean Basin has been well-studied, areas like central Chile remain under-researched. Comparing regions can reveal common patterns, help identify successful management strategies, and improve conservation efforts worldwide. Effective ecosystem management also requires cooperation across political boundaries. Mediterranean-climate regions often span multiple countries or are influenced by different jurisdictions, complicating conservation efforts. Cross-boundary collaboration between stakeholders, landowners, and governments is essential to protecting these ecosystems.

One of the greatest challenges is predicting tipping points—thresholds where ecosystems shift into degraded states. Crossing certain biophysical thresholds could have disastrous consequences for ecosystem integrity, to the point of pushing Mediterranean-climate regions outside their stable zone (e.g., a desertification process). Establishing ecological baselines is crucial for understanding when these tipping points might occur. Monitoring and studying long-term ecosystem changes can help prevent irreversible damage. Our paper calls for the research community to prioritize integrative studies and leverage existing biodiversity data. By promoting a global framework for studying Mediterranean-climate regions, we can better understand how these ecosystems respond to environmental pressures and develop strategies for their conservation. Now is the time for action to safeguard these unique regions against the accelerating impacts of climate change.

The paper ‘Integrative research of Mediterranean climate regions: a global call to action‘, is freely available as part of the Environmental Conservation Editors’ Choice collection.