Can humans increase biodiversity through their environmental practices? A new Perspective in Environmental Conservation answers with a bold: Yes.

In “A biocultural hypothesis of human–environment mediations and biodiversity increase”, Tlacaelel Rivera-Núñez, Anabel Ford, Narciso-Barrera Bassols, Alejandro Casas, Lane Fargher and Ronald Nigh propose a fresh lens for understanding how biodiversity thrives —not in spite of human activity, but often because of it. Their article challenges the long-standing Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis (IDH), which suggests that moderate levels of ecological disruption can lead to biodiversity peaks. While useful, the IDH has limitations —especially when it comes to human-managed landscapes.

This is where the biocultural hypothesis comes in.

The authors argue that human actions —such as controlled burning, creation of anthropogenic soils and microclimatic patterns, agroforestry managements, and species domestication and coevolutions—can act as “human–environment mediations” (H-EMs) that sustain or even enhance biodiversity across landscapes and generations. These aren’t just disturbances; they’re intentional, culturally-rooted adaptations that shape ecosystems in ways that support both human livelihoods and ecological richness.

Drawing from examples in Mesoamerica, the Amazon, and West Africa, the article highlights how biocultural landscapes often show greater species diversity than untouched or moderately disturbed ecosystems. Think of ancient Mayan agroforestry systems, Amazonian dark earth soils, or managed forest mosaics in African savannas, where human presence has deepened rather than depleted ecological complexity.

The authors call for recognizing ‘Priority Biocultural Areas’: regions where Indigenous and local communities have historically co-created vibrant, diverse ecosystems. These areas, they argue, should be central to a new kind of alternative conservation strategies. In a world facing intertwined ecological and cultural crises, this article is a timely reminder: biodiversity isn’t just about wild nature —it’s more about how people live with and care for it.

The paper ‘A biocultural hypothesis of human–environment mediations and biodiversity increase, is available as part of the Environmental Conservation Editors’ Choice collection.