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Long-term analyses of biodiversity data highlight a ‘biodiversity conservation paradox’: biological communities show substantial species turnover over the past century 1 , 2 , but changes in species richness are marginal 1 , 3 – 5 . Most studies, however, have focused only on the incidence of species, and have not considered changes in local abundance. Here we asked whether analysing changes in the cover of plant species could reveal previously unrecognized patterns of biodiversity change and provide insights into the underlying mechanisms. We compiled and analysed a dataset of 7,738 permanent and semi-permanent vegetation plots from Germany that were surveyed between 2 and 54 times from 1927 to 2020, in total comprising 1,794 species of vascular plants. We found that decrements in cover, averaged across all species and plots, occurred more often than increments; that the number of species that decreased in cover was higher than the number of species that increased; and that decrements were more equally distributed among losers than were gains among winners. Null model simulations confirmed that these trends do not emerge by chance, but are the consequence of species-specific negative effects of environmental changes. In the long run, these trends might result in substantial losses of species at both local and regional scales. Summarizing the changes by decade shows that the inequality in the mean change in species cover of losers and winners diverged as early as the 1960s. We conclude that changes in species cover in communities represent an important but understudied dimension of biodiversity change that should more routinely be considered in time-series analyses. Time-series data including 1,794 plant species from 7,738 vegetation plots in Germany between 1927 and 2020 reveal patterns of change in biodiversity, and suggest that more species declined than increased in abundance during this period.

Aim Bogs and transition mires in Central Europe have undergone tremendous changes in the last decades, declining in spatial extent and favourable conservation status. However, species extinctions have been documented only rarely because of a lack of reliable floristic data. Here, we assessed species losses of bog complexes and analysed their potential drivers. Location Black Forest, Germany. Methods We made use of the unique situation that the majority of bogs in the Black Forest (124 sites) had been systematically surveyed from 1972 to 1980 and resurveyed the flora of the same sites between 2017 and 2020. In addition, we included further data from the preceding decades. Results Out of 88 species for which we compiled site occupancy data, two species went extinct in the whole study area and 37 decreased from 1972 to 2020, losing on average 33% of their initial frequency. In contrast, 46 species displayed a positive trend. While decreasing species were characteristic of raised bogs, moorland ponds and base‐rich mires, increasing species were typical of poor mires, fens and wet meadows. Species losses were higher at low elevation, pointing to increasing temperature increase and decreasing precipitation as main drivers of extinction, while habitat area, distance to the nearest site and land use played no significant role. The mean altitude at which extinctions of populations occurred increased with time. Assuming a continuation of the observed negative trends for declining bog species, our models predict the extinction of further ten species by 2045. Main Conclusion Our study highlights the value of systematic and comprehensive past biodiversity surveys to assess biodiversity change. We demonstrated that low‐mountain habitats have already suffered biodiversity loss as a result of climate change. There are only limited management options against rising temperatures and decreasing precipitation.

Vegetation-plot resurvey data are a main source of information on terrestrial biodiversity change, with records reaching back more than one century. Although more and more data from re-sampled plots have been published, there is not yet a comprehensive open-access dataset available for analysis. Here, we compiled and harmonised vegetation-plot resurvey data from Germany covering almost 100 years. We show the distribution of the plot data in space, time and across habitat types of the European Nature Information System (EUNIS). In addition, we include metadata on geographic location, plot size and vegetation structure. The data allow temporal biodiversity change to be assessed at the community scale, reaching back further into the past than most comparable data yet available. They also enable tracking changes in the incidence and distribution of individual species across Germany. In summary, the data come at a level of detail that holds promise for broadening our understanding of the mechanisms and drivers behind plant diversity change over the last century. Measurement(s) vegetation-plot resurvey data of vascular plant species Technology Type(s) vegetation-plot records Factor Type(s) Cover of species in plots Sample Characteristic - Organism Vascular plant species Sample Characteristic - Environment Terrestrial habitats Sample Characteristic - Location Germany

Vegetation-plot resurvey data are a main source of information on terrestrial biodiversity change, with records reaching back more than one century. Although more and more data from re-sampled plots have been published, there is not yet a comprehensive open-access dataset available for analysis. Here, we compiled and harmonised vegetation-plot resurvey data from Germany covering almost 100 years. We show the distribution of the plot data in space, time and across habitat types of the European Nature Information System (EUNIS). In addition, we include metadata on geographic location, plot size and vegetation structure. The data allow calculating temporal biodiversity change at the community scale and reach back further into the past than most comparable data yet available. They also enable tracking changes in the incidence and distribution of individual species across Germany. In summary, the data come at a level of detail that holds promise for broadening our understanding of the mechanisms and drivers behind plant diversity change over the last century. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.

Introduction Childhood vaccination against hepatitis B has been recommended in Germany since 1995. WHO defines a primary vaccination series as successful if the initial hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) level is ≥ 10 IU/L directly after vaccination. Anti-HBs levels vary depending on the number of doses, type of vaccine, and time interval between the last two doses. In 2021, Germany began to recommend three instead of four doses of polyvalent hepatitis-B-containing vaccines. Our aim was to estimate the proportion of vaccinated children in Germany with anti-HBs levels < 10 IU/L, 10–99 IU/L, and ≥ 100 IU/L by number and type of vaccine, and assess if number of doses and compliance with recommended time interval between the last two doses are associated with an anti-HBs level ≥ 10 IU/L when considering type of vaccine and time since last dose. Methods We used data from a national cross-sectional study (2014–2017) of children (3–17 years). We excluded participants with unknown vaccination dates, unreadable or incomplete vaccination cards, and hepatitis B virus (HBV)-positive participants. We defined a recommended schedule as a vaccination series with at least six months between the two last doses and having three doses or more. We calculated weighted anti-HBs sero-prevalence for three anti-HBs levels: < 10 IU/L, 10–99 IU/L and ≥ 100 IU/L. We fitted two logistic regression models to examine the relationship between number of doses and recommended schedule on anti-HBs levels (≥ 10 IU/L and ≥ 100 IU/L) considering time since last dose and type of vaccine (Infanrix, Hexavac, Monovalent). Results We included 2,489 participants. The weighted proportion of vaccinated children per anti-HBs level was < 10 IU/L: 36.3% [95%CI 34.0–38.7%], 10–99 IU/L: 35.7% [33.2–38.2%] and ≥ 100 IU/L: 28.0% [25.9–30.2%]. We did not find an association between a recommended schedule of three versus four doses and anti-HBs ≥ 10 IU/L or ≥ 100 IU/L. Conclusions Anti-HBs levels in later childhood were about equal, whether children received three or four doses. This implies that the change in the recommendations does not affect the anti–HBs level among children in Germany. Future studies are needed on the association of anti-HBs levels and adequate sustained protection against HBV.

Background Despite being considered as a low prevalence country for hepatitis B (HBV), some populations in Germany are at higher risk of infection. In the context of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) viral hepatitis elimination goals, a valid epidemiological data base is needed to plan and monitor the national response. Prevention strategies include general and targeted HBV vaccination programmes. Objective The aim of this work was to estimate the HBV vaccination coverage (VC) in the general population (GP) and different population groups in Germany from available evidence and to identify current evidence gaps for future research. Methods We conducted a systematic review on HBV VC in the general population and populations at high risk of HBV exposure or severe infection in Germany. We included eligible publications (01/01/2017 to 06/06/2020) from databases Embase, Pubmed and Livivo, from a previous scoping review (including data published 01/01/2005–17/03/2017), from the national surveillance system and screened the reference lists of all publications at full text level. Risk of bias was assessed using the Hoy et al. tool. Results We included 68 publications of 67 studies and assigned them to one or more suitable population groups. Twenty-one studies contained data among children/adolescents and three among adults from the GP (VC 65.8–90.5% and 22.9–52.1%, respectively), one among travelers (VC 89.0%), 13 among immunocompromised populations (VC 7.8–89.0%), 16 among populations with occupational risk and 16 with non-occupational risk of HBV exposure (VC 63.6–96.5% and 4.4–84.5%, respectively). Conclusion Comprehensive evidence at low risk of bias was identified for children/adolescents. However, 25 years after including HBV in the national immunisation schedule, VC in Germany is still below the 95%-goal defined by WHO. For people at occupational risk of HBV exposure, VC was mostly reported to be over the WHO goal of 80%, but quality of evidence was heterogenous and should be improved. For people at non-occupational risk of HBV exposure, evidence was sparse and of low quality. The low VC highlights the need for future research to plan vaccination programmes targeting these populations.