Research Topic

Nature for Future

The Nature Futures Framework (NFF) envisions pathways for biodiversity conservation that integrate nature's intrinsic, instrumental and relational values to support both human well-being and ecological resilience. Closely aligned with the Nature's Contributions to People (NCP) framework, the NFF goes further by clearly integrating that nature has intrinsic value (self-sustaining capacity) beyond serving human needs. The NFF advocates for conservation policies that value ecosystems not just as resources for people, but as complex, interconnected and self-sustainable systems.

My previous research naturally led me to this framework, which offers incredible challenges and opportunities. It is difficult to select past work along this framework because the NFF is so vast, I list here some work that fits into the NFF triangle without being too close to any single corner.

Human for Nature: building a better future for biodiversity

  1. Flandrin U., Mouquet N., Loiseau N., Hautecoeur C., Maire E., McLean M., Sanchez L., Clausius E., Stuart-Smith R., Edgar G., Albouy C., Cinner J.E., Mouillot D. (2026). Marine protected areas marginally offset anthropogenic declines in tropical reef fish contributions to nature and people. Nature Ecology & Evolution, doi.org/10.1038/s41559-026-03008-2

  2. Mouillot D., Velez L., Albouy C., Casajus N., Claudet J., Delbar V., Devillers R., Letessier T.B., Loiseau N., Manel S., Mannocci L., Meeuwig J.J., Mouquet N., Nuno A., O'Connor L., Parravicini V., Renaud J., Seguin R., Troussellier M., Thuiller W. (2024). The socioeconomic and environmental niche of protected areas reveals global conservation gaps and opportunities. Nature Communications, doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53241-1

  3. Loiseau N., Mouillot D., Velez L., Seguin R., Casajus N., Coux C., Albouy C., Claverie T., Duhamet A., Fleure V., Langlois J., Villeger S., Mouquet N. (2024). Inferring the extinction risk of marine fish to inform global conservation priorities. PLoS Biology, doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3002773

  4. Letessier T.B., Mouillot D., Mannocci L., Christ H.J., Elamin E.M., Elamin S.M., Friedlander A.M., Hearn A., Juhel J., Kleiven A.R., Moland E., Mouquet N., Kleiven P.J.N., Sala E., Thompson C.D.H., Velez L., Vigliola L., Meeuwig J.J. (2024). Divergent responses of pelagic and benthic fish body-size structure to remoteness and protection from humans. Science, doi.org/10.1126/science.adi7562

Nature for Human: acknowledging our human nature beyond nature exploitation

  1. Mouquet N., Blanc N., Brassac T., Casajus N., Tribot A. (2025). Too cute to be wild: what teddy bears reveal about our disconnection from nature. BioScience, doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf146

  2. Alisa C.A.G., Razak T.B., Mouquet N., Graham N.A.J., Hemingson C.R., Mouillot D., team M.C.R.P.m., Damayanti L., Prasetya M.E., Maulana P.B., Hamka A., Dwiyanto A., Abeng A.T., Irwan, Madjid R., Hidayat E.A., Lakota H., Parrangan C.V., Pratama A.M., Hamzah, Suandar, Subhan B., Zamani N.P., Vida R.T., Lamont T.A.C. (2025). Benthic communities on restored coral reefs confer equivalent aesthetic value to healthy reefs. Scientific Reports, doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-06373-3

  3. Blanc N., Tribot A., Brassac T., Mouquet N. (2025). The science of cuteness: where teddy bears' beauty, comfort and care converge. The Journal of Positive Psychology, doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2025.2538890

  4. McLean M.*, Mouillot D., Langlois J., Arif S., Bejarano S., Casajus N., Edgar G.J., Flandrin U., Guilhaumon F., Judah A.B., Loiseau N., MacNeil M.A., Maire E., Stuart-Smith R.D., Mouquet N.* (2025). Conserving the beauty of the world's reef fish assemblages. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2415931122 (* These authors contributed equally to this study)

  5. Zeller K., Mouquet N., Garcia C., Dezecache G., Maille A., Duboscq J., Morino L., Bonnet X. (2025). Danger versus fear: A key to understanding biophobia. People and Nature, doi.org/10.1002/pan3.70009

  6. Flandrin U., Mouillot D., Albouy C., Bejarano S., Casajus N., Cinner J.E., Edgar G.J., Ghilardi M., Leprieur F., Loiseau N., MacNeil A., Maire E., McLean M., Parravicini V., Pellissier L., Schiettekatte N.M.D., Stuart-Smith R.D., Villeger S., Mouquet N. (2024). Fish communities can simultaneously contribute to nature and people across the world's tropical reefs. One Earth, doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.09.011

  7. Mouquet N., Langlois J., Casajus N., Auber A., Flandrin U., Guilhaumon F., Loiseau N., McLean M., Receveur A., Stuart-Smith R.D., Mouillot D. (2024). Low human interest for the most at-risk reef fishes worldwide. Science Advances, doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adj9510

  8. Bockel T., Bossut N., Mouquet N., Mouillot D., Fontaine Q., Deter J. (2024). Quantifying the impact of small boats on Posidonia seagrass meadows: Methods and path for future efficient management of anchoring pressure. Ocean & Coastal Management, doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2024.107454

  9. Bockel T., Marre G., Delaruelle G., Holon F., Boissery P., Blandin A., Mouquet N., Deter J. (2023). Anchoring pressure and the effectiveness of new management measures quantified using AIS data and a mobile application. Marine Pollution Bulletin, doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115511

  10. Tribot A., Blanc N., Brassac T., Guilhaumon F., Casajus N., Mouquet N. (2023). What makes a teddy bear comforting? A participatory study reveals the prevalence of sensory characteristics and emotional bonds in the perception of comforting teddy bears. The Journal of Positive Psychology, doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2023.2170273

  11. Langlois J.*, Guilhaumon F., Baletaud F., Casajus N., Braga C.D.A., Fleure V., Kulbicki M., Loiseau N., Mouillot D., Renoult J.P., Stahl A., Stuart-Smith R.D., Tribot A., Mouquet N.* (2022). The aesthetic value of reef fishes is globally mismatched to their conservation priorities. PLoS Biology, doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001640 (*These authors contributed equally to this study)

  12. Langlois J., Guilhaumon F., Bockel T., Boissery P., Braga C.D.A., Deter J., Holon F., Marre G., Tribot A., Mouquet N. (2021). An integrated approach to estimate aesthetic and ecological values of coralligenous reefs. Ecological Indicators, doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107935

  13. Tribot A., Deter J., Claverie T., Guillhaumon F., Villeger S., Mouquet N. (2019). Species diversity and composition drive the aesthetic value of coral reef fish assemblages. Biology Letters, doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2019.0703

  14. Tribot A., Carabeux Q., Deter J., Claverie T., Villeger S., Mouquet N. (2018). Confronting species aesthetics with ecological functions in coral reef fish. Scientific Reports, doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29637-7

  15. Tribot A., Mouquet N., Villeger S., Raymond M., Hoff F., Boissery P., Holon F., Deter J. (2016). Taxonomic and functional diversity increase the aesthetic value of coralligenous reefs. Scientific Reports, doi.org/10.1038/srep34229

Synthesis

  1. Tribot A., Deter J., Mouquet N. (2018). Integrating the aesthetic value of landscapes and biological diversity. Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.0971

Other topic pages

Aesthetics iconBiodiversity Aesthetics Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning iconBiodiversity & Ecosystem Functioning Biogeography iconBiogeography, Macroecology & Ecophylogenetics Experimental evolution iconExperimental Evolution Functional biogeography iconFunctional Biogeography Functional rarity iconFunctional Rarity Metacommunities iconMetacommunities Metaecosystems iconMetaecosystems Reviews and synthesis iconReviews and Synthesis Trophic biogeography and metaweb iconTrophic Biogeography & Metaweb Biodiful iconBiodiful OutreachOutreach