Abstract
Biodiversity and zoological research stand at a pivotal juncture: the convergence of unprecedented technological
capabilities -- whole-genome sequencing, artificial intelligence, Earth observation, autonomous sensor networks, and
global open data infrastructure -- with the most severe biodiversity crisis in human history and the most ambitious
international conservation commitments ever adopted (Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework; EU
Biodiversity Strategy 2030; Nature Restoration Law) creates both a mandate and an opportunity to transform the scope
and impact of zoological science. This review synthesises insights from 158 forward-looking analyses and expert
elicitation studies (2015-2025) to identify ten priority research directions for European biodiversity and zoological
research in the 2025-2040 decade. Priority directions are evaluated across four dimensions -- scientific
transformativeness, conservation management impact, technological readiness, and current European research capacity
-- and ranked by composite priority score. The highest-priority directions identified are: (1) AI-enabled real-time
biodiversity monitoring using integrated sensor networks; (2) functional genomics of climate adaptation for proactive
conservation management; (3) mechanistic multi-stressor prediction frameworks transferable across species and
systems; (4) rewilding ecology and trophic cascade quantification; and (5) One Health surveillance integrating wildlife,
domestic animal, and human disease monitoring. Structural barriers -- taxonomic expertise erosion, funding cycle
mismatches, open data gaps, and the research-policy translation deficit -- are analysed alongside institutional solutions.
A proposed European Zoological Research Agenda 2025-2040 aligns the ten priority directions with EU Horizon Europe
programming, national research council priorities, and EU biodiversity policy implementation requirements.