Conservation should focus on protecting natural "processes" - not just specific species, researchers say.
Current policies often focus on flagship animals, with priority given to rare and well-known species like pandas and polar bears.
For many years, experts have argued for conservation focussed on ecological processes like genetic diversity, movement of species, and interactions between species - but this has failed to gain traction, particularly in conservation policy.
The new article sets out a plan to "close this gap" to ensure that conservation "goes beyond damage limitation and instead leaves a lasting legacy of resilient ecosystems".
Dr Orly Razgour, from the University of Exeter, said: "To truly protect the natural world, conservation needs to happen at the level of entire landscapes - not single species - to maintain complex networks that allow biodiversity to thrive.
"Ecological processes underpin the stability of ecosystems - making them resilient and adaptable to environmental change.
"If we don't protect these processes - from migration and pollination to seed dispersal and predator-prey interactions - ecosystems may become increasingly vulnerable to the rapid changes now happening worldwide."
Policies to achieve this include enhancing connectivity between natural landscapes, supporting rewilding and protecting animal groups that play keys roles in ecosystems.
Prof Joseph Tobias, from Imperial College of London, said: "Of course we can still protect much-loved species - but we need a unified strategy that looks at the bigger picture.
"By doing this, we can protect the natural processes upon which all living things - including humans - rely."
The researchers say this "transformative shift" in conservation science and policy will better align with global like the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The article is entitled: "Biodiversity conservation requires integration of species centric and process-based strategies."
