Report on the workshop on
Biodiversity and Conservation in Changing Mediterranean Landscapes
Held in Lesbos, HE, November 2000
José M. Moreno Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha
Schedule
Identification of Current Knowledge in the Mediterranean Trends in Mediterranean Diversity under Global Change
• Species Diversity • Landscape Diversity
Conservation Priorities in the Mediterranean
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Participants
UE MED PT (2), ES (5), FR (4), IT (2), HE (3) UE NON_MED NL (1), UK (1) NON UE TR (2), IL (1), CY(1), MO (2)
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Identification of Current Knowledge in the Mediterranean
Search in SCI publication record shows: Increased number of publications since 90 Strong dissimilarity between regions (N vs. S), countries (FR+ES vs. rest) Issues: Flora, Genetic, Landscapes
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Summary
Some basic research in all countries, but countries differ in: 1.Having a well defined strategy 2. Active community on biodiversity research 3. Individuals active, no central policy and coordination
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Summary 2
GLCh is somehow understood by the administration and the scientific community, but no clear defined field for policy on research or on the environment There is no biodiversity and global change research strategy as such in the whole of the MED area Excess fragmentation and inward looking
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Species diversity
The MED is rich in hotspots, and a hotspot itself on global basis Hotspots as flagship for research LUC and climate main factors of change in hotspots, but varies between them Little knowledge on diversity-function relationships
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Diversity function approaches
Meta-analysis of data (past practices of foresters) Revisiting data (old releves and other data) Correlational studies (patterns) Removers experiment (function, simulating future change) Composite communities (function, theory) Monitoring (detect change)
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Monitoring
Combine long term monitoring and ecological research Establish common protocols Sites as composite places (mutidisciplinary: from organisms to landscapes)
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Landscapes
Fine grain, diverse, old history Great diversity: flora, fauna, formations, etc. Challenges the science of landscape ecology: empty world vs full world (there is not such a thing as natural areas)
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Approaches
Pattern recognition through AE, RS, etc. Adminisrative units Property values (cadastrial information)
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Processes of interest
Fluxes of CO2, H2O-vapor, etc. Flows of water, soil and nutrients Propagation of disturbances Biotic exchanges
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Global change drivers of landscape change
Table 1. Relative change of each driver and expected relative effect on landscape change in the Mediterranean region for the year 2050-2100. Expected change Sensitivity to unit change Driver Mean Maximum Minimum Mean Maximum Minimum 7 8 6 7 7 7 Land-use 7 5 8 3 2 5 Climate 2 2 2 1 1 1 N deposition 3 1 5 1 1 1 Bitotic exch. 2 1 3 1 1 1 Atmosp. CO2
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Patterns and trends
Great variety but unknown the determinants Trends in change but largely unknown how and why Studies should be carried out across the region to identify the main patterns and trends of change and to understand what factors play a role in them Contrast between N and S as a test
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Future research needs
Fire and landscape interactions: mapping fires, known how they interact Species patterns in the landscape (how many at what scales): patterns as indicators of change The importance of landscpe features (size, shape, etc. for other species) Species movements across landscapes
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Integration
Coupling field observations with remote sensing data Robust techniques for interpolating in space Identifying the appropriate scale for what process
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Conservation
All countries are taking measures Conservation has improved, but the process of selection was based on ad hoc basis Natura 2000 is the main common legal effort for the next 20 years National and regional strategies (biodiversity strategy) signed by 50 countries, including the MEDs
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Conservation 2
MED countries do not have strategic selection procedure (learn from other countries) A framework for the viability of population and species was usually not implemented In the short term species remain but ecosystems change: so what is conservation? Active management needs to be pursued Scenarios for conservation need to be made and use them to project conservation measures
Biodiversity Workshop Report