VegPáramo, a flora and vegetation database for the Andean páramo

2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 195-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gwendolyn Peyre ◽  
Henrik Balslev ◽  
David Martí ◽  
Petr Sklenář ◽  
Paul Ramsay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
Data Sources ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Northern Andes ◽  
Vegetation Database ◽  
Scientific Significance

The páramo region in the northern Andes is very biodiverse, presents high endemism and provides many ecosystem services. Unfortunately, the páramo is critically threatened by anthropogenic activities and climate change. Further research and development of efficient conservation strategies are therefore needed for the region, but they are often limited by the lack of consistent biological data-sources. Here we present VegPáramo (GIVD ID: SA-00-002, http://www.givd.info/ID/SA-00-002), a flora and vegetation database for the páramo based on phytosociological vegetation plots. VegPáramo contains data from 3,000 georeferenced vegetation plots with updated nomenclature. The database is accessible through the webportal http://www.vegparamo.com, from which floristic and vegetation data can be freely consulted and downloaded. This new tool should make future botanical and ecological páramo studies easier. VegPáramo is already geographically and floristically representative for the páramo region, but we hope it will continue to grow in scientific significance via new data addition and revision.

scholarly journals A trait-based approach to assess climate change sensitivity of freshwater invertebrates across Swedish ecoregions

2014 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonard Sandin ◽  
Astrid Schmidt-Kloiber ◽  
Jens-Christian Svenning ◽  
Erik Jeppesen ◽  
Nikolai Friberg
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Species Traits ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Measured Temperature ◽  
Buffer Strips

Abstract Freshwater habitats and organisms are among the most threatened on Earth, and freshwater ecosystems have been subject to large biodiversity losses. We developed a Climate Change Sensitivity (CCS) indicator based on trait information for a selection of stream- and lake-dwelling Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera taxa. We calculated the CCS scores based on ten species traits identified as sensitive to global climate change. We then assessed climate change sensitivity between the six main ecoregions of Sweden as well as the three Swedish regions based on Illies. This was done using biological data from 1, 382 stream and lake sites where we compared large-scale (ecoregional) patterns in climate change sensitivity with potential future exposure of these ecosystems to increased temperatures using ensemble-modelled future changes in air temperature. Current (1961~1990) measured temperature and ensemble-modelled future (2100) temperature showed an increase from the northernmost towards the southern ecoregions, whereas the predicted temperature change increased from south to north. The CCS indicator scores were highest in the two northernmost boreal ecoregions where we also can expect the largest global climate change-induced increase in temperature, indicating an unfortunate congruence of exposure and sensitivity to climate change. These results are of vital importance when planning and implementing management and conservation strategies in freshwater ecosystems, e.g., to mitigate increased temperatures using riparian buffer strips. We conclude that traits information on taxa specialization, e.g., in terms of feeding specialism or taxa having a preference for high altitudes as well as sensitivity to changes in temperature are important when assessing the risk from future global climate change to freshwater ecosystems.

Assessing ambitious nature conservation strategies within a 2 degree warmer and food-secure world

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcel T.J. Kok ◽  
Johan R. Meijer ◽  
Willem-Jan van Zeist ◽  
Jelle P. Hilbers ◽  
Marco Immovilli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Security Risks ◽  
Global Conservation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Global Biodiversity

AbstractGlobal biodiversity is projected to further decline under a wide range of future socio-economic development pathways, even in sustainability oriented scenarios. This raises the question how biodiversity can be put on a path to recovery, the core challenge for the CBD post-2020 global biodiversity framework. We designed two contrasting, ambitious global conservation strategies, ‘Half Earth’ (HE) and ‘Sharing the Planet’ (SP), and evaluated their ability to restore terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity and to provide ecosystem services while also mitigating climate change and ensuring food security. We applied the integrated assessment framework IMAGE with the GLOBIO biodiversity model, using the ‘Middle of the Road’ Shared Socio-economic Pathway (SSP2) with its projected human population growth as baseline.We found that both conservation strategies result in a reduction in the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services globally, but without additional measures to achieve effective climate mitigation they will be insufficient to restore biodiversity. The HE strategy performs better for terrestrial biodiversity protection (biodiversity intactness (MSA), Red List Index, geometric mean abundance) in currently still natural regions, reflecting global conservation priorities. The SP strategy yields more improvements for biodiversity in human-used areas, aquatic biodiversity and for regulating ecosystem services (pest control, pollination, erosion control), reflecting regional priorities. However, ‘conservation only’ scenarios show a considerable increase in food security risks (especially in Sub-Saharan Africa) compared to the baseline and limited reduction of global temperature increase. Only when conservation strategies are combined with climate change mitigation efforts and additional actions especially in the agricultural and energy system into a portfolio of ‘integrated sustainability measures’, both conservation strategies result in restoring biodiversity to current values or even some improvement, while keeping global warming below two degrees and keeping food security risks below baseline. Minimizing food wastes and reducing consumption of animal products will be crucial.

scholarly journals Impact of climate change on the hydrological dynamics of River Ganga, India

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 274-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. K. Jain ◽  
Surya Singh
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Riverine Ecosystems ◽  
Indian Context ◽  
Hydropower Potential ◽  
River Ganga

Abstract Rivers provide innumerable ecosystem services to mankind. However, anthropogenic activities have inflicted a host of pressures to the riverine ecosystems. Climate change is also one of the human induced consequences which is of serious concern. A number of studies have predicted devastating effects of climate change. In the Indian context, where a river such as the Ganga is already suffering from industrial and municipal waste disposal, unhygienic rituals, and other activities, effects of climate change may further aggravate the situation. Climate change will not only result in disasters, but effects on water quality, biodiversity, and other ecological processes also cannot be denied. In this paper, an attempt has been made to evaluate the effects of climatic change on the dynamics of River Ganga. The study focuses on the impacts on fundamental ecological processes, river water quality, effect on species composition, and hydropower potential etc. The paper also discusses management aspects and research needs for rejuvenation of the River Ganga.

scholarly journals Measuring Metrics of Climate Change and Its Implication on the Endangered Mammal Conservation in the Leuser Ecosystem

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aryo Adhi Condro ◽  
Lilik Budi Prasetyo ◽  
Siti Badriyah Rushayati ◽  
I Putu Santikayasa ◽  
Entang Iskandar
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
General Circulation Models ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Mean Annual Temperature ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Change Metrics

The Leuser Ecosystem is one of the essential landscapes in the world for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services. However, the Leuser Ecosystem has suffered many threats from anthropogenic activities and changing climate. Climate change is the greatest challenge to global biodiversity conservation. Efforts should be made to elaborate climatic change metrics toward biological conservation practices. Herein, we present several climate change metrics to support conservation management toward mammal species in the Leuser Ecosystem. We used a 30-year climate of mean annual temperature, annual precipitation, and the BIOCLIM data to capture the current climatic conditions. For the future climate (2050), we retrieved three downscaled general circulation models for the business-as-usual scenario of shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP585). We calculated the dissimilarities of the current and 2050 climatic conditions using the standardized Euclidean distance (SED). To capture the probability of climate extremes in each period (i.e., current and future conditions), we calculated the 5th and 95th percentiles of the distributions of monthly temperature and precipitation, respectively, in the current and future conditions. Furthermore, we calculated forward and backward climate velocities based on the mean annual temperature. These metrics can be useful inferences about species conservation. Our results indicate that almost all of the endangered mammals in the Leuser Ecosystem will occur in the area with threats to local populations and sites. Different conservation strategies should be performed in the areas likely to present different threats toward mammal species. Habitat restoration and long-term population monitoring are needed to support conservation in this mega biodiversity region.

scholarly journals Spatial and Ecological Farmer Knowledge and Decision-Making about Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity

Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Kpienbaareh ◽  
Rachel Bezner Kerr ◽  
Isaac Luginaah ◽  
Jinfei Wang ◽  
Esther Lupafya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Biodiversity Conservation ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Ecosystem Dynamics ◽  
Macro Level ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Farmer Knowledge ◽  
Farm Level

Amid climate change, biodiversity loss and food insecurity, there is the growing need to draw synergies between micro-scale environmental processes and practices, and macro-level ecosystem dynamics to facilitate conservation decision-making. Adopting this synergistic approach can improve crop yields and profitability more sustainably, enhance livelihoods and mitigate climate change. Using spatially explicit data generated through a public participatory geographic information system methodology (n = 37), complemented by spatial analysis, interviews (n = 68) and focus group discussions (n = 4), we explored the synergies between participatory farmer-to-farmer agroecology knowledge sharing, farm-level decisions and their links with macro-level prioritization of conservation strategies. We mapped farm conditions and ecosystem services (ES) of two village areas with varying knowledge systems about farming. Results of the farm-level analysis revealed variations in spatial perception among farmers, differences in understanding the dynamics of crop growth and varying priorities for extension services based on agroecological knowledge. The ES use pattern analysis revealed hotspots in the mapped ES indicators with similarities in both village areas. Despite the similarities in ES use, priorities for biodiversity conservation align with farmers’ understanding of farm processes and practices. Farmers with training in agroecology prioritized strategies that are ecologically friendly while farmers with no agroecology training prioritized the use of strict regulations. Importantly, the results show that agroecology can potentially contribute to biodiversity conservation and food security, with climate change mitigation co-benefits. The findings generally contribute to debates on land sparing and land sharing conservation strategies and advance social learning theory as it pertains to acquiring agroecological knowledge for improved yield and a sustainable environment.

scholarly journals Expert Assessment of Risks Posed by Climate Change and Anthropogenic Activities to Ecosystem Services in the Deep North Atlantic

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire W. Armstrong ◽  
Godwin K. Vondolia ◽  
Naomi S. Foley ◽  
Lea-Anne Henry ◽  
Katherine Needham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Expert Assessment

Emergence of New Potential Insect Pests of Date Palm: Could Climate Change Be the Reason?

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 242-245
Author(s):  
Hamadttu A. F. El-Shafie
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Date Palm ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
South American ◽  
Palm Fruit ◽  
The Family ◽  
American Palm ◽  
Sorghum Chafer

Four insect species were reported as new potential pests of date palm in recent years. They are sorghum chafer (Pachnoda interrupta), the rose chafer (Potosia opaca), the sericine chafer beetle (Maladera insanablis), and the South American palm borer (Pysandisia archon). The first three species belong to the order Coleoptera and the family Scarabaeidae, while the fourth species is a lepidopteran of the family Castniidae. The injury as well as the economic damage caused by the four species on date palm need to be quantified. Due to climate change and anthropogenic activities, the date palm pest complex is expected to change in the future. To the author's knowledge, this article provides the first report of sorghum chafer as a pest damaging date palm fruit.

Wald und Klimawandel in der inneralpinen Trockenregion Visp

2012 ◽  
Vol 163 (12) ◽  
pp. 481-492
Author(s):  
Andreas Rigling ◽  
Ché Elkin ◽  
Matthias Dobbertin ◽  
Britta Eilmann ◽  
Arnaud Giuggiola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Forest Management ◽  
Forest Ecosystem ◽  
Bark Beetles ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Forest Monitoring ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
Forest Ecosystem Services

Forest and climate change in the inner-Alpine dry region of Visp Over the past decades, observed increases in temperature have been particularly pronounced in mountain regions. If this trend should continue in the 21st Century, frequency and intensity of droughts will increase, and will pose major challenges for forest management. Under current conditions drought-related tree mortality is already an important factor of forest ecosystems in dry inner-Alpine valleys. Here we assess the sensitivity of forest ecosystems to climate change and evaluate alternative forest management strategies in the Visp region. We integrate data from forest monitoring plots, field experiments and dynamic forests models to evaluate how the forest ecosystem services timber production, protection against natural hazards, carbon storage and biodiver-sity will be impacted. Our results suggest that at dry low elevation sites the drought tolerance of native tree species will be exceeded so that in the longer term a transition to more drought-adapted species should be considered. At medium elevations, drought and insect disturbances as by bark beetles are projected to be important for forest development, while at high elevations forests are projected to expand and grow better. All of the ecosystem services that we considered are projected to be impacted by changing forest conditions, with the specific impacts often being elevation-dependent. In the medium term, forest management that aims to increase the resilience of forests to drought can help maintain forest ecosystem services temporarily. However, our results suggest that relatively rigid management interventions are required to achieve significant effects. By using a combination of environmental monitoring, field experiments and modeling, we are able to gain insight into how forest ecosystem, and the services they provide, will respond to future changes.

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