WP Leader: UFZ, Leipzig, Klaus Henle
In WP2 we will elaborate the relationship between National Responsibilities (NR) and Conservation Priorities (CP) of species and habitats and the methodologies that are applied in the monitoring systems. We will propose the best way how to include the different monitoring systems into a European strategy that includes NRs and CPs and develop an approach for a global biodiversity observation system.
The formulation of a monitoring system for European Responsibilities based on European Conservation priorities is a complex process based on national and regional approaches. When mentioning Europe or European it is meant the physical area of Europe and for the European Union we will use European Union or EU. It has to be stated that European Directives are of course only valid for the territory of the European Union.
The outcome of Work package 2 will be an overview of the characteristics of the existing larger monitoring and surveillance systems in Europe including data holdings developed by national (or regional, if responsible) authorities and agencies as well as the international and national NGOs. The remote sensing aspects will be covered by EC-JRC. This WP will also analyse the compliance of the existing systems with GEO Data Sharing Principles as well as with the INSPIRE Directive.
There will be a close cooperation with WP1 and WP8. To develop a system of cost effective monitoring for European habitats and species in WP8, existing knowledge is required on major monitoring methodologies for habitats in combination with flora and vegetation, vertebrate fauna and invertebrate fauna. The basic knowledge is available through the EuMon project and all information available in that project will be assessed and elaborated if needed.
This WP will also involve the identification of existing algorithms for statistical analysis and if necessary develop new procedures for inter-calibration.
Using the information compiled in the EuMon database and newly collected data, we will assess the extent to which spatially and topically prioritized habitats and species are covered by existing monitoring schemes, the potential to merge existing schemes and the power to detect trends in biodiversity. Here it is essential to establish links between existing remote sensing observation systems and biodiversity change systems on the ground and their compliance with GEO Data Sharing Principles and the INSPIRE Directive. Based on these analyses we will draw conclusions in which direction a strategy for improving Europe’s biodiversity monitoring capacity can develop as input to WP8 and WP9.
