Action versus result-oriented schemes : a dynamic modelling approach linking grazing and bird populations in a grassland agro-ecosystem

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Action versus result-oriented schemes : a dynamic modelling approach linking grazing and bird populations

in a grassland agro-ecosystem

Rodolphe Sabatier, Luc Doyen, Muriel Tichit

To cite this version:

Rodolphe Sabatier, Luc Doyen, Muriel Tichit. Action versus result-oriented schemes : a dynamic modelling approach linking grazing and bird populations in a grassland agro-ecosystem. 2 European Congress of Conservation Biology, Czech University of Life Science. Facutly of Environmental Sciences, Prague, CZE., Sep 2009, Prague, Czech Republic. pp.106-106. �hal-01231300�

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Pr ague, Cz ech R epublic, 01 – 05 Sept ember 2009

www.eccb2009.org

ECCB

Prague 2009

BOOK OF ABSTRACTS

C Z E C H U N I V E R S I T Y

O F L I F E S C I E N C E S P R A G U E

2^nd European Congress of ConservaƟ on Biology

“ConservaƟ on biology and beyond: from science to pracƟ ce“

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Essential resources in CONSERVATION

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BOOK OF ABSTRACTS BOOK OF ABSTRACTS

PATRONS OF ECCB 2009

LADISLAV MIKO

Ministr of Environment, Czech Republic LUIGI BOITANI

President of Society for Conservation Biology

1 - 5 September, 2009

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Book of abstracts

2^nd European Congress of Conservation Biology

Published by:

Czech University of Life Sciences Faculty of Environmental Sciences

Kamycka 129 Prague 6 - Suchdol

CZ - 165 21 Czech Republic

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Published with the support of the Ministry of Environment, Czech Republic

The individual contributions in this publication and any liabilities arising from them remain

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First edition Number of copies: 1400 This book is printed on recycled paper.

ISBN 978-80-213-1961-5

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ECCB 2009

ABSTRACTS ABSTRACTS

Ordered by last name of ﬁ rst author

ABSTRACTS OF PLENARY LECTURES...5

ABSTRACTS OF SYMPOSIA...9

ABSTRACTS OF ORAL PRESENTATIONS...49

ABSTRACTS OF SPEED PRESENTATIONS...123

ABSTRACTS OF POSTER PRESENTATIONS...149

AUTHOR INDEX...229

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ECCB 2009 ABSTRACTS OF PLENARY LECTURES

ABSTRACTS OF PLENARY ABSTRACTS OF PLENARY

LECTURES LECTURES

Grus grus

Graphics by Václav Bartuška

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ECCB 2009 ABSTRACTS OF PLENARY LECTURES

1. ECONOMICS OF BIODIVERSITY

CONSERVATION AND VALUATION ISSUES

Martinez-Alier, Joan, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain

Ecological economics focuses on the relations between the human economy and the environment. There is a fashion in ecological economics to give economic values to environmental services, in order to emphasize the social importance of conservation. However, other authors point out that in confl icts on biodiversity conservation different social actors prefer sometimes to put more weight on non-economic values. Who has the power to impose one particular valuation language? Some examples will be analyzed.

2. A SCIENCE AND POLICY AGENDA FOR EFFECTIVE GLOBAL CONSERVATION

Sutherland, William, University of Cambridge, Department of Zoology, United Kingdom

The reason for our work, and for this conference, is to enable the maintenance and restoration of biodiversity. There have been some successes but overall we are presiding over a global loss of biodiversity. Part of the reason for this is the failure to comprehensively integrate science and practice.

I suggest that we need to fundamentally change how we work, especially so that evidence-based conservation underpins policy and practice. 3. Economics of biodiversity conservation and valuation issues

3. PLANT INVASIONS IN PROTECTED AREAS:

A CONSERVATION CHALLENGE?

Pyšek, Petr, Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic Biological invasions are among major threats to biodiversity worldwide, while protected areas are the foundation of national and international conservation initiatives and targets. This creates a natural confl ict between invasions and biodiversity in protected areas. Most of our data on the patterns of distribution and impact of invasive plants come from non-protected “normal landscapes”, often heavily affected by humans, since this is were invasive plants are most common and spreading. However, there are data showing that protected areas are not safe from invasions by alien plants. Studies of alien species in nature reserves located in the Czech Republic, central Europe, have shown that the degree to which a reserve is invaded, depends on the altitude, type of protected vegetation, interactions with native species, and propagule pressure manifested through density of human population in the region. Reserves surrounded by protected landscape have signifi cantly fewer alien species than those not located inside national parks or protected landscape areas. This fi nding has a practical relevance for issues associated with reserve establishment and design. Protected areas posses a “self-defending potential”, in terms of intrusion of alien plants; for example, natural vegetation in nature reserves in Central Europe acted as an effective barrier against the establishment of alien species; over a time scale of more than hundred years, it was more diffi cult for alien species to penetrate into protected areas than to spread in a non-protected landscape. In a similar vein, recent research indicates that intrusion of alien plants into Kruger National Park, South Africa, can be predicted using a limited number of characteristics of the surrounding landscapes. It will be discussed how such knowledge can be used to diminish the problem of plant invasions in protected areas.

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ECCB 2009 ABSTRACTS OF SYMPOSIA

ABSTRACTS OF SYMPOSIA ABSTRACTS OF SYMPOSIA

Astacus astacus

Graphics by Václav Bartuška

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5. THE VALUE OF VALUING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES?

Abson, David, Sustainability research institute, University of leeds, United Kingdom

The monetary valuation of the benefits derived from the provision of ecosystem services is increasingly seen as a key policy tool in stemming biodiversity loss (c.f.

the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, TEEB). It is proposed that placing dollar values on biodiversity assets is necessary for correcting the market failures that have led to the over-exploitation of biodiversity and biological resources.

Conceptualising ecosystems as bio-physical machines that can be managed to maximise the provision of goods and services for the benefi t of humanity is both a powerful and potentially dangerous proposal, raising a number of vexing questions: Given that monetary valuations of ecosystems defi ne their value in terms of what they can be exchanged for, can this approach be reconciled with traditional conservation agendas? Can commodifi cation of biodiversity really reduce its exploitation? And are the concepts of effi ciency, utility and markets useful in the context of biodiversity conservation?

This presentation will explore the positive role and potential misuse of the monetary valuation of ecosystem services from ethical, economic, and practical perspectives. The strengths, limitations, and possible pitfalls associated with ecosystem service valuation will be addressed with a particular focus on issues of scale, equity and legitimacy.

6. ALIGNING SPECIES WITH PROTECTED AREAS:

A PROBABILISTIC APPROACH IN A CLIMATE CHANGE SCENARIO

Alagador, Diogo, National Museum of Natural History of Spain, Madrid, Spain; Martins, Maria João, Centro de Estudos Florestais and Departamento de Matematica, Inst.

Superior de Agronomia, Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal; Cerdeira, Jorge Orestes, Centro de Estudos Florestais and Departamento de Matematica, Inst. Superior de Agronomia, Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal;

Cabeza, Mar, National Museum of Natural History of Spain, Madrid, Spain; Araújo, Miguel B., National Museum of Natural History of Spain, Madrid, Spain

Gap analysis is an established conservation procedure that identifi es species, habitats or ecosystems in more urgency for in-situ protection, by crossing biological distribution with protected area cover. Whilst being straightforward in implementation it entangles some degree of arbitrariness when dealing with uncertainty behind protected area assignment: non-informed threshold values are commonly used to decide about local protection status. We suggest a probabilistic framework to deal with the problem, using a simple and intuitive protocol, based on statistical theory, to assess spatial protection levels of biological elements. We demonstrate the principles behind our approach and explore its ability to be used in a static and dynamic perspective of conservation, using consensual predictions of plant species distributions in Iberian Peninsula for present time and 2080, assuming a changing climate. We found that the estimated current representation of species in protected areas and its trend in a climatically changed future are highly affected by the mapping rules used. These results address the need to work on more robust approaches to deal with inevitable existent uncertainties in biological conservation.

7. BALANCING BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN CONSERVATION PLANNING

Anderson, Barbara, University of York, United Kingdom Ecosystems support biodiversity and also provide goods and services that are benefi cial to humans. The extent to which the locations that are most valuable for ecosystem

services coincide with those that support most biodiversity is of critical importance when designing conservation and land management strategies. We investigate the spatial congruence of biodiversity and other ecosystem services and the effect of resolution and extent. We then use conservation prioritization software to investigate the tradeoffs between biodiversity and ecosystem services conservation. Rank correlations suggest that the relationship between biodiversity and various other ecosystem services is dependent on the spatial location. For example within Great Britain as a whole there is a signifi cant negative correlation between carbon storage and biodiversity. Whilst on a regional scale this relationship holds in the north and west of Britain in the southeast there is a signifi cant positive relationship. The combined conservation strategy showed that positive compromises are possible.

The relationship between ecosystem services may differ depending on the extent and spatial location. Conservation prioritization software can manage tradeoffs between biodiversity and ecosystem services where considerable gains in biodiversity conservation are possible with relatively little loss for other ecosystem services.

8. IN 85 PRIVATE GARDENS: SCIENTIFICALLY SOUND PROPAGATION OF 75 ENDANGERED NATIVE PLANT SPECIES AND SUBSEQUENT TRANSPLANTATION IN THE FIELD NEAR ZÜRICH

Andreas, Keel, Fachstelle Naturschutz, ALN, Baudirektion Kanton Zürich, 8090 Zürich, Switzerland; Regula, Langenauer, topos, Idastr.24, 8003 Zürich, Switzerland;

Karin, Marti, topos, Idastr.24, 8003 Zürich, Switzerland;

Andreas, Gigon, Istitute of Integrative Biology ETH, Univeritätsstr 16, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland

„Help for endangered native plant species – what can my garden contribute?“ – an article published in 1998 by collaborators of the cantonal (county) nature conservation authority in a Zurich newspaper: 60 private persons started to participate (today 85)! The conservation authority provided seeds, collected according to scientifi c requirements, as well as written instructions for cultivation, seed production and reporting. After 1 or 2 years, the plantlets (in 2008:

2’500) or seeds (in 2008: 34 species, sometimes ≥100g/

sp.) were planted or sown by biologists, sometimes with the assistance of the same person, who had cultivated the plants, at ecologically and biogeographically appropriate sites. Often the private persons annually monitored the development of “their” plantlets with a standardized scientifi c form. From 1998 to 2008 ~800 sets of seeds or plantlets of altogether 75 species were brought out in the fi eld, leading to a total of ~300 viable populations.

An annual meeting and fi eld trip contribute to train the private persons and to maintain their enthusiasm. The conservation authority spends 35’000 €/year for this project, a worthwhile investment! Not to forget the snowball effect of the private persons showing to their friends what special plants they cultivate in their gardens!

9. NATURAL RANGE OF VARIABILITY, FOCAL SPECIES’ REQUIREMENTS AND FOREST CERTIFICATION STANDARDS IN EUROPE’S BOREAL FOREST

Angelstam, Per, Faculty of Forest Sciences (SLU), Sweden;

Roberge, Jean-Michel, Faculty of Forest Sciences (SLU), Sweden

Assessment of ecological sustainability involves the monitoring of indicators and the comparison of their state with targets describing the state which is deemed sustainable.

Focusing on the degree of naturalness at different spatial scales required to maintain viable populations of naturally occurring species in boreal forest this paper has three aims.

First we review empirical data about the range of variability in near-natural forest landscapes of the volumes of dead wood and large trees in stands, and the proportions of deciduous

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trees and old-growth forests. Second we review studies about how the amounts of these four habitat indicators are related to the presence and fi tness of focal species. Third, we compare the ecological requirements of focal species with forest certifi cation standards and other performance targets set by different actors and stakeholders involved with the implementation of biodiversity conservation policies.

Forest certifi cation standards, which focus on satisfying market access for wood products, can be viewed as interim short-term targets, which need to come closer to quantitative empirical long-term targets to secure ecological sustainability.

To conclude, if the desire is to maintain biodiversity, there is a need to communicate that politically-derived targets do not always satisfy ecological requirements for population viability.

10. IMPLEMENTATION OF EUROPEAN NATURA 2000 CONSERVATION POLICY: THE CASE OF GREECE

Apostolopoulou, Evangelia, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece; Pantis, John, D., Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

The Habitats Directive purpose, maintaining biodiversity through sustainable natural resource use, requires national strategies capable of specifying clear goals and effective means of implementation. The Greek state responded to the Habitats Directive by establishing a network of protected areas to conserve and manage the most important Natura sites. Despite the establishment of 27 management agencies in 61 Natura sites, implementation has failed without a national strategy. By conducting 91 semi-structured interviews and following grounded theory approach we revealed national strategy as compromised by absence of conservation policy history, state incapacity, uncommunicated biological knowledge and lack of public participation. This strategy gap became apparent when we appraised the decision making process in establishing a network of protected areas in terms of its interrelated activities. Lack of clear goals and divergences between stated and actual goals led to mechanistic interpretations of conservation objectives and allowed distortion of decision process by the need to satisfy economic and development interests, leading to break downs in prescription and implementation. Given the high degree of Greek biodiversity and failure to confront this policy hiatus, we argue for the establishment of independent institutions staffed by qualifi ed reviewers to evaluate and monitor member-states conservation policies.

11. INTEGRATED DISTURBANCE ECOLOGY:

FROM THE IMPACT OF OUTDOOR WINTER SPORTS ON ALPINE WILDLIFE TO THE CREATION OF WINTER PRESERVES

Arlettaz, Raphaël, University of Bern - Conservation Biology, Switzerland; Patthey, Patrick, University of Bern - Conservation Biology, Switzerland; Baltic, Marjana, University of Bern - Conservation Biology, Switzerland;

Thiel, Dominik, Swiss Ornithological Institute, Switzerland;

Jenni-Eiermann, Susanne, wiss Ornithological Institute, Switzerland

The spreading of recreation represents a novel threat to wildlife. Still in its infancy, disturbance ecology tries to understand the consequences of anthropogenic disturbance upon biodiversity so as to propose mitigation measures.

A promising conceptual framework to disturbance ecology is the allostastic theory. It predicts the reaction terms of an organism facing various environmental factors, either natural or anthropogenic, subject to its own condition. Behavioural and physiological adjustments to changes in extrinsic and

leading to a suppression of certain vital functions (stress) in an attempt to return to homeostasis. We investigated the behavioural and physiological responses of black grouse to winter recreation. Comparative analyses and disturbance experiments showed that black grouse modulate excretion of stress hormone in response to anthropogenic disturbance, in accordance with the predictions of the allostatic theory.

Compensatory foraging enabled the birds to cope with the incurred extra energy expenditures. Yet, birds in disturbed areas may suffer from chronic stress, which could explain low population densities near ski resorts. Winter refuges must be created to limit human-wildlife confl icts.

12. COMMUNITY-LEVEL APPROACHES TO CONSERVATION PLANNING

Arponen, Anni, University of Helsinki, Finland

Effectiveness of conservation planning depends largely on data availability and quality. Often data are not adequate for modelling species distributions individually, and limited to only a few species groups. In such situations it is helpful to model instead (or in addition) higher level diversity attributes – beta-diversity and species richness – that can be used for conservation planning with modern site selection techniques.

Traditional community-level surrogate approaches include the use of simple classifi cation techniques as well as continuous ordinations. I present the latest advances in community-level approaches to conservation planning.

These include for example a novel, promising strategy that outperforms previously used techniques, called Maximization of Complementary Richness. I also discuss directions for future work: how community level approaches can be developed to address more complex and more realistic conservation planning problems.

13. NATIONAL REPORTING – THE STATUS OF THE NATURA 2000 NETWORK IN GERMANY AND CURRENT ACTIVITIES

Axel, Ssymank, BfN, Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Germany; Sandra, Balzer, BfN, Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Germany

The Natura 2000-network in Germany established, the CBD and European Minister Council “2010” target to stop the loss of biodiversity approaching, however the Ger-man National report according to Art. 17 Habitats Directive resulted in a number of habitats and species of European importance with unfavourable conservation status. This is a fact in most Member States and a network of delimited sites on maps alone is certainly not suffi cient to maintain or even restore biodiversity where necessary. Based on the German National report, an overview of management and options for future actions will be given, especially for habitats and selected species of annex I of the Habitats Directive. At the same time data needs and standardization processes at European level aim at making Natura 2000 more effi cient and get a better under-standing of assessing conservation status and managing Natura 2000. An overview of current activities as well as future developments will be given.

14. EMERGED CONFLICTS OVER INTRODUCING SET-ASIDE INTO HUNGARY

Báldi, András, Animal Ecology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Hungary; Tóth, László, Bükk National Park, Hungary; Kovács, Anikó, School of Environmental Sciences, Szent István University, Hungary

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problems. There were uncertainties around introduction of set-aside. It was unclear what a set-aside is, and different parties interpreted set-aside in different ways. Finally, set-aside fi elds in the Heves ESA are seeded, grinding or mowing is allowed once per year, and setting-aside last for maximum 3 years. This is, however, not the type, which was aimed by nature conservation, who wanted longer set-asides.

In addition to this nature conservation – agri-environment confl ict, there is a within agriculture confl ict. Set-aside is arable fi eld, thus regulations on arable fi eld management should be applied. These, however, prohibit weed infection, and leave a narrow edge between set-aside and weed infection.

A third level of problems is that farmers hardly accept this new system: to leave the fi eld without production is against their tradition. Therefore, successful implementation of set-aside needs (i) further improvements for the benefi t of biodiversity; (ii) to eliminate within agriculture, and agriculture – nature conservation confl icts; and (iii) to educate farmers on the indirect benefits of set-asides (like promoting biodiversity).

15. HOW DOES GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT AFFECT THE ARTHROPOD DIVERSITY AT DIFFERENT SCALES? – EXAMPLES FROM AN EASTERN AND A WESTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRY

Batáry, Péter, Agroecology, Georg-August University, Germany; Báldi, András, Animal Ecology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Hungary; Tscharntke, Teja, Agroecology, Georg-August University, Germany

Modern agriculture is one of the main anthropogenic threats to biodiversity. The decline of grassland species diversity due to management intensity was shown in several taxa both at local and landscape scales. In 2003 we made pitfall trapping for carabids and spiders and sweep-netting for grasshoppers on 21 pairs of extensively (max. 0.5 cow/ha) and intensively (min. 1 cow/ha) grazed semi-natural grasslands in Hungary.

In 2008 we compared the same taxa sampled with the same methods of 10 pairs of organic (pesticide and fertilizer free) and conventional fertile mown meadows in Central Germany.

In Hungary the local scale management generally did not affect the species richness and abundance of arthropods (exception: grasshopper abundance was higher on extensive fi elds), however, it had a signifi cant impact on the community structure. At landscape scale, the semi-natural area % negatively affected the carabid abundance and had a signifi cant effect on carabid and spider communities.

In Germany, no effects at any scales were shown on the impoverished grasshopper fauna, which had very low frequencies due to the frequent mowing on both management types. (The other taxa are under identifi cation). These results support the view that management effects should be studied at different spatial scales.

16. WHERE TO CONSERVE WHAT:

A NEW METHOD TO PRIORITIZE SPECIES CONSERVATION

Bauch, Bianca, Department of Conservation Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Germany;

Schmeller, Dirk, National Center for Scientifi c Research, France; Gruber, Bernd, Department of Computational Landscape Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Germany; Lanno, Kaire, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonia; Budrys, Eduardas, Institute of Ecology of Vilnius University, Lithuania; Babij, Valerija, Institute of Biology, Scientifi c Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Slovenia; Juskaitis, Rimvydas, Institute of Ecology of Vilnius University, Lithuania; Sammul, Marek, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,

Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonia; Varga, Zoltan, Department of Zoology and Evolution, Kossut Lajos University of Debrecen, Hungary; Henle, Klaus, Department of Conservation Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Researc, Germany

Here we present a new method to prioritize species conservation based on the concepts of national responsibilities and conservation priorities. National responsibilities are crucial to pinpoint action plans in the different EU Member states on a legal basis and to meet the NATURA 2000 requirements. The concept of national responsibilities has been introduced in the late 1990ies to overcome some of the short-comings of using Red Lists setting conservation priorities. Several countries have developed independently their own method for determining national responsibilities.

EuMon reviewed these methods and derived a new one that overcomes limitations of the existing methods and, most importantly, is freely scalable, i.e., can be applied to countries or regions of any size in a standardized way. The method is based on the distribution pattern and distribution range of species. Most importantly, the method clearly distinguishes between the national responsibilities of countries and the conservation priority a species receives within a certain country. Conservation priorities are given by the combination of national responsibilities and the threat status of a species (Annexes of the Birds and Habitats Directives, IUCN Red list, national red lists).

17. VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT IN BIODIVERSITY MONITORING

Bell, Sandra, Durham University, United Kingdom

There is a pressing need for volunteer amateur naturalists to participate in data collection for biodiversity monitoring programmes in Europe. It is being addressed in some countries, but less so in others. This paper discusses the results from qualitative research using semi-structured interviews, focus groups and participant observation within nine Participatory Monitoring Network (PMN) organisations in six European countries. The paper examines the features that facilitate recruitment, retention and motivations of volunteers to participate in biodiversity monitoring, including the social and cultural milieus in which they operate. The paper concludes that volunteers place a high degree of signifi cance on their social experience within PMNs. Successful creation and management of PMNs thus requires that similar levels of attention be paid to social aspects of the organisation as are paid to the generation and management of data.

18. INTRODUCTIONS OF AMPHIPOD CRUSTACEANS AND CONSEQUENCES FOR NATIVE COMMUNITIES IN THE NORTH- WESTERN RUSSIA

Berezina, Nadezhda, Zoological Instituteof Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia

The paper focuses on history of large-scale intentional introductions of amphipod crustaceans (above 30 species were introduced) in former USSR with the aim of fi sh production improvement. This study aims to illustrate what consequences of this man-made experiment for native communities and natural biodiversity on example of lakes in North-western Russia. Several most successful invaders (Baikalian amphipod Gmelinoides fasciatus, Ponto-caspian Pontogammarus robustoides and North Atlantic Gammarus tigrinus) occurred highly tolerant to pollution and other destructions of aquatic ecosystems and reached a high abundance over short period becoming key stone species in most benthic communities. The destruction of natural habitats (pollution and climatic changes) increases native ecosystem invasivibility and facilitate the successful invasion

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of the invaders, as a rule euryoecious species (opportunistic or r-strategic) species. The spread of the invasive amphipods in aquatic ecosystems of Russia has had a high ecological impact, leading to changes in pre-existing native biota and losses of species diversity. The threatened (or endangered) native species are at risk due to competition with the invasive species and under their predation. Natural conservation of native habitats and biota are the main preposition for increase stability and decrease invasibility of aquatic ecosystems and necessary issue for further restoration management

19. THE ECONOMICS OF ECOSYSTEMS AND BIODIVERSITY (TEEB) – CONCEPT AND STRUCTURE

Berghöfer, Augustin, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Germany

TEEB is an international initiative to draw attention to the global economic benefi ts of biodiversity, to highlight the growing cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation and to draw together expertise from the fi elds of science, economics and policy to enable practical actions moving forward. The TEEB study was launched by Germany and the European Commission in response to a proposal by the G8+5 Environment Ministers (Potsdam, Germany 2007) to develop a global study on the economics of biodiversity loss.

The Interim Report of TEEB, released in May 2008 provided strong evidence for signifi cant global and local economic losses and human welfare impacts attributable to the ongoing losses of biodiversity and degradation of ecosystems. Phase II of the study will be completed in 2010 and presented in Nagoya, at the 10th Conference of parties of the Convention for Biological Diversity (CDB COP-10). Some conceptual underpinnings of TEEB will be discussed e.g. with regard to monetary valuation. Furthermore, the structure of the TEEB process will be explored and its characteristics at the interface between science and politics.

20. USING MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION ACTIONS TO PROMOTE BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Berry, Pam, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Paterson, James, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, United Kingdom Climate change mitigation and adaptation measures are being implemented in a number of sectors, such as agriculture, forestry and food control. These measures can interact synergistically or antagonistically with conservation objectives. This paper will present a synthesis of measures which are compatible with biodiversity and show how such measures can be implemented to achieve win-win-win situations for mitigation, adaptation and biodiversity. It will use a case study from wetlands to show how fl ood control measures, such as wetland re-creation and drainage, can be implemented to the benefi t of both fl ood management and biodiversity. Thus it will identify how climate change and biodiversity policies can be brought together and to ensure that opportunities for conservation are realised.

21. DYNAMIC RESERVE SELECTION UNDER CLIMATIC UNCERTAINTY

Bladt, Jesper, Aarhus University, Denmark; Strange, Niels, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Thorsen, Bo Jellesmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Climate change is becoming an increasingly important driver

a probability of species going extinct on non-reserved as well as reserved sites. Additionally, due to climate change induced migration of (threatened) species, there is a probability that new species will immigrate into the sites of the potential reserve system. In this model the planner is provided with the option to sell reserved and potentially degraded sites in order to be able to buy other non-reserved sites with higher expected biodiversity value. This is referred to as the swapping option. In the present study we explore to what extent such fl exibility options improve conservation effectiveness under a climate change scenario where species may move in and out of potential reserve areas and hence may change optimal priorities.

22. DEVELOPMENT OF PLANT COMMUNITIES ON SET-ASIDE IN ENGLAND

Boatman, Nigel, Food & Environment Research Agency, United Kingdom; Jones, Naomi, Food & Environment Research Agency, United Kingdom; Conyers, Simon, Food &

Environment Research Agency, United Kingdom; Pietravalle, Stephane, Food & Environment Research Agency, United Kingdom

A botanical survey of set-aside in England was carried out in 2008, to record plant communities in set-aside of different ages. In total, 287 fi elds were surveyed on 85 farms. In each fi eld, transects were established at 1, 4, 9 and 50m from the edge. Ten quadrats were assessed in each transect, and 20 pin hits recorded as a measure of cover. Plant communities were classifi ed using the Countryside Vegetation System, National Vegetation Classifi cation, Ellenberg indicators and Grime CSR strategy. Cover and species richness of perennials increased and species richness of annuals declined, with age of set-aside. Most transects fell into CVS aggregate classes

‘tall grassland/herb’ and ‘fertile grassland’. Around 10% were in the ‘infertile grassland’ aggregate class. Plant communities were mostly classified as NVC mesotrophic grassland or open habitats but with some swamp or tall-herb fen communities. Ellenberg fertility values decreased, Competitor species increased, and ruderals declined, with age. The proportion of food plants for birds and butterfl ies increased with age of set-aside. It is concluded that the greatest value of set-aside is in terms of habitat value for higher trophic groups.

However, under certain conditions, there is the potential for plant communities of conservation interest to develop.

23. USE REGULATIONS AND THEIR

COMPLIANCE IN THE BIOSPHERE RESERVE WIENERWALD

Brandenburg, Christiane, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Department of Spatial-, Landscape-, and Infrastructure-Sciences Institute for Landscape Development, Recreation and Environmental Planning, Austria; Lexer, Wolfgang, Umweltbundesamt GmbH Wien, Austria; Reimoser, Friedrich, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria; Muhar, Andreas, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Department of Spatial-, Landscape-, and Infrastructure-Sciences Institute for Landscape Development, Recreation and Environmental Planning, Austria; Zink, Richard, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria;

Heckl, Felix, Umweltbundesamt GmbH Wien, Austria

The Biosphere Reserve Wienerwald lying next to the agglomeration area of Vienna possesses high biodiversity and conservation values, due to the mosaic-like landscape composed of large forest areas and grass lands, major large-scale wildlife habitat and part of a supra-regional ecological corridor. Its ecological integrity is threatened by

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developed various regulations aimed at sustainable use of the Wienerwald area. Within a research project the familiarity and compliance with those rules was investigated with on-site interviews and mailing surveys using standardised questionnaires. 1334 land users stated that they were aware of the problems and confl icts caused to wildlife by certain modes of behaviour such as off-trail use, off-leash dog walking and others. However, awareness of the problems caused by unwanted behaviour did not result in adequate observance of existing rules, which appeared to be due to a lack of knowledge about the further-reaching implications of the disturbance of wildlife. To improve management aims and rules as well as conforming behaviour, self-evaluation sets for different user groups have been elaborated.

24. SPATIALLY-EXPLICIT MODELLING OF

CONFLICT ZONES BETWEEN OUTDOOR WINTER RECREATION AND WILDLIFE IN THE EUROPEAN ALPS

Braunisch, Veronika, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Division of Conservation Biology, University of Bern, Switzerland; Forest Research Institute of Baden-Wuerttemberg FVA, Division of Wildlife Ecology, Germany; Patthey, Patrick, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Division of Conservation Biology, University of Bern, Switzerland; Raphael, Arlettaz, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Division of Conservation Biology, University of Bern; Swiss Ornithological Institute, Valais Field Station, Nature Centre, Switzerland

Outdoor winter recreation is a major source of stress for wildlife in mountain ecosystems. Measures for mitigating disturbance effects require spatial prediction of both human activities and wildlife key habitats so as to locate confl ict zones with critical interferences and delineate adequate winter refuges. We used spatial modelling to localise confl ict zones between wintering black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) and two free-ranging winter sport activities (off-piste skiing and snowshoeing) in the Swiss Alps. Track data (snow-sports and birds’ traces) recorded by aerial photographs along with a maximum entropy algorithm were used to predict snow-sports and black grouse probability of co-occurrence as a function of landscape characteristics. Modelling black grouse presence in theoretical absence of ski lifts enabled identifying potentially suitable but currently abandoned wintering sites within ski resorts. Skiers’ occurrence was mainly determined by ski lift presence and a smooth terrain, snowshoe walkers’

occurrence by hiking or skiing routes and moderate slopes.

Black grouse avoidance of ski infrastructure resulted in a 12%

reduction of suitable habitat. There was a >10% probability of human-wildlife encounters on >50% of the remaining habitat. Spatially-explicit maps showing the probability of human-wildlife confl icts will enable effective planning of wildlife winter refuges and visitor steering concepts.

25. THE FARMCAT PROJECT: THE SOCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL CONSTRAINTS ON THE SUCCESSFUL DELIVERY OF AGRI-ENVIRONMENT SCHEMES

Bullock, James, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, United Kingdom

Agri-environment schemes (AES) are the pre-dominant strategy in Europe to counteract the decline in farmland biodiversity. Their success has been measured in terms of farmer uptake and biodiversity increases and both suggest major constraints on the performance of AES. A lack of training means many farmers show limited engagement with AES and do not carry out best management practices.

Secondly, colonisation of AES farms by target species is limited by small source populations and barriers to dispersal.

A multidisciplinary consortium is addressing these social and ecological constraints in an integrated fashion. We are comparing structured samples of farms in different landscapes to determine how AES management, farmer attitude and training affect biodiversity change. We are studying the impact of training on attitudes and knowledge of AES management and the process by which attitudinal shifts occur. Measures of distribution and colonisation by target species are being used to determine how landscape context interacts with farm habitat quality to determine biodiversity responses to AES. By this combined approach we are aiming to produce new advice on how farmer engagement and biodiversity responses in AES may be enhanced by new policies.

26. 20 YEARS OF EX SITU PLANT

CONSERVATION AND SPECIES RECOVERY PROJECTS IN BERLIN

Bunde, Daniela, Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem, Germany; Luthardt, Vera, The University of Applied Sciences in Eberswalde, Germany; Stevens, Albert-Dieter, Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum Berlin- Dahlem, Germany

During the early 1990s, nature conservation authorities in Berlin initiated several reintroduction and re-enforcement projects for 15 locally endangered species. Plants were cultivated and propagated in the botanic garden, and re-introduced to several wet and dry grassland communities in the Berlin area.

The re-enforced populations were monitored for a period of four years. In 2008 the populations were revisited and their status evaluated. The main problems encountered during the re-evaluation 15 years later, were incomplete data and maps from the fi rst phase. The re-evaluation showed that most of the re-introduction measures were not successful because of inappropriate choice of sites, discontinuous site management and missing protection against damage from wild animals. Only a few species had developed stable populations. The only really successful measure was the re-enforcement of a Silene chlorantha population in the north of Berlin, which today counts more than 9000 individuals. This study illustrates the importance of thoroughly planned re-introduction measures, including appropriate choice and preparation of sites as well as long-term management and monitoring. Successful projects will only be possible if all stakeholders – such as nature conservation authorities, NGO´s and botanic gardens, scientists and volunteers – communicate and cooperate.

27. THE POLITICS OF ECOLOGICAL DISSERVICES:

TOWARDS A CRITIQUE OF NEOLIBERAL BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Büscher, Bram, Institute of Social Studies, Netherlands During the last decade, the fi eld of conservation biology has rapidly adapted itself to the currently dominant political ideology of neoliberalism. Variations on payments for ecological services models are promoted to reach the multiple ‘wins’ so desired: improved biodiversity conservation, economic development, (international) cooperation, etc. This paper aims to provide a critique of neoliberal biodiversity conservation. This critique will commence with the assertion that there has been a confl ation between economics and neoliberalism in conservation biology – the latter being a political ideology geared towards (eternal) growth and creating social inequalities. By spelling out the reasons for this confl ation, the paper argues that it becomes easier to see the various negative impacts of neoliberal win-win models biodiversity conservation. The paper concludes by exploring the spaces around which alternative ideas about economics and biodiversity conservation could be construed.

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28. A PRACTICAL METHOD FOR CONSERVATION PLANNING ACCOUNTING FOR UNCERTAIN CLIMATE CHANGE

Cabeza, Mar, MNCN, CSIC, Spain; Kujala, Heini, University of Helsinki, Finland; Araújo, Miguel, MNCN, CSIC, Spain;

Moilanen, Atte, University of Helsinki, Finland

Conservation planning is facing new challenges as species shift their ranges due to climate change. Recent developments in the fi eld of systematic conservation planning have resulted in tools for solving conservation resource allocation problems accounting for such range shifts. These approaches incorporate projected future species distributions. Yet an issue of major concern is the uncertainty associated with both climate change and resulting species responses.

Knowing that climate change is a reality, we must fi nd ways to move forward despite uncertain futures, not by delaying action or by ignoring uncertainty, but by embracing it. Here we suggest a practical approach to conservation planning using uncertain climate change projections, to identify regions that robustly allow the local persistence of species and make dispersal between present and future areas plausible. This is done by discounting those locations for which there is high variation in the predictions, and by giving varying weights to future sources, stepping stones and future core areas without much compromising conservation achievements for the present. We also perform a sensitivity analysis to evaluate for which climate change scenario we should be planning for. We apply the proposed approach to the identifi cation of conservation priorities for European amphibians and reptiles.

29. THE KINDRED OF SPECIES: BEYOND BIO-EXCEPTIONALISM

Campbell, Ben, Durham University, United Kingdom Conservation comes in many guises, but in prioritising the concerns of the non-human world over immediate or accumulatory human wants, it caught the attention of anthropologists for making foundational the Great Divide it seeks to cross. In the dialectic of ideas, the enlightenment’s discovery of the universal human, and the application of science for human society to overcome the constraints of nature, made logically possible the subsequent reverse empowering of the non-human cause as a legitimate concern, once the ecologically degrading effects of human domination became apparent from the mid-nineteenth century. Rather than promote conservation as the welfare of the non-human, this paper argues that relationships between the human and non-human, as manifest in many non-western cultures (examples from South Asia and South America), offer a means for imagining a refl exive ethics of conservation, giving voice to non-humans in ways that the culture of science will typically not admit. As environmentalism spreads in popularity, and conservation undergoes its own de-colonising process, the diversity of relationships to the non-human is becoming an area for creative anthropological work. This questions the standard response to indigenous people’s speaking of their kinship to non-humans as being either irrational or metaphoric.

30. INCORPORATING CONNECTIVITY AND RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE INTO REGIONAL-SCALE CONSERVATION PLANNING IN THE US PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Carroll, Carlos, KCCR, United States; Dunk, Jeffrey, Humboldt State Univ., United States; Moilanen, Atte, Univ.

of Helsinki, Finland

vertebrate species are used as conservation umbrellas for other taxa. We used the program Maxent to develop habitat models for the Northern Spotted Owl and 130 localized species in the US Pacifi c Northwest, and evaluated how effectively the owl acts as an umbrella for localized species under current and projected future climates. We used the program Zonation to identify a system of areas that effi ciently captures habitat for both the owl and localized species and prioritizes refugial areas of climatic and topographic heterogeneity where current and future habitat for dispersal-limited species is in proximity. Reserve solutions based on the owl overlap areas of high localized-species richness but poorly capture core areas of localized species’ distribution. Congruence between priority areas across taxa increases when refugial areas are prioritized. Although core-area selection strategies can potentially increase the conservation value and resilience of regional reserve systems, they accentuate contrasts in priority areas between species and over time, and should be combined with a broadened taxonomic scope and increased attention to potential effects of climate change.

31. GENE-BANKS AND CLIMATE CHANGE, PERSPECTIVES FROM THE FROZEN ARK PROJECT

Clarke, Ann, The Frozen Ark Project, United Kingdom Climate change over the last 30 years is known to have produced large alterations in number and distribution of animal species globally. It is predicted that future warming of the climate alone will cause the extinction of 15-37%

of species by 2050. The growing number of successful conservation efforts can only save a small percentage of the total 5-10 million species believed currently to exist worldwide.

The Frozen Ark Project has been set up to collect, preserve and store the genetic material of the world’s endangered animals before they go extinct so these resources are not lost to future generations. The project has been set up as a charity and is being co-ordinated from The University of Nottingham in the UK. Consortium Members from academic, zoo, aquarium and museum communities around the world are involved in creating this ‘back-up’ to the conservation movement.

The project aims to insure that the scientifi c information of millions of years of evolution is not lost, that future scientists will have the knowledge of the world’s past animals and that genetic material will be available to aid conservation breeding programmes around the world.

32. ENHANCING THE ECOLOGICAL DIVERSITY OF CARABIDAE (COLEOPTERA) IN RIPARIAN MARGINS

Cole, Lorna, Scottish Agricultural College, United Kingdom;

McCracken, Davy, Scottish Agricultural College, United Kingdom; Robertson, Duncan, Scottish Agricultural College, United Kingdom; Harrison, Billy, Scottish Agricultural College, United Kingdom

Erecting fences along riparian fi eld margins in intensively managed grasslands not only helps to mitigate diffuse pollution but also has the potential to enhance farmland biodiversity. This study surveyed a range of riparian margins and analysed carabid assemblages to determine the infl uence of riparian management on carabid ecological structure.

While the ecological composition of wide riparian margins (>4m) was distinct from unfenced margins and the adjacent fi eld, the composition of narrow margins (<2m) was not. Wide margins had a higher proportion of fl ightless carabids and species that overwinter as adults indicating that wide margins provide more stable habitats with greater refuge potential for overwintering beetles. Wide margins therefore appear to have greater potential than narrow margins at enhancing