LIFE RESECOM - Monitoring network for plant species and habitats of Community Interest in Aragón

Transcription

1 LIFE RESECOM - Monitoring network for plant species and habitats of Community Interest in Aragón LIFE12 NAT/ES/ Location: Aragón (autonomous region) Partners: Aragón Government Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Spain) Presentation: Daniel Goñi, LARRE. Working as assistant expert for the Aragon Government, in the issue of habitats.

2 OBJECTIVES: Assessment and monitoring the Conservation Status of EIC (plant species) and HIC (habitats) to accomplish the goals set out in articles 11 and 17 of the Habitats Directive. Detect effects of global change in biodiversity in the long term Some expected outcomes: Robust methodological protocols Coordination of a diverse set of monitoring teams Establishment of a consistent and self-sustaining monitoring network

3 Species monitoring Level 1 - Presence - absence Level 2 - Area of occupancy - basic assessment Level 3 - Counts Level 4 - Individual monitoring Habitat monitoring Just starting Trying a several level approach, as for species Field trials: preliminary surveys

4 Selected Habitat Types of Community Interest: Salicornia and other annuals colonizing mud and sand Mediterranean and thermo-atlantic halophilous scrubs (Sarcocornetea fruticosi) Mediterranean salt steppes (Limonietalia) Iberian gypsum vegetation (Gypsophiletalia) Alpine and Boreal heaths Siliceous Pyrenean Festuca eskia grasslands Alpine and subalpine calcareous grasslands Semi-Natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) (*important orchid sites) 6230 Species-rich Nardus grasslands, on siliceous substrates in mountain areas (and submountain areas, in Continental Europe) Active raised bogs Transition mires and quaking bogs Petrifying springs with tufa formation (Cratoneurion) Siliceous scree of the montane to snow levels (Androsacetalia alpinae and Galeopsietalia ladani) Calcareous and calcshist screes of the montane to alpine levels (Thlaspietea rotundifolii) Western Mediterranean and thermophilous scree Calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation Siliceous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation 91D0 - Bog woodland

5 Attributes of interest to assess the conservation status of each habitat type Ecosystem approach to the habitat concept. Ecosystem features: structure and function: Physical properties (hydrology), Structure (horizontal, vertical), Composition, Dynamics (land use ). Sources: Assessment and reporting under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive explanatory Notes & Guidelines BEPCTHICE project (Spain) Common Standards in Habitat Monitoring (JNCC, United Kingdom) Handbook of Biodiversity Methods (Hill & al.)

6 RESECOM - Attributes of interest to assess the conservation status of each habitat type. Example: 6170 Attribute factor (or variable) method (measurement desirable trend level procedure) Physical properties Disturbances (overgrazing, antropic, natural...) Detailed maps Cover inside the plots Point quadrat/intercept No disturbed soil 1, 2 and 3 Soil chemistry (nutrients) soil analysis Absence of nitrification 3 Composition, richness Releves Composition and diversity of species Point quadrat/intercept Maximum diversity 2 and 3 Cartography Higher variety of communities Communities present Presence and frecuency Releves forming part of the habitat 1 and 2 of indicator (typical) Releves Maximum proportion of typical species Point-quadrat species 2 and 3 Presence and frecuency of undesirable species (trivial, nitrophilous, Releves ruderal) Point-quadrat Absence of undesirable species 2 and 3 Structure Invasion by bushes Estructura horizontal (% Visual estimation Detailed maps Cover inside the Absence of invasion by bushes There is no significant decline of 1 de cobertura vegetal) plots Point quadrat/intercept cover 1, 2 and 3 Measurement of the volume of Well grazed pasture with no over excrements, biomass and height nor under grazed. No signs pof soil Grazing effects of the grass degradation or loss 3

7 3 Levels of monitoring intensity for habitats 1. basic characterization (quick) 2. advanced characterization (releves in plots) 3. detailed monitoring (contacts, transects and more) Current status of the method selection: field trials (preliminary surveys)

8 Habitat assessment - Level 1 - basic characterization of the site 1. Station location (Form 0.1). It takes around 10 minutes 2. Station characterization (Form 1.2). It takes around 15 minutes for grasslands Invasion by woody plants. Detect overgrazing. Type, intensity, extension and frecuency of disturbances. Estimate the degree of vegetation and bare soil cover Register dominant, typical and undesirable species if easy to detect Questions about the livestock, its management and other land uses

9 Habitat assessment Level 2 advanced characterization of the site 1. Location of the plots. Form 0.1 for temporary plots (5 minutes); form 0.2 for permanent plots (9 minutes). Is better many and small plots 2. Characterization of the plots (form 2.0) For all the plots in the station, 2 or 3 hours minutes in each plot should be sufficient. In each plot: cover surfaces. List of species with indication of abundance. Registration of types an degree of disturbance inside the plot Percentage of land occupied by livestock waste and type of livestock. Photograph of the plot

10 Permanent plots or transects Careful sampling design Location using forms 0.2 and 0.3 RESECOM - Monitoring network for plant species and Point quadrat, point intercept, mini quadrats Time consuming. Minimum 1 day 1 station Maximum precision habitat assessment Level 3 detailed monitoring

11 Challenges: Achieve a deal with many other experts in Europe, across the biogeographical process, about which attributes and which levels (thresholds?) of them have to be taken in account for each habitat type, and which of this attributes are more relevant or significant. Choose the most cost effective methods to assess this attributes Methods should be exportable; applicable in a broader area than Aragon Thank You for the attention