The research project
Within the intricate ecosystems of forests, a rich tapestry of species diversity thrives. Beneath the tree canopy, myriad organisms find a habitat. Yet, in this delicate equilibrium, global environmental changes—driven by factors such as climate shifts, land-use change, and nitrogen pollution—quietly orchestrate shifts in biodiversity dynamics.
The nature of forest biodiversity dynamics in Europe remains partly unknown due to the lack of harmonized monitoring systems. Without harmonized data, our ability to fully quantify and understand the nuances of biodiversity changes remains constrained, leaving critical gaps in our knowledge.
This deficiency jeopardizes our forests and policy goals, including climate resilience, rural development, sustainable bio-economy, and biodiversity conservation.
ForBioMon aims to revolutionize forest biodiversity monitoring by intelligently combining three existing schemes: National Forest Inventories, forestREplot, and ICP Forests.
Why It Matters
- Shifting baselines: National Forest Inventories (NFIs) provide valuable data, but they focus primarily on wood resources, overlooking biodiversity dynamics. Moreover, NFIs generally started about two decades ago and fail to capture long-term changes. We are thus missing important changes that started longer ago.
- Unlocking Insights: To understand recent biodiversity shifts, we need to complement NFI data with historical monitoring data from the mid-20th century. The forestREplot database, with over 5,000 (quasi)permanent understorey vegetation resurvey plots across temperate Europe, provides this crucial information.
- Precision Monitoring: the historical data are ideally benchmarked against information from more frequently monitored, truly permanent plots that adhere to rigorous standardized protocols. The network of 561 permanent ICP Forests-Level II sites meets these criteria.
Our Mission
Our project focuses on:
- Data Synergy: We’ll integrate diverse data sources to derive high-level indicators of biodiversity change, Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBSs). These EBVs will guide future monitoring efforts.
- Mapping Biodiversity Trends: By linking EBV trends to environmental gradients, we aim to understand, upscale, and map biodiversity changes in temperate European forests.
- Exploring the Unseen: We’ll delve into less-studied groups like ground floor bryophytes and lichens, as well as historical land-use and remote sensing data.
Engaging Stakeholders
Collaboration is key! We’ll actively involve stakeholders through workshops, questionnaires, and a dedicated steering group. Together, we strive to help shape the future of forest biodiversity monitoring.
