Developing peatland ecosystem accounts to guide targets for restoration

The United Nations System of Environmental and Economic Accounting - Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA) is a geospatial approach, whereby existing data on ecosystem stocks and flows are collated to show changes over time. The framework has been proposed as a means to track and monitor ecosystem restoration targets across the EU. Condition is a key consideration in the conservation assessment of habitats protected under the EU Habitats Directive and ecosystem condition accounts are also integral to the SEEA EA. While SEEA EA accounts have been developed at EU level for an array for ecosystem types, condition accounts remain the least developed. Collating available datasets under the SEEA EA framework, we developed extent and rudimentary condition accounts for peatland ecosystems at catchment scale in Ireland. Information relating to peatland ecosystem sub-types or habitat types was collated for peatland habitats listed under Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive, as well as degraded peatlands not included in EU nature conservation networks. While data relating to peatland condition were limited, understanding changes in ecosystem extent and incorporating knowledge of habitat types and degradation served as a proxy for ecosystem condition in the absence of more comprehensive data. This highlighted the importance of the ecosystem extent account, which underpins all other accounts in the SEEA EA framework. Reflecting findings at EU level, drainage, disturbance and land conversion were identified as the main pressures affecting peatland condition. We highlighted a number of options to gather data to build more robust, time-series extent and condition accounts for peatlands at varying accounting scales. Overall, despite the absence of comprehensive data, bringing information under the SEEA EA framework is considered a good starting point, with the integration of expert ecological opinion considered essential to ensure development of reliable accounts, particularly when working at ecosystem sub-type (habitat type) and catchment scale.

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Foraging Behavior of Bottlenose Dolphins in the Shannon Estuary, Ireland as Determined through Static Acoustic Monitoring

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering ◽

10.3390/jmse9030275 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 275

Author(s):

Mathijs Carmen ◽

Simon D. Berrow ◽

Joanne M. O’Brien

Keyword(s):

Foraging Behavior ◽

Bottlenose Dolphins ◽

Industrial Area ◽

Acoustic Monitoring ◽

Habitats Directive ◽

Foraging Area ◽

Special Area ◽

High Conservation ◽

Eu Habitats Directive ◽

The Eu

The Shannon Estuary in Ireland is home to a resident population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and is designated as a Special Area of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive. It is an important industrial area, with numerous deep-water berths for shipping. Despite its high conservation value, there are few published studies on habitat use or foraging behavior of the Shannon dolphins throughout the year. The present study assessed the year-round presence and foraging activity of bottlenose dolphins at different locations in the middle and inner estuary using static acoustic monitoring. Dolphin presence was found to decrease with increased distance from the estuary mouth, i.e., where the estuary meets the Atlantic Ocean, while at the same time, foraging was found to be considerably higher in the upriver areas, suggesting the inner estuary was an important foraging area. Model predictions for seasonal, tidal and diel foraging were highly variable across locations, indicating that changes in dolphin behavior occurred over relatively small geographical scales. These results indicate that conservation efforts should consider the Shannon Estuary as a dynamic aggregation of habitats and future development initiatives should attempt to mitigate disturbance to the dolphins during important foraging periods on seasonal and diel scales.

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Sporophytes of the rare liverwort Cephalozia macounii

Polish Botanical Journal ◽

10.2478/pbj-2013-0061 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 58 (2) ◽

pp. 491-494 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sanna Laaka-Lindberg ◽

Kimmo Syrjänen

Keyword(s):

Northern Hemisphere ◽

Critically Endangered ◽

Reproductive Capacity ◽

Distribution Area ◽

Habitats Directive ◽

Eu Habitats Directive ◽

The Eu ◽

Entire Distribution

Abstract The dioicous epixylic liverwort Cephalozia macounii (Aust.) Aust. is rare over its entire distribution area in the Northern Hemisphere. It is protected under the EU Habitats Directive and classified as critically endangered in Finland and Sweden. One reason cited for its rareness and the declining trend in its distribution its poor reproductive capacity. It does not produce asexual gemmae, which in general is common among liverworts. Although female plants with perianths are quite common, the male plants of the species have rarely been seen and sporophytes have not been described until now. In this paper we describe and illustrate the sporophytes of C. macounii on the basis of an old specimen collected in Southern Finland in the 1800s.

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New woodland beetle species (Coleoptera) in Estonian fauna

Forestry Studies / Metsanduslikud Uurimused ◽

10.2478/v10132-011-0071-0 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 98-114 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Ilmar Süda

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Bark Beetles ◽

Habitats Directive ◽

Northern Europe ◽

Fruiting Bodies ◽

Baltic Region ◽

New Type ◽

Northern Edge ◽

Eu Habitats Directive ◽

The Eu

Metsamardikate (Coleoptera) uued liigid Eestis The article presents faunistic data on 85 species of Coleoptera new to the Estonian fauna. Most of the material has been collected within the framework of various research and monitoring projects carried out in Estonian nature reserves (1998-2009). A new type of trunk window trap, designed by the author in 2004 mainly for monitoring purposes, has been successfully used. 17 of the 85 species are new for the fauna of whole Baltic region: Pseudeuglenes pentatomus (Ths.) (Aderidae), Caenocara subglobosum (Muls. & Rey), Xyletinus tremulicola Y. Kangas (Anobiidae), Choragus sheppardi Kirby (Anthribidae), Cryptocephalus saliceti Zebe (Chrysomelidae), Dirrhagofarsus attenuatus (Mäklin), Hylis cariniceps (Rtt.), Microrhagus emyi (Rouget) (Eucnemidae), Gnathoncus communis (Marseul) (Histeridae), Notolaemus unifasciatus (Latr.) (Laemophloeidae), Agathidium discoideum Er. (Leiodidae), Anisoxya fuscula (Ill.) (Melandryidae), Mordellistena neuwaldeggiana (Pz.) (Mordellidae), Ripidius quadriceps Abeille de Perrin (Rhipiphoridae), Lissodema cursor (Gyll.) (Salpingidae), Aphodius quadrimaculatus (L.) (Scarabaeidae) and Eutheia schaumii Kiesw. (Scydmaenidae). One of the species, Caenocara subglobosum (Muls. & Rey) (Anobiidae), is new for the whole Northern Europe. Specimens of this species were collected from eastern and southern Estonia: most were caught in window traps but some also emerged from the collected fruiting bodies of Common Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum). For 21 new species, Estonia lies on the northern edge of their range. Three of these, Triphyllus bicolor (F.), Mycetophagus ater (Rtt.) and Glischrochilus grandis (Tournier) that were collected from 6-10 sites, have a wider distribution in Estonia. Two species, Xyletinus tremulicola Y. Kangas (Anobiidae) and Stephanopachys linearis (Kug.) (Bostrichidae), have been listed on Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive. Two new species (Lymantor aceris (Lindemann) and Xyleborinus saxesenii (Ratz.)) were also added to the list of Estonian bark beetles (Curculionidae: Scolytinae).

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The EU Habitats Directive in Spain: can it contribute effectively to the conservation of extensive agro-ecosystems?

Journal of Applied Ecology ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2664.1998.tb00017.x ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 35 (6) ◽

pp. 974-978 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

GUY BEAUFOY

Keyword(s):

Habitats Directive ◽

Eu Habitats Directive ◽

The Eu

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Protected lepidopteran species (Insecta: Lepidoptera) in North-East of Romania

Travaux du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle “Grigore Antipa” ◽

10.2478/v10191-011-0009-z ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 54 (1) ◽

pp. 115-123

Author(s):

Constantin Corduneanu

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Habitats Directive ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Natural Protected Areas ◽

North East ◽

Lepidopteran Species ◽

The Government ◽

Eu Habitats Directive ◽

The Eu

Protected lepidopteran species (Insecta: Lepidoptera) in North-East of Romania In the present paper references on the lepidopteran species in need of protection, specified in the EU Habitats Directive, as well as the species included in the Government Emergency Ordinance no. 57/2007 on the regime of the natural protected areas, the conservation of the natural habitats of flora and fauna have been made. Information is provided on the distribution and status of the protected population of Lepidoptera from Botoşani county (North-East of Romania).

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Robust monitoring of the Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx in the Slovak Carpathians reveals lower numbers than officially reported

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s003060531700076x ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 53 (3) ◽

pp. 548-556 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jakub Kubala ◽

Peter Smolko ◽

Fridolin Zimmermann ◽

Robin Rigg ◽

Branislav Tám ◽

...

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Habitats Directive ◽

Lynx Lynx ◽

Eurasian Lynx ◽

Favourable Conservation Status ◽

Scientific Approach ◽

Capture Recapture ◽

Eu Habitats Directive ◽

The Eu

AbstractThe Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx population in the Carpathian Mountains is considered to be one of the best preserved and largest in Europe and hence is a source for past and current reintroduction projects in central Europe. However, its status in Slovakia has been reported to the European Commission on the basis of hunters´ reports and expert estimates that have never been validated by a robust scientific approach. We conducted the first camera-trapping surveys to estimate the density of Eurasian lynx in Slovakia by means of spatial capture–recapture models in two reference areas during 2011–2015. We estimated population density per 100 km2 of suitable lynx habitat (posterior SD) as 0.58 ± SD 0.13 independent individuals (adults and subadults) in the Štiavnica Mountains and 0.81 ± SD 0.29 in Veľká Fatra National Park and surroundings. These are the lowest densities estimated using spatial capture–recapture models so far reported for the species, suggesting the lynx population in Slovakia is below carrying capacity. We suspect that low densities may be attributable to undetected human-caused mortality. Our results imply that official game statistics are substantially overestimated. Moreover, the lynx population in Slovakia may not be at favourable conservation status as required by the EU Habitats Directive. We therefore call for a thorough assessment of the density and trend of the Slovak Carpathian lynx population, and the establishment of a scientifically robust monitoring system.

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