Das Projekt "Einfluss von Lebensraumverkleinerung und Isolation auf Artengemeinschaften" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Würzburg, Zoologisches Institut, Lehrstuhl für Zoologie III durchgeführt. Verkleinerungen und Zerstueckelungen von zusammenhaengenden Lebensraeumen fuehren zu abnehmender Artenvielfalt. Es wird untersucht, in welchem Ausmass dafuer die erhoehte Aussterbewahrscheinlichkeit der Arten auf der einen Seite und die Verschlechterung der Besiedlungsfaehigkeit auf der anderen Seite verantwortlich sind. Experimentell werden Wiesenhabitate verkleinert und der Individuenaustausch zwischen Waldhabitatinseln kontrolliert. Hauptsaechlich werden Artengemeinschaften von Spinnen, Kaefern und Voegeln untersucht. Als Voraussetzungen fuer diese Arbeiten werden Habitatbindungen der einzelnen Arten und ihre Populationsdynamik studiert.
Das Projekt "Beitrag zum Kenntnisstand ueber die Ameise der Familie formica in der Schweiz (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Musee zoologique cantonal durchgeführt. Les fourmis du genre Formica ont un impact non negligeable dans la majorite des biotopes, notamment le groupe Formica Rufa (especes protegees par la loi federale sur la protection de la nature et du paysage, 1966). Il importe des lors de quantifier cet impact, de comparer ces resultats entre les 3 zones geographiques de la Suisse (Jura, Plateau, Alpes). D'autre part il devient urgent de connaitre les causes de disparition de ces especes en Suisse. Il en va de meme pour les especes du sous-genre Coptoformica dont au moins 2 especes ont disparu de Suisse depuis 1920 et dont une espece actuellement a l'etude (Formica bruni) est en voie de disparition. Actuellement des donnees de base sont disponibles mais une cartographie precise est en cours. (FRA)
Das Projekt "Coordination of one sub-project" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala durchgeführt. To stop biodiversity declines and meet future challenges, a better understanding is needed on how biodiversity is affected by historic and current land use changes. In the COCONUT project we will (1) gather existing and new data on both historic and current species richness and land use (GIS) across Europe, (2) synthesise these data and perform meta-analyses to assess the extent of biodiversity loss and to understand how land use change affects biodiversity change, (3) use the results to parametrise predictive models to project future land use and biodiversity change in response to socioeconomic scenarios, (4) based on these results, and in close collaboration with key policy makers at the European level throughout the project, develop decision tools and policy options for main EU policy areas for mitigating biodiversity loss. Relevant policy areas are agriculture, environment, rural development, transport and energy. Historic time lags in extinction patterns (extinction debts) will be investigated. For this purpose, detailed data will be collected in five case study areas on extent of habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation and impacts on biodiversity as a result of historic land use changes dating up to 100 years back. European scale effects of habitat loss will be explored by data mining of Natura 2000 and other available data bases on biodiversity and land use. Meta-analyses of existing data on land use and diversity of plants, invertebrates and birds will be performed in synthesis workshops to which external data holders are invited. These results, that are largely lacking today, will be used to parametrise biodiversity models that predict risk of species extinction in land use scenario models. Policy experts and stakeholders will be involved early on and throughout the project. Policy oriented workshops together with a policy advisory board will provide a framework for continuous dialogue between scientists and policy makers throughout COCONUT. We aim to develop support tools and deliver scientific results to underpin policy options that will minimize and mitigate biodiversity loss resulting from future land use changes. Strong links among the partners to several EU projects and national data bases will enable access to data, tools and information critical for the development of large scale, general predictions of land use change effects on biodiversity, and the following development of policy options for land use management. Particularly important are the links between COCONUT and MACIS1. Both projects have strong synergies with the Integrated Project ALARM2. Prime Contractor: Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet; Uppsala; Sweden.
Das Projekt "Population Genetics of Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) in the Swiss Alps" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft durchgeführt. Population vulnerability may have a genetic background which is tightly connected to population size and spatial position relative to neighbouring populations. Interrupted gene flow and inbreeding or genetic drift may accelerate decreases of vulnerable species. In the long term, populations that are small or isolated from large core populations are expected to show low genetic diversity and a high degree of differentiation as a consequence of low or absent gene flow. Population decline of capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) in the Alps has put this species at great risk of regional extinction. To understand the dynamics of capercaillie populations, genetic variation will be analysed in three study regions using nuclear microsatellite markers (simple sequence repeats, SSR). Allelic diversity, gene flow, and differentiation among populations as well as heterozygosity within populations will be used as key parameters to evaluate possible metapopulation dynamics. To determine whether reduced numbers of populations and individuals indeed show a loss of allelic diversity, we will genotype museum specimens from the same regions as a reference to present-day diversity, whereas individuals from extinct areas may mediate, in a genetic sense, between extant, differentiated populations. The aims of this project are to estimate historical gene flow: How many individuals per generation dispersed among populations and regions? detect genetic relatedness and differentiation among populations: Are geographic and genetic distances between populations positively correlated? relate estimated population size to genetic diversity and differentiation: Is inbreeding more pronounced in small compared with large populations? determine genetic variation of museum specimens from remnant populations: Can we detect higher allelic diversity in museums compared to extant populations? establish genetic relationships among populations of the past and present: Do extinct genotypes mediate between extant, genetically separated populations? These results will be implemented in a spatially explicit metapopulation model including respective data from studies on habitat suitability and population dynamics. Description and modelling of population genetic processes at the regional level will help to understand the dynamics among and within populations of vulnerable species. This study will provide guidelines for conservation strategies applicable to other organisms with large-scale demands for suitable habitat areas, and which are at the brink of extinction due to human-altered landscape. This project is part of WWK-Modul 4 (Gefährdete Arten: Modellfall Rauhfusshühner).