Biodiversity Monitoring Concepts, implementation and results 1

The Challenge Biodiversity loss continues at alarming rates. In the last century the loss was to times higher than in the natural average of earths history. Biodiversity loss together with climate change is seen as the most critical global environmental threat

2020 Targets – CBD -Strategic plan Mission“take effective and urgent action to halt the loss of biodiversity in order to ensure that by 2020 ecosystems are resilient and continue to provide essential services (…)” Five strategic goals and 20 Aichi-Targets Strategic goal C: To improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diverstiy Aichi Target 12: By 2020 the extinction of known threatened species as been prevented and their conservation status, particularly of those most in decline, has been improved and sustained. EU Biodiversity strategy

Biodiversity monitoring Answering the policy questions What is changing? Why is it changing? Why is it important? What are we doing about it? ->EEA - process and development of SEBI ->Austria - development of MOBI-E

SEBI Streamlining European 2010 Biodiversity Indicators 5 SEBI 2010 was launched in 2004 as a process to select and streamline a set of biodiversity indicators to monitor progress towards the 2010 target of halting biodiversity loss and help achieve progress towards the target.

CBD focal areas -> SEBI indicators 6 Status and trends of components of biodiversity Threats to biodiversity Ecosystem integrity and ecosystem goods and services Sustainable use Status of access and benefit-sharing Status of resource transfers not included in European level - status of traditional knowledge, innovation and practices

SEBI Indicators 7

CBD focal area – Status and trends of the components of biological diversity 8 Headline indicatorSEBI 2010 specific indicator Trends in the abundance of selected species 1. Abundance and distribution of selectes a)birds b) butterlies Change in status of threatend and/or protected species 2. Red list index for European species 3. Species of European interest Trends in extent of selected biomes, ecosystems and habitats 4. Ecosystem coverage 5. Habitats of European interest Trends in genetic diversity of domesticated animals, cultivated plants, and fish species of major socioeconomic importance 6. Livestock genetic diversity Coverage of protected areas7. Nationally designated protected areas 8. Sites disignated under EU Habitats and Birds Directives

Abundance and distribution of selceted species 9 Definition: Trends in the abundance of common birds and butterflies over time across their European ranges Source: EEA Technical Report 4/2009

Abundance and distrubution of selceted species - Birds 10 Relevant for Comprehensive assessments on EU level, e.g. Progress towards the European 2010 biodiversity target (EEA Report No 4/2009) The European Environment State and Outlook 2010 (SOER, EEA 2010) Farmland bird index, one of the baseline indicator for Rural Development Sustainable Development Indicators (eurostat) Abundance of common birds Reporting according Birds Directive (data of national surveys) National reports to the CBD e.g. in Austria

Red list index for European species 11 Definition: Trends in the overall threat status of European species Source: EEA Technical Report 4/2009

Red list index for European species 12 Relevant for Comprehensive assessments on EU level, e.g. Progress towards the European 2010 biodiversity target (EEA Report No 4/2009) Sustainable Development Indicators (eurostat) – not yet Red lists - National reports to the CBD

Invasive alien species in Europe 13 Relevant for Comprehensive assessments on EU level, e.g. Progress towards the European 2010 biodiversity target (EEA Report No 4/2009) National reports to the CBD e.g. in Austria

Invasive alien species in Europe 14 Definition:Worst invasive alien species, those with demonstrated negative impacts Source: EEA Technical Report 4/2009

Representation of countries in the SEBI set 15 Source: EEA Technical report 11/2012: Streamlining European biodiversity indicators 2020

Austrian concept on biodiversity monitoring MOBI – Monitoring Biodiversity 16

MOBI-E objectives 17 Provide information for Convention on biological diversity Ramsar convention Habitats- und Birds directive Water Framework directive Alpine convention Ministerial conference for protection forests of Euroe Evaluation of agrie-environmental schemes SEBI Synergies

MOBI-E focal areas Main ecosystem types Alpine region Forests Cultural landscape (pastures, meadows, arable land) Water (rivers, lakes) Settlements Cross-sections Nature protection Species and habitats Genetic diversity Soil Fragmentation Public awareness and participation

MOBI-E indicators 11 focal areas -> 47 indicators Nature protection – protected areas Cultural landscape – % of area under organic farming Species and habitats – status and trends selected species and habitats According Habitat directive, Birds directive

Data collection 20 Systematically Forest inventory Bird monitoring Species of EU concern (Habitat directive) Biotope mapping in some regions (in protected areas) Selected species (in protected areas) Other sources Scientific publications Data from hunters assoziations Evaluation of agri-environmental schemes

Red data books 21 Red list of selected species groups Animals groups assessed in 1983, 1994, 2005, 2007 Fern and flowering plants in 1999 Red list of types of biotopes Evaluation completed in 2010

Forest inventory 22 Information on the stock and growing rate of Austrian forests, since 1960ies, about every seven years 11,000 samples Indicators relevant for biodiversity e.g. composition of tree species, deadwood

Implementation of MOBI-E 23 Results of about half of the indicators are compiled in reports (2013, 2010, 2008) Sampling design for cultural landscape available -> 600 samples for evaluation of Austria Evaluation for smaller areas additional samples needed

Birds monitoring Birdlife Austria 24

Birds monitoring in Austria Since 1998, with 160 volonteers samples are fixed 185 bird species, to individuals are recorded per year 2 examinations per year (April and May), in alpine areas later -> trends

Farmland Bird Index Austria 26

Database on threatened and protected species Approach and obstacles 27

Species monitoring in Austria 28 Birds monitoring is carried out systematically Some invetrebates, some fish species for reporting obligations for EU Water Framework Directive About 25 species for EU Habitats Directive (started 2011) Selected species in pilot studies, by volunteers, by hunters, in projects

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GBIF Austria

Austrian GBIF-Data Providers 31

Approach/obstacles with database on protected species Establish an online database on protected species Species protection under nature conservation act, hunting act and fisheries acts Nature conservation, hunting and fishery in competence of the nine Austrian provinces – 27 ordinances Difficulties Species are not always listed with scientific name Groups of taxa, like all cushion plant, all ducks Taxonomic changes Protected under hunting law, some species are not protected the whole year, only during breeding periode or periode for rearing the offsprings

Online - Databases on red lists

Contact & Information Maria Tiefenbach Tel. Nr., , 34 Umweltbundesamt Mission Plan 032_410