Biodiversity and Conservation in Europe (Topics in Biodiversity and Conservation (7))

This book brings together a selection of original studies submitted to Biodiversity and Conservation that address biodiversity and conservation in Europe. Europe is certainly the most intensively inventoried region of the world; detailed maps are available for species distributions while action plans are being drawn up for species under threat. At the same time, the wildlife of Europe has been subject to enormous human pressures, with limited 'wilderness' sites remaining in most countries. Europe consequently presents a case-study of what the human impact on biodiversity has been, and also what can be done to improve the situation. The contributions in this volume are drawn from a wide range of countries and discuss diverse organism and habitat types. They collectively provide a snap-shot of the sorts of studies and actions being taken in Europe to address issues in biodiversity and conservation - topical examples that will make the volume especially valuable for use in conservation biology courses. Reprinted from Biodiversity and Conservation, volume 16:12 (2007) BIOC_16_12_Frontmatter.pdf 978-1-4020-6865-2_1_OnlinePDF.pdf Biodiversity gradients in the Alps: the overriding importance of elevation Abstract Introduction Methods Study area Distributional data Statistical and GIS analyses Results Richness of amphibian, reptile and bird species Inter-correlation among biodiversity surrogates Biodiversity hotspots and the protected area network Discussion Conservation implications References 978-1-4020-6865-2_2_OnlinePDF.pdf Determining high value areas for steppe birds in Spain: hot spots, complementarity and the eYciency of protected areas Abstract Introduction Methods Study area Species Criteria used Hotspot estimation Complementary areas Protection eYciency assessment Data analysis Results Maxima and geographical pattern High-value areas for steppe birds in Spain Complementarity Changes in species-status Protection eYciency assessment Discussion High-value areas for steppe birds in Spain Complementarity Changes resulting from variation in species status Protection eYciency assessment Conclusions on the usefulness of the methodology Appendix References 978-1-4020-6865-2_3_OnlinePDF.pdf The Berger ndash Parker index as an effective tool for monitoring the biodiversity of disturbed soils: a case study on Mediterranean oribatid \(Acari: Oribatida\) assemblages Abstract Introduction Materials and methods The Berger ndash Parker index and the geometric series Study areas Data collection and standardization Tab1 Data analysis Results Fig1 Discussion Acknowledgements References 978-1-4020-6865-2_4_OnlinePDF.pdf The effects of fire on communities, guilds and species of breeding birds in burnt and control pinewoods in central Italy Abstract Introduction Materials and methods Study area Protocol Fig1 Statistical procedures Tab1 Results Community level Guild and species level Tab2 Tab3 Discussion Community level Tab4 Fig2 Guild and species level Tab5 Acknowledgements References 978-1-4020-6865-2_5_OnlinePDF.pdf Indicators for plant species richness in pine \(Pinus sylvestris L.\) forests of Germany Abstract Introduction Study area Fig1 Material and methods Database Species number classes and identification procedure for indicators Fig2 Tab1 Ecological characterization of the indicators Results Identified indicators for species richness Tab2 Site preferences of the indicators Tab3 Fig3 Discussion Fig3 Fig4 Conclusions Acknowledgements References 978-1-4020-6865-2_6_OnlinePDF.pdf The social negotiation of nature conservation policy: conserving pinewoods in the Scottish Highlands Abstract Introduction Fig1 The early management of Abernethy Fig2 Reconstructing pinewood management Towards a resolution Conclusion Acknowledgements References 978-1-4020-6865-2_7_OnlinePDF.pdf Identifying new buffer areas for conserving waterbirds in the Mediterranean basin: the importance of the rice fields in Extremadura, Spain Abstract Introduction Methods Study area Bird censuses and international importance of the waterbird populations Data analyses Results Discussion Tab1 Tab1 Tab2 Fig1 Fig2 Fig3 Acknowledgments References CR1 CR2 CR3 CR4 CR5 CR6 CR7 CR8 CR9 CR10 CR11 CR12 CR13 CR14 CR15 CR16 CR17 CR18 CR19 CR20 CR21 CR22 CR23 CR24 CR25 CR26 CR27 CR28 CR29 CR30 CR31 CR32 CR33 CR34 CR35 CR36 CR37 CR38 CR39 CR40 CR41 CR42 CR43 CR44 978-1-4020-6865-2_8_OnlinePDF.pdf Impact of wind turbines on birds in Zeebrugge \(Belgium\) Abstract Introduction Fig1 Methods Mortality Tab1 Fig2 Tab2 Disturbance Results Mortality Tern mortality Tab3 Tab4 Tab5 Tab6 Fig3 Fig5 Fig4 Disturbance of breeding, foraging or resting birds Fig6 Tab7 Discussion Mortality Tab8 Tab9 Tern mortality Disturbance of breeding, foraging or resting birds General recommendations Acknowledgements References CR1 CR2 CR3 CR4 CR5 CR6 CR7 CR8 CR9 CR10 CR11 CR12 CR13 CR14 CR15 CR16 CR17 CR18 CR19 CR20 CR21 CR22 CR23 CR24 CR25 CR26 CR27 CR28 CR29 CR30 CR31 CR32 978-1-4020-6865-2_9_OnlinePDF.pdf Sec1 Sec2 Sec3 Sec4 Fig1 Sec5 Sec6 Tab1 Sec7 Tab2 Sec8 Sec9 Sec10 Sec11 Fig2 Tab3 Sec12 Tab4 Fig3 Ack Bib CR1 CR2 CR3 CR4 CR5 CR6 CR7 CR8 CR9 CR10 CR11 CR12 CR13 CR14 CR15 CR16a CR16 CR17 CR18 CR19 CR20 CR21 CR22 CR23 CR24 CR25 CR16a CR26 CR27 CR28 CR29 CR30 CR31 CR32 CR33 CR34 CR35 CR36 CR37 CR38 CR39 CR40 CR41 CR42 CR43 CR44 CR45 CR46 CR47 CR48 CR49 CR50 CR51 CR52 CR53 CR54 CR55 CR56 CR57 CR58 CR59 CR60 CR61 CR63 CR64 CR65 CR66 CR67 CR68 CR69 CR70 CR71 CR72 CR73 CR74 CR75 CR76 CR77 CR78 CR79 CR80 CR81 978-1-4020-6865-2_10_OnlinePDF.pdf Testing indicators of epiphytic lichen diversity: a case study in N Italy Abstract Introduction Materials and methods Fig1 Tab1 Results Discussion Fig2 Fig3 Acknowledgements References CR1 CR2 CR3 CR4 CR5 CR6 CR7 CR8 CR9 CR10 CR11 CR12 CR13 CR14 CR15 CR16 CR17 CR18 CR19 978-1-4020-6865-2_11_OnlinePDF.pdf Analysis and evaluation of ecosystem resilience: an economic perspective with an application to the Venice lagoon Abstract Introduction A natural science perspective on resilience Introduction Fig1 Resilience, system functioning and species diversity Linking system hxx2019 s resilience to anthropogenic behaviour Fig2 Motivations for economic valuation Introduction Tab1 Cost-benefit analysis Environmental accounting Natural resource damage assessment and legal claims Resilience as a source of economic value Introduction Resilience as a source of welfare Economic valuation perspective Tab2 A possible classification of resilience hxx2019 s value components Fig3 The option value component of resilience: policy implications The Venice Lagoon case study Periodical flooding as a signal of ecosystem hxx2019 s resilience loss Fig4 Empirical valuation of on site damages Tab3 Conclusions Tab4 References CR1 CR2 CR3 CR60 CR4 CR6 CR7 CR56 CR61 CR9 CR62 CR10 CR11 CR12 CR13 CR14 CR15 CR16 CR17 CR63 CR18 CR19 CR21 CR22 CR64 CR23 CR24 CR65 CR25 CR26 CR27 CR28 CR29 CR30 CR31 CR32 CR33 CR34 CR35 CR36 CR37 CR66 CR67 CR38 CR39 CR68 CR40 CR41 CR69 CR42 CR44 CR45 CR46 CR47 CR48 CR49 CR50 CR51 CR52 CR53 CR54 CR55 CR57 CR70 CR58 CR59 978-1-4020-6865-2_12_OnlinePDF.pdf 978-1-4020-6865-2_13_OnlinePDF.pdf Sec1 Sec2 Sec3 Fig1 Sec4 Sec5 Sec6 Sec7 Sec8 Tab1 Fig2 Tab2 Fig3 Sec9 Tab3 Tab4 Sec10 Ack Sec11 Tab5 Bib CR1 CR2 CR3 CR4 CR7 CR5 Tab5 CR6 CR8 CR9 CR10 CR12 CR13 CR14 CR15 CR16 CR17 CR18 CR19 CR20 CR21 CR23 CR24 CR25 CR26 CR27 CR28 CR29 CR30 CR31 CR32 CR33 CR35 CR36 CR37 CR38 CR39 CR40 CR41 CR42 CR43 CR44 CR45 CR46 CR47 CR48 CR49 CR50 978-1-4020-6865-2_14_OnlinePDF.pdf Sec1 Sec2 Tab1 Sec3 Sec4 Sec5 Tab2 Fig1 Fig2 Sec6 Sec7 Tab3 Sec8 Sec9 Ack Bib CR1 CR2 CR3 CR4 CR5 CR6 CR7 CR8 CR9 CR10 CR11 CR12 CR13 CR14 CR15 CR16 CR17 CR18 CR19 CR20 CR21 CR22 CR23 CR24 CR25 CR26 CR27 CR28 CR29 CR30 CR31 CR32 CR33 CR34 CR35 978-1-4020-6865-2_15_OnlinePDF.pdf 978-1-4020-6865-2_16_OnlinePDF.pdf Sec1 Sec2 Sec3 Fig1 Sec4 Tab1 Tab2 Sec5 Sec6 Sec7 Sec8 Sec9 Sec10 Fig2 Fig3 Tab3 Sec11 Tab4 Tab5 Sec12 Sec13 Sec14 Ack Bib CR1 CR2 CR3 CR4 CR5 CR6 CR7 CR8 CR9 CR10 CR11 CR12 CR13 CR14 CR15 CR16 CR17 CR18 CR19 CR20 CR21 CR22 CR23 CR24 CR25 CR26 CR27 CR28 CR29 CR30 CR31 CR32 CR33 CR34 CR35 CR36 CR37 CR38 CR39 CR40 CR41 CR42 978-1-4020-6865-2_17_OnlinePDF.pdf Sec1 Sec2 Sec3 Tab1 Fig1 Sec4 Tab2 Fig2 Ack Bib CR1 CR2 CR3 CR4 CR5 CR6 CR7 CR8 CR9 CR10 CR11 CR12 CR13 CR14 CR15 CR16 CR17 CR18 CR19 CR20 CR21 CR22 CR23 CR24 CR25 CR27 CR28 CR29 CR30 CR31 CR32 CR33 CR34 CR35 978-1-4020-6865-2_18_OnlinePDF.pdf 978-1-4020-6865-2_19_OnlinePDF.pdf 978-1-4020-6865-2_20_OnlinePDF.pdf Discovery of a regular nesting area of loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta in southern Italy: a new perspective for national conservation Abstract Introduction Methods Study area Beach monitoring Fig1 Tab1 Tab2 Nest monitoring National nesting overview Statistical methods Results Nest number and distribution Monitoring efficiency Reproductive parameters Fig2 National nesting overview Discussion Nesting in the Ionian coast of Calabria Fig3 Local and national overview Conservation status of the Calabrian population Conclusions and the new conservation perspective Sec0 Tab3 Tab3 Acknowledgements Tab3 Acknowledgements Tab3 Acknowledgements Tab3 Acknowledgements References CR1 CR2 CR3 CR4 CR5 CR7 CR6 CR8 CR9 CR10 CR11 CR12 CR13 CR14 CR15 CR16 CR17 CR18 CR19 CR20 CR21 CR22 CR23 CR24 CR25 CR26 CR27 CR28 CR29 CR30 CR31 CR32 CR33 CR34 CR35 CR36 CR37 CR38 CR39 CR40 CR41 CR42 CR43 CR44 CR45 CR46 CR47 CR48 CR49 CR50 CR51 CR52 CR53 CR54 CR55 CR56 CR57 CR58 CR59 CR60 CR61 CR62 CR63 CR64 CR65 CR66 CR67 CR68 CR69 CR70 CR71 CR72 CR73 CR74 CR75 CR76 CR77 CR78 CR79 CR80 CR81 978-1-4020-6865-2_21_OnlinePDF.pdf Benefits of habitat restoration to small mammal diversity and abundance in a pastoral agricultural landscape in mid-Wales Abstract Introduction Methods Study sites and landscape context Tab1 Survey protocol Data analyses Results Small mammal community structure Relative spatial distribution of captures among habitats Tab2 Fig1 Tab3 Effects of habitat structure and landscape context on mammal captures Fig2 Tab4 Discussion Tab5 Fig3 Conservation implications Acknowledgements References CR1 CR2 CR3 CR4 CR5 CR6 CR7 CR8 CR9 CR10 CR11 CR12 CR13 CR14 CR15 CR16 CR17 CR18 CR19 CR20 CR21 CR22 CR23 CR24 CR25 CR45 CR26 CR27 CR28 CR29 CR30 CR31 CR32 CR33 CR34 CR35 CR36 CR37 CR38 CR39 CR40 CR41 CR42 CR43 CR44 978-1-4020-6865-2_22_OnlinePDF.pdf Modelling habitat use and distribution of golden eagles Aquila chrysaetos in a low-density area of the Iberian Peninsula Abstract Introduction The species Fig1 Methods Study area Nest sites Habitat selection models and data analysis Tab1 Results Presence and population density of the golden eagle Patterns of habitat selection Habitat selection in current nesting areas Habitat selection in old nesting areas \(1960s and 1970s\) Tab2 Tab3 Tab4 Tab5 Habitat selection in both current and old nesting areas Discussion Tab6 Tab7 Models of habitat selection and conservation problems Fig2 Fig3 Fig4 Management implications Acknowledgements References CR1 CR2 CR3 CR4 CR5 CR6 CR7 CR8 CR9 CR10 CR11 CR12 CR13 CR14 CR15 CR16 CR17 CR18 CR20 CR21 CR22 CR23 CR24 CR25 CR26 CR27 CR28 CR29 CR30 CR31 CR32 CR33 CR34 CR35 CR36 CR37 CR38 CR39 CR40 CR41 CR42 CR43 CR44 CR45 CR46 CR47 CR48 CR49 CR50 CR51 CR52 CR53 CR54 CR55 CR56 CR57 CR58 CR59 CR60 CR61 CR62 CR63 CR64 CR65 CR66 CR67 CR68 CR69 CR70 CR71 CR72 CR73 CR74 CR75 CR76 CR77 CR78 CR79 CR80 CR81 CR82 CR83 CR84 CR85 CR86 CR87 CR88 CR89 CR90 CR91 CR92 CR93 CR94 CR95 CR96 978-1-4020-6865-2_23_OnlinePDF.pdf The arctic fox Alopex lagopus in Fennoscandia: a victim of human-induced changes in interspecific competition and predation? Abstract Introduction Methods Results Fig1 Fig2 Discussion Fig3 Acknowledgements References 978-1-4020-6865-2_24_OnlinePDF.pdf Do biodiversity patterns in Dutch wetland complexes relate to variation in urbanisation, intensity of agricultural land use or fragmentation? Abstract Introduction Materials and methods Tab1 Tab2 Fig1 Results Discussion Fig2 Tab3 Tab4 Fig3 Acknowledgements References 978-1-4020-6865-2_25_OnlinePDF.pdf Translocation of an endangered insect species, the field cricket \(Gryllus campestris Linnaeus, 1758\) in northern Germany Abstract Introduction Methods The study object The study area The translocation procedure Monitoring of the field crickets Statistical analysis Results Discussion Fig1 Ecological factors Fig2 Translocation procedure Scientific and administrative factors Negative factors Acknowledgements References 978-1-4020-6865-2_26_OnlinePDF.pdf Conservation of taxonomic and biological trait diversity of European stream macroinvertebrate communities: a case for a collective public database Abstract Introduction Description of the database and methods Invertebrate abundance data, collection methods, and environmental site characteristics Biological trait data Data analysis Results Taxonomic and biological trait characteristics of the macroinvertebrate communities Descriptions of community characteristics Relations among community characteristics Characteristics of genera and biological traits Descriptions of genus and trait characteristics Relations among genus or trait characteristics Discussion Taxonomic and biological trait characteristics of the macroinvertebrate communities Implications of community patterns for biodiversity conservation Characteristics of genera and biological traits Implications of genus and trait patterns for biodiversity conservation Conclusions Appendix 1 Appendix 2 References 978-1-4020-6865-2_27_OnlinePDF.pdf Ecotourism disturbance to wildfowl in protected areas: historical, empirical and experimental approaches in the Camargue, Southern France Abstract Introduction Methods Study sites Wildfowl and tourist censuses mdash ldquo Historical rdquo approach Distribution and behaviour of the birds mdash empirical approach Confounding factors Short-term effects of tourist visits mdash empirical and experimental approaches Results Wildfowl and tourist counts Fig1 Fig2 Confounding factors Average distribution and behaviour throughout a winter Fig3 Fig4 Tab1 Short-term effects of tourism disturbance Tab2 Fig5 Discussion Short-term effects of disturbance: distribution and behaviour of birds after tourist visits Fig6 Medium-term effects of disturbance: distribution and behaviour throughout a winter Long-term effects of disturbance: wildfowl and tourist counts Conclusion Acknowledgements References 978-1-4020-6865-2_28_OnlinePDF.pdf BIOC_16_12_Backmatter.pdf