A Qualitative Ecosystem Assessment for Different Shrublands in Western Europe under Impact of Climate Change

Wessel, Wim W.; Tietema, Albert; Beier, Claus; Emmett, Bridget A.; Peñuelas, Josep; Riis-Nielsen, Torben

doi:10.1007/s10021-004-0219-3

Cited by 65 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…In biologically rich areas like this, land cover change has the potential to greatly impact ecological value and function. Globally, the extent of shrubland and scrubland is vast; therefore, in areas where biodiversity is low, goods and services of shrublands may include diverse recreational opportunities, culturally and historically significant landscapes, movement corridors for wildlife, groundwater as a drinking source, and carbon (sequestration), which may also be adversely impacted by land cover conversion (28).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Solar energy development impacts on land cover change and protected areas

Hernandez

Hoffacker

Murphy-Mariscal

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

223

145

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Decisions determining the use of land for energy are of exigent concern as land scarcity, the need for ecosystem services, and demands for energy generation have concomitantly increased globally. Utility-scale solar energy (USSE) [i.e., ≥1 megawatt (MW)] development requires large quantities of space and land; however, studies quantifying the effect of USSE on land cover change and protected areas are limited. We assessed siting impacts of >160 USSE installations by technology type [photovoltaic (PV) vs. concentrating solar power (CSP)], area (in square kilometers), and capacity (in MW) within the global solar hot spot of the state of California (United States). Additionally, we used the Carnegie Energy and Environmental Compatibility model, a multiple criteria model, to quantify each installation according to environmental and technical compatibility. Last, we evaluated installations according to their proximity to protected areas, including inventoried roadless areas, endangered and threatened species habitat, and federally protected areas. We found the plurality of USSE (6,995 MW) in California is sited in shrublands and scrublands, comprising 375 km2 of land cover change. Twenty-eight percent of USSE installations are located in croplands and pastures, comprising 155 km2 of change. Less than 15% of USSE installations are sited in “Compatible” areas. The majority of “Incompatible” USSE power plants are sited far from existing transmission infrastructure, and all USSE installations average at most 7 and 5 km from protected areas, for PV and CSP, respectively. Where energy, food, and conservation goals intersect, environmental compatibility can be achieved when resource opportunities, constraints, and trade-offs are integrated into siting decisions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Solar energy development impacts on land cover change and protected areas

Hernandez

Hoffacker

Murphy-Mariscal

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

223

145

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“…They usually endure due to moderate human-induced disturbances such as animal husbandry, mowing and collection of firewood (Settele and Henle 2003) and are classified as 'semi-natural ' (van Dijk 1991), although their flora is spontaneous (Svenning 2002;Mitchell 2005). Likewise, European heathlands and shrublands are semi-natural ecosystems which have been coevolving for millennia with human societies and represent a distinctive set of European habitats for their biodiversity, and aesthetic and cultural values (Wessel et al 2004;Quétier et al 2007;de Bello et al 2009). …”

Section: Selection Of European Terrestrial and Freshwater Ecosystemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying and prioritising services in European terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems

et al. 2010

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Ecosystems are multifunctional and provide humanity with a broad array of vital services. Effective management of services requires an improved evidence base, identifying the role of ecosystems in delivering multiple services, which can assist policymakers in maintaining them. Here, information from the literature and scientific experts was used to systematically document the importance of services and identify trends in their use and status over time for the main terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems in Europe. The results from this review show that intensively managed ecosystems contribute mostly to vital provisioning services (e.g. agro-ecosystems provide food via crops and livestock, and forests provide wood), while semi-natural ecosystems (e.g. grasslands and mountains) are 123Biodivers Conserv (2010) 19:2791-2821 DOI 10.1007 key contributors of genetic resources and cultural services (e.g. aesthetic values and sense of place). The most recent European trends in human use of services show increases in demand for crops from agro-ecosystems, timber from forests, water flow regulation from rivers, wetlands and mountains, and recreation and ecotourism in most ecosystems, but decreases in livestock production, freshwater capture fisheries, wild foods and virtually all services associated with ecosystems which have considerably decreased in area (e.g. seminatural grasslands). The condition of the majority of services show either a degraded or mixed status across Europe with the exception of recent enhancements in timber production in forests and mountains, freshwater provision, water/erosion/natural hazard regulation and recreation/ecotourism in mountains, and climate regulation in forests. Key gaps in knowledge were evident for certain services across all ecosystems, including the provision of biochemicals and natural medicines, genetic resources and the regulating services of seed dispersal, pest/disease regulation and invasion resistance.

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“…• Climate change has implications for species composition, growth rates, fuel load and structure (Wessel 2004), and thus their relative flammability.…”

Section: Moorland Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

The future of fire management in the British uplands

Davies¹,

Gray²,

Hamilton³

et al. 2008

International Journal of Biodiversity Science & Management

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SUMMARYPrescribed and wild fires play a significant role in the ecology of upland areas; changes in the frequency and intensity of both can have significant effects on biodiversity and ecosystem function. Whilst the way we manage fire in the future will depend on desired outcomes, the risk of wildfires and the suitability of conditions for prescribed burning will depend on climate, land-use and environmental change. Changes in relative fire risk and hazard therefore need to be carefully considered when setting management policy. Fire has long been used as a management tool in the uplands of the UK but there has been little formal support or training, and emphasis has been placed on traditional knowledge. While there is pressure in some quarters for a reduction in the use of fire, prescribed burning can be used to protect biodiversity assets and reach a range of management objectives. Large areas of old heather excluded from rotational burning pose a significant fire hazard. Wildfires in such areas will be more intense and severe, and more likely to ignite peat, causing considerable environmental damage and releasing large quantities of carbon. We argue for an ecological basis for the use of fire and seek to open a debate by briefly reviewing the main controls on fire risk in upland areas and discussing existing management and its challenges with regards to three case studies: traditionally managed moorland, forestry and peatland soils. We make recommendations for future management and suggest significant challenges exist for managers and researchers that need to be dealt with urgently.

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A Qualitative Ecosystem Assessment for Different Shrublands in Western Europe under Impact of Climate Change

Cited by 65 publications

References 32 publications

Solar energy development impacts on land cover change and protected areas

Solar energy development impacts on land cover change and protected areas

Identifying and prioritising services in European terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems

The future of fire management in the British uplands

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