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 School of Geography and the Environment

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Ecosystem Research Topics: Biodiversity and Climate Adaptation

With increasing pressures on our environment as a result of climate change and anthropogenic impacts, our research aims to increase understanding of complex human-climate-ecosystem interactions. The ECI's Biodiversity and Climate Adaptation research group is at the forefront of integrating and improving techniques for the observation and projection of the effects of environmental change on species, ecosystems and the services they provide at the international and national level. These results are feeding into the conservation management and policy areas. It is also researching adaptation options for biodiversity and how mitigation and adaptation measures in other sectors might impact on biodiversity. More specifically we are involved in:

  • using sectoral and integrated modelling techniques to project changes in the potential distributions of species and ecosystems at local, regional and global scales and to assess their adaptive capacity and vulnerability to climate change;
  • investigating the role of adaptation and mitigation measures in different sectors in offsetting the projected changes and their impacts on biodiversity;
  • costing adaptation in natural ecosystems to climate change;
  • developing a user-friendly, interactive and web-based platform for stakeholder-led climate change adaptation and vulnerability assessment which explicitly evaluates cross-sectoral interactions between the key sectors driving landscape change in Europe;
  • quantifying the contribution of different organisms, and the effects of various drivers of change, on the provision of ecosystem services;
  • assessing the implications of the above for conservation policy and management.

Current Projects

  • UK National Ecosystem Assessment (NEA)
    2011

    The UK National Ecosystem Assessment (NEA) will provide the first analysis of the UK’s natural environment in terms of the benefits it provides to society and continuing economic prosperity. It will provide information on the status and trends of ecosystems (broad habitats) and ecosystem services in the UK over the past 50 to 60 years, as well as an economic analysis and possible futures. Pam Berry has been involved as Lead Author on the England Synthesis chapter which summarises the England specific information on ecosystems and their services, and examines some of the drivers and consequences of the observed changes, as well as sustainable ecosystem management to enhance ecosystem services, biodiversity and human well-being. UK National Ecosystem Assessment (NEA) website

  • Understanding the implications of Climate Change for woodland biodiversity and community functioning
    2011

    This project is evaluating the evidence for the effects of climate change on biodiversity and community function; rare and threatened species and the arrival and increase of new species in UK woodland Priority Habitats, through a combination of literature review and bioclimate envelope modelling. It is also making practical suggestions for further research, including methods for filling knowledge gaps.

  • Embedding Biodiversity Adaptation Principles (EMBEDS)
    2010-2011

    This project will review of the success of embedding climate change adaptation principles (Conserving Biodiversity in a Changing Climate, 2008) in activities supporting Defra's internal Biodiversity Programme; and in the England Biodiversity Strategy (EBS). It will develop criteria to recognise and assess progress in and application of the climate change adaptation principles, as well as identifying impediments/barriers to progress and how they can be overcome. It will also provide guidance on ways forward to overcome these barriers.

  • The Resilience of ECosystems to environmental ChangeE: RECCE
    2010

    An assessment of the scientific, management and policy literature on the resilience of Ecosystems to changing environmental pressures, and the robustness of the current evidence base that could be used to frame policy and management responses.

  • CLIMSAVE: CLimate change Integrated assessment Methodology for cross-Sectoral Adaptation and Vulnerability in Europe
    2010-2013

    A project to develop and apply an integrated methodology for stakeholder-led, climate change impact and vulnerability assessment

Archived Projects