News
The latest news from BioFresh and other projects
NATURE paper: Cryptic biodiversity loss linked to global climate change
Climate impacts on biodiversity are usually assessed at the morphospecies level with effects at the genetic level less well studied. Now research into the distribution and mitochondrial DNA variability of nine mountain-dwelling insect species shows that range contractions will be accompanied by severe loss of genetic diversity as the climate warms, implying that conventional assessments may underestimate losses.
Read more on the Nature website
March 2011: Forging links between BioFresh, DIVERSITAS and the Society for Conservation Biology
The February 2011 BioFresh meeting in Montserrat provided an excellent opportunity for partners from BioFresh, DIVERSITAS and the Society for Conservation Biology to discuss potential links and synergies between the multidisciplinary and international conference delegates as a means of improving the science, policy and conservation of freshwater ecosystems.
The video below documents a fascinating short discussion between Klement Tockner of BioFresh, Margaret Palmer of DIVERSITAS and Jeanne Nel of the Society for Conservation Biology on the ways such productive links may be forged.
March 2011: "Freshwater: the essence of life"
Conservation International have recently published a book entitled ‘Freshwater: the essence of life’ in conjunction with International League of Conservation Photographers, CEMEX, NatureServe, Wetlands International, and Ramsar to raise awareness of freshwater issues.
Co-author, and BioFresh partner Estelle Balian writes:
Scientists and photographers joined their efforts to publish a large-format illustrated book in the CEMEX conservation book series on “Freshwater: The Essence of Life”. The book was coordinated by Conservation International and involved scientists from all over the world, including many BioFresh partners. They contributed to the different chapters drawing a picture of the amazing richness of freshwater ecosystems, and raising awareness on why Earth’s freshwater supplies and systems are in peril. These ecosystems have proved resilient throughout millennia, but in the last few decades, human activities have drastically modified and destroyed them to the point of alarm. The book was launched on December 6th in Cancun at the UNFCCC COP 16.
Freshwater: The essence of life. (2010).Russell A. Mittermeier, Tracy A. Farrell, Ian J. Harrison, Amy J. Upgren, Thomas M. Brooks. Series editor: Cristina Goettsch Mittermeier
For more information visit the Conservation International website.
February 2011: Video interwiews
Watch the interviews with Dr Paul Jepson, workpackage 8 leader and Rob St John, communication officer (both Oxford University), responsible for BioFresh capacity building, outreach and communication strategies.
February 2011: BioFresh newsletter issue 02
Read the latest backround information from the project and more.
- Nature’s Backbone at Risk (press release from IUCN)
- Continuing biodiversity loss predicted, but could be slowed (press release from DIVERSITAS)
- Networks between BioFresh and Australia (NCCARF)
- Review on the COP 10 Nagoya meeting
- Review on the EPBRS meeting in Brussels
- BioFresh blog & cabinet of curiosities
- Review on the BioFresh workshop in Barcelona
- Update on the BioFresh data portal
- Update on the BioFresh metadatabase
Download newsletter 02 (pdf, 2.5 mb)
January 2011: A short animation: What is BioFresh?
We’re delighted to present a short animation produced by Paul Jepson and colleagues at Oxford University which outlines BioFresh’s work in helping improve the protection and management of global freshwater ecosystems.
January 2011: BioFresh blog among the top science blogs
The BioFresh blog has been listed by Nature as among the top science blogs - one of only 9 listed for conservation topics. We are also noticing that the blog is becoming a repository for information and links on cutting edge topics in conservation science, and that users are arriving at the site through searches based on these topics (e.g. mobile technologies, invasive species& novel ecosystems).
blog.nature.com
BioFresh blog
January 2011: Fast, Linked, and Open Access – the Invasion Biology Journal NeoBiota is Launched
The journal NeoBiota is a continuation of the former NEOBIOTA publication series founded in 2002 by the working group with the same name. This group meanwhile evolved into ‘NEOBIOTA, the European Group on Biological Invasions’ and decided in 2010 to transfer the publication series into the open-access, peer-reviewed journal NeoBiota (previous volumes of NEOBIOTA (1-8)).
Website NeoBiota
December 2010: 11 PhD fellowships for interdisciplinary research in River Science
Deadline for applications: January 31, 2011.
A 3-years Joint PhD programme is offered in the framework of the Erasmus Mundus action by the University of Trento (Italy), Queen Mary, University of London (UK) and the Free University of Berlin (Germany), together with 12 associate partners in 8 different countries and 4 continents, encompassing research centres, private companies and governmental agencies.
Research is multidisciplinary-based at a principal institution with mandatory mobility to a second Consortium partner and one Associate partner. It focuses on the core areas of natural and engineering sciences relevant to the sustainable management of river systems from their headwaters to estuaries, including moprhodynamics, hydrology, biogeochemistry, geomorphology, biology and ecology.
Admission is on a selective basis; the best candidates will be assigned attractive EU fellowships.
Successful completion of the PhD programme will be awarded a joint or double Doctoral Degree in River Science.
For any further information concerning the programme, application and selection procedure please visit:
www.riverscience.eu
December 2010: BioFresh Cabinet of Freshwater Curiosities
The BioFresh Cabinet of Freshwater Curiosities
is a modern adaptation of the concept – a digital homage to a dusty
history – intended to foster the same wonder and curiosity into the
often neglected world of freshwater ecosystems. The Cabinet collects
and collates a selection of the world’s most fascinating, bizarre and
unique freshwater plants, animals and phenomena. It provides an
interactive platform for users to engage with some little-known oddities
and become further immersed in the curious world of freshwater
ecosystems.
Visit the Cabinet of Freshwater Curiosities
November 2010: "Water of life and the life in water"
An article about BioFresh was published in the October issue of Research Media.
Research Media is dedicated to the delivery of science, technology and
research dissemination services. The global communication of scientific
and technological research requires a very specific skill set and Research Media has developed a unique team of experts who are totally committed to
delivering a suite of services.
Download article as PDF (320kb)
October 2010: The Crisis of Life
We do not burn down the Louvre. We do not set fire to the Library of
Congress.
So why do we go on erasing the database of life itself?
By exploiting the living world, we are dangerously impoverishing our planet, putting our own welfare in danger. Every day, species are dying, never to come back. Ecosystems around
the world are unravelling, leaving many people without access to healthy
food, clean water, and other essentials for their daily needs.
This is a
Crisis of Life, and it is up to us to stop it. In the „Crisis of Life“ video project, ecologists and activists talk
about ways to stop the ongoing biodiversity crisis to ensure the
survival of all living beings, including ourselves.
Visit Crisis of Life website
October 2010: Blue Harvest - Inland Fisheries as an Ecosystem Service
A report by UNEP and WorldFish.
Global food production has increased greatly in recent years and rural livelihoods are much improved in many regions. Yet, despite this clear progress rural poverty and food insecurity remain deeply entrenched in many areas, especially in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. In response the internation- al community has renewed calls for increased com- mitment to meeting the needs of the world's poor.
Simply producing more food however is not enough. Rather this needs to happen in ways that sustain the ecosystem services that support rural livelihoods and provide wider benefits to rural and urban communi- ties. This is a particular challenge for management of the world's freshwaters and for the ecosystems that depend upon these. To help inform future approach- es to conservation and management of freshwater ecosystems the present assessment reviews the importance of inland fisheries as an ecosystem serv- ice, the pressures upon them, and management approaches to sustain them.
October 2010: Article in NATURE: Global threats to human water security and river biodiversity
Protecting the world’s freshwater resources requires diagnosing threats over a broad range of scales, from global to local. Here we present the first worldwide synthesis to jointly consider human and biodiversity perspectives on water security using a spatial framework that quantifies multiple stressors and accounts for downstream impacts. We find that nearly 80% of the world’s population is exposed to high levels of threat to water security. Massive investment in water technology enables rich nations to offset high stressor levels without remedying their underlying causes, whereas less wealthy nations remain vulnerable.
A similar lack of precautionary investment jeopardizes biodiversity, with habitats associated with 65% of continental discharge classified as moderately to highly threatened. The cumulative threat framework offers a tool for prioritizing policy and management responses to this crisis, and underscores the necessity of limiting threats at their source instead of through costly remediation of symptoms in order to assure global water security for both humans and freshwater biodiversity.
Link to article
September 2010: Announcing the PLoS Hub for Biodiversity – call for articles
Later this year, PLoS will launch a prototype version of the PLoS Hub for Biodiversity, a resource that will aggregate relevant articles from a range of open-access sources including our own journal websites and PubMed Central.
September 2010: New paper: Designing a conservation area network that supports the representation and persistence of freshwater biodiversity
The progression of approaches in systematic conservation planning from representation to representation and persistence has greatly enhanced its potential applicability to freshwaters. However, conceptual frameworks that consolidate principles for incorporating persistence into freshwater conservation planning are still lacking..
September 2010: Mapping the ecological impact of dams near Natura 2000 sites
A recent study has developed a mapping system to show the impact on habitats and species caused by construction projects, such as dams, near Natura 2000 conservation areas. Using a Greek case study, the system was able to identify risks from a dam construction project to species including otters, toads and tortoises..
August 2010: BioFresh data portal online
We are pleased to inform you that we are launching a preview version of the BioFresh online data portal.
August 2010: BioFresh newsletter 01
The first issue of the Biofresh project newsletter out now.
