Objectives
The specific objectives of BioFresh are:
- to build up an open, web-based science portal providing users free and universal access to information on freshwater biodiversity, contained in a distributed network of interoperable databases (WP1-3),
- to compile clear and readily accessible information for analysing the status and trends of freshwater biodiversity, including the human-related services that depend on it (WP4-6),
- to develop and test spatially-explicit models and tools to quantify how key present and future environmental pressures impact freshwater biodiversity (WP4-6),
- to identify key hot spots of freshwater biodiversity and their vulnerabilities, and to suggest improved strategies for conservation (WP5+7),
- to increase the public awareness on the importance of freshwater biodiversity and the services that depend upon it (WP8),
- to support governments and international environmental agreements (e.g. European Nature Directives, Water Framework Directive, Ramsar Convention, Convention on Biological Diversity) by strengthening targets for conservation and restoration actions by identifying priority pressures, areas, ecosystem types, and species (WP7+8),
- to identify new research directions and to develop novel approaches to biodiversity conservation research in freshwaters (WP4-8).
BioFresh is structured in eight Work packages:
| Pckg. | Objective | Partner |
|---|---|---|
| WP1 | Building the web-based freshwater biodiversity platform | RBINS |
| WP2 | Quality control and database preparation | BOKU |
| WP3 | Gap analysis and remediation | ICLARM |
| WP4 | Contemporary and past patterns in freshwater biodiversity | IRD |
| WP5 | Climate change and freshwater biodiversity | FVB.IGB |
| WP6 | Multiple stressors and freshwater biodiversity | UDE |
| WP7 | Informing policy for conservation planning | IUCN |
| WP8 | Capacity building, awareness raising, and outreach | UOXF.AC |