Speaker
Description
Groundwater-dependent vegetation (GDV) forms globally important biodiversity hotspots, which are threatened by climate and land-use change and require large-scale mapping efforts for their protection. Phreatophyte species are relevant local ecohydrological indicators of groundwater. However, there exists no approach to move from species to plot level to the final large-scale mapping of GDV. A novel mapping approach is presented that aims to identify both species and communities, indicative of GDV and high probability GDV habitats in the Mediterranean biome.
The approach presented combines global plant community data from ‘sPlot - The Global Vegetation Database’ and satellite data in the Mediterranean. A list of ~1,080 phreatophyte species was compiled based on literature review. Additional species with high fidelity for groundwater-dependent EUNIS habitats were extracted within Europe. Based on the compiled lists, co-occurring species were extracted in an iterative process. Finally, the coverage of phreatophytes and associated species was calculated plot-wise to account for GDV habitats.
Remote sensing criteria at 30 m resolution include 1) vitality during dry periods, 2) seasonal and 3) interannual variation in vitality, 4) high topographic potential for water accumulation, and 5) topography (elevation, slope). Finally, a regression analysis between the plots and the remote sensing criteria pinpoints areas with high phreatophyte cover and hence high probability GDV habitats in the Mediterranean biome.
The resulting species list and composition indicative of GDV can support identification in the field. In addition, detailed maps of GDV for the Mediterranean biome will help to ensure sustainable groundwater management and thus protect GDV as biodiversity hotspots.
| Status Group | Doctoral Researcher |
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