Ecosystem services mapping and assessment for policy- and decision-making: Lessons learned from a comparative analysis of European case studies

This paper analyses and compares a set of case studies on ecosystem services (ES) mapping and assessment with the purpose of formulating lessons learned and recommendations. Fourteen case studies were selected during the EU Horizon 2020 “Coordination and Support Action” ESMERALDA to represent different policy- and decision-making processes throughout the European Union, across a wide range of themes, biomes and scales. The analysis is based on a framework that addresses the key steps of an ES mapping and assessment process, namely policy questions, stakeholder identification and involvement, application of mapping and assessment methods, dissemination and communication and implementation. The analysis revealed that most case studies were policy-orientated or gave explicit suggestions for policy implementation in different contexts, including urban, rural and natural areas. Amongst the findings, the importance of starting stakeholder engagement early in the process was confirmed in order to generate interest and confidence in the project and to increase their willingness to cooperate. Concerning mapping and assessment methods, it was found that the integration of methods and results is essential for providing a comprehensive overview from different perspectives (e.g. social, economic). Finally, lessons learned for effective implementation of ES mapping and assessment results are presented and discussed

Spatial Dynamics of Invasion: The Geometry of Introduced Species

Many exotic species combine low probability of establishment at each introduction with rapid population growth once introduction does succeed. To analyze this phenomenon, we note that invaders often cluster spatially when rare, and consequently an introduced exotic's population dynamics should depend on locally structured interactions. Ecological theory for spatially structured invasion relies on deterministic approximations, and determinism does not address the observed uncertainty of the exotic-introduction process. We take a new approach to the population dynamics of invasion and, by extension, to the general question of invasibility in any spatial ecology. We apply the physical theory for nucleation of spatial systems to a lattice-based model of competition between plant species, a resident and an invader, and the analysis reaches conclusions that differ qualitatively from the standard ecological theories. Nucleation theory distinguishes between dynamics of single-cluster and multi-cluster invasion. Low introduction rates and small system size produce single-cluster dynamics, where success or failure of introduction is inherently stochastic. Single-cluster invasion occurs only if the cluster reaches a critical size, typically preceded by a number of failed attempts. For this case, we identify the functional form of the probability distribution of time elapsing until invasion succeeds. Although multi-cluster invasion for sufficiently large systems exhibits spatial averaging and almost-deterministic dynamics of the global densities, an analytical approximation from nucleation theory, known as Avrami's law, describes our simulation results far better than standard ecological approximations.Comment: 25 pages (pdf

National Inventory of Landscapes in Sweden (NILS) - scope, design, and experiences from establishing a multiscale biodiversity monitoring system

The landscape-level and multiscale biodiversity monitoring program National Inventory of Landscapes in Sweden (NILS) was launched in 2003. NILS is conducted as a sample-based stratified inventory that acquires data across several spatial scales, which is accomplished by combining aerial photo interpretation with field inventory. A total of 631 sample units are distributed across the land base of Sweden, of which 20% are surveyed each year. By 2007 NILS completed the first 5-year inventory phase. As the reinventory in the second 5-year phase (2008–2012) proceeds, experiences and insights accumulate and reflections are made on the setup and accomplishment of the monitoring scheme. In this article, the emphasis is placed on background, scope, objectives, design, and experiences of the NILS program. The main objective to collect data for and perform analyses of natural landscape changes, degree of anthropogenic impact, prerequisites for natural biological diversity and ecological processes at landscape scale. Different environmental conditions that can have direct or indirect effects on biological diversity are monitored. The program provides data for national and international policy and offers an infrastructure for other monitoring program and research projects. NILS has attracted significant national and international interest during its relatively short time of existence; the number of stakeholders and cooperation partners steadily increases. This is constructive and strengthens the incentive for the multiscale monitoring approach

Kvalitetsdeklaration för delprogrammen : Smådäggdjursövervakning - skog och smådäggdjursövervakning - fjäll

Miljöövervakning av smådäggdjurens beståndsvariationer i skogslandet har skett kontinuerligtsedan 1971 kring Vindeln i Västerbotten, sedan 1973 kring Grimsö i Västmanland och sedan1981 kring Norra Kvill i Småland. Övervakningen ingår fr o m 1979/80 i den Nationellamiljöövervakningens (NMÖ) i Naturvårdsverkets regi. Dessförinnan var övervakningen basför forskningsprojekt vid Umeå universitet och Grimsö forskningsstation. Övervakning haräven skett kring Boa-Berg i Halland under 1985–90.Miljöövervakning av smådäggdjurens beståndsvariationer i fjällen inleddes 2001, i Ammarnäsi södra Lappland (där även 1995-98), Stora Sjöfallet i Lappland och i Vålådalen/Ljungdalen iJämtland/Härjedalen.Smådäggdjurens beståndsvariationer följs med hjälp av täthetsindex baserade påslagfällefångster på våren och hösten varje år inom fasta provytor. Fångade smådäggdjurtillvaratas för Miljöprovbankens räkning (se 1.5 och 3.2.5). Se även t ex Hörnfeldt 1998a,2003a

Kvalitetsdeklaration för delprogrammet svensk sjöfågelinventering

Miljöövervakning av sjöfåglarnas beståndsvariationer har skett kontinuerligt sedan 1967som en del i den av Wetlands International (tidigare IWRB) organiserade ”InternationalWaterfowl Census” (IWC). Huvudpunkten av programmet utgörs av den årligamidvinterinventeringen av olika vattenfåglar. I det internationella programmet ingårförutom de här aktuella sjöfågelarterna också inventeringar av gäss och vadare.Midvinterinventeringar av vadare är inte aktuella i Sverige eftersom vi i princip saknarstörre koncentrationer av övervintrande vadare. När det gäller gässen organiserasregelbundna inventeringar i enlighet med Wetlands Internationals program, men deingår för närvarande inte i det här aktuella delprogrammet inom den nationellamiljöövervakningen i Naturvårdsverkets regi, utan finansieras med anslag från SvenskaJägareförbundet och bedrivs som ett parallellt projekt enligt anvisningar från WetlandsInternational

Värdering av medbestämmande på arbetsplatser : En modell för demokratiskt deltagande som retorisk situation

Uppsatsens syfte är att finna en retoriskt baserad metod för att utvärdera demokratisk kvalitet i specifika situationer på arbetsplatser. Denna metod ska kunna användas av en retorikkonsult eller en personalchef på ett företag för att få en uppfattning om förutsättningarna för medbestämmande bland de anställda. Metoden kombinerar retorisk teori med organisationsvetenskap och demokratiteori, och utgår från en hypotes; att förutsättning för arbetsplatsdemokrati går att bedöma i tillgången till fördelaktiga retoriska situationer. Metoden prövas i en fältundersökning på arbetsplatsen Nutek och en specifik situation där, en flytt av verksamheten till nya lokaler