Project description
Evaluating the effects of hydrological drought
Hydrological changes such as groundwater decline may threaten plant species and ecosystem productivity. Understanding ecosystem sensitivity to hydrological alterations and the related ecophysiological processes is critical for seasonally dry, semi-arid coastal dune ecosystems of the Iberian Peninsula which experiences heavy human pressure. Community-level methods that can indicate vegetation vulnerability to the restriction of groundwater resources are increasingly required. The EU-funded HyChanCEs project intends to assess the impact of hydrological changes, particularly the water-table level decrease, on semi-arid coastal dune ecosystems and determine their vulnerability to groundwater restriction. The results will contribute to moderate the impact of water-resources’ changes on coastal ecosystems.
Objective
Groundwater dynamics and water table level can greatly influence the physiological performance of plant species, composition of vegetation and ecosystem productivity. Understanding ecosystem sensitivity to hydrological changes such as groundwater decline, and the ecophysiological processes involved, are important challenges. This is particularly relevant in seasonally dry semi-arid coastal dune ecosystems of the Iberian Peninsula, where the human pressure is currently high, exacerbating climatic trends of groundwater scarcity.
Community-level assessments and integrated trait syndromes that can point out vegetation vulnerability to the reduction of groundwater resources are greatly needed. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the effects of hydrological drought, particularly water table lowering, on semi-arid coastal dune ecosystems, and define their vulnerability to groundwater limitation, helping to mitigate the impact of water-resources’ changes on relevant coastal ecosystems.
The project will be based on physiological measures, manipulative approaches, functional diversity, vegetation structure, remote sensing, water-table depth modeling, up-scaling processes and assessment of integrated vegetation responses to groundwater changes. Through a multi-level (plant to ecosystem), cross-scale (local to regional) approach, I will define suitable indicators of the impact of groundwater changes on coastal dune ecosystems and map their vulnerability to hydrological droughts. The outputs of the project will have great implications for water-management plans, by signaling vulnerable and endangered coastal areas to current and future groundwater changes. Ultimately, it will contribute to better outline sustainable management strategies conciliating habitat conservation and water-resources use.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering ecosystem-based management habitat conservation
- engineering and technology environmental engineering remote sensing
- social sciences economics and business economics production economics productivity
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology ecosystems coastal ecosystems
You need to log in or register to use this function
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
H2020-EU.4. - SPREADING EXCELLENCE AND WIDENING PARTICIPATION
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-WF-2018-2020
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1749 016 Lisbon
Portugal
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.