Periodic Reporting for period 1 - eco2adapt (Ecosystem-based Adaptation and Changemaking to Shape, Protect and Maintain the Resilience of Tomorrow’s Forests)
Reporting period: 2022-09-01 to 2024-02-29
In eco2adapt we develop the Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) framework, derived from Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) that harnesses biodiversity and ecosystem services to reduce vulnerability and build social-ecological resilience to climate change. We work in Living Labs in Europe and China, located in climate hotspots, and adopt a cutting-edge Decision Theatre approach to investigate how forest managers integrate disturbance and vulnerability into decision-making. Scenarios of how disturbance affects forest dynamics and ecosystem services at a landscape scale will be derived through modelling, and in Living Labs, stakeholders will learn how their choices affect ecosystem services in neighbouring forests. We will combine interdisciplinary knowledge from scientists and stakeholders in Europe and China to understand perception and provide incentivization for adopting EbA solutions, through local capacity-building and national policy plans. Through the same Decision Theatre methodology, we will use a capacity-building approach to create and promote innovative technical, economic and governance mechanisms at a regional level. Semantic technology is applied to create a knowledge base for hosting FAIR data and creating a Smartphone Application (the OneForest ToolBox) that allows users to access and add data concerning climate-resilient species, provenances, mixtures, management techniques and ecosystem services, whilst taking into account future uncertainties about climate and societal changes. We also upscale and provide a suite of cutting-edge tools to monitor vulnerability and resilience (including invasive species and above-and below- ground biodiversity), at all levels of society – from the citizen to the policy-maker. By including significant and tailored communication to all levels of society, we reach out to a broad audience that has the capacity to cause positive change.
The sister project in China was funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and work has begun in October 2023, with close collaboration between European and Chinese partners.
The 11 European living labs (LL) in eco2adapt have been described and stakeholders mapped and contacted for their participation in questionnaires and Decision theatres. Data are included and protected in a specific governmental repository. (For China, the description of LLs is underway). Several different questionnaires on ecosystem services, social-ecological and economic pathways and insurance regulations have been sent to stakeholders in LLs. Best and worst case scenarios for have been identified in preparation for Decision Theatres.
A prototype for the OneForest Knowledge Base (KB) has been developed and stabilised using data from the French Guiana LL. This KB performs FAIRification of data (that are protected eg via a repository) that partners are supplying from LLs.
Work towards designing portfolios of species’ management for given ecosystem services is underway and a large dataset of tree species occurrences, future climatic projections, and data on tree functional traits and tree-specific services has been combined into a modelling framework. Also, the Database of European Forest Insect and Disease Disturbances: DEFID2 was developed and learning models are being used to identify the links between forest, climate, risk and vulnerability with data from this database.
For modelling of global change scenarios and impact on forest resilience at the LL level, a large set of RCP data consisting of 29 different climate models was acquired and data extracted for LL coordinates. Modelling using LandClim has begun and simulations started with climate change scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. LandClim simulations will identify how the provision of ecosystem services varies under different climate change scenarios and different disturbance regimes.
At a larger scale, an ensemble of bias corrected simulations generated from 10 regional climate models run within EURO-CORDEX under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 emission scenarios were used in a machine learning model development regarding main European forest disturbances. Also, the implementation of forest disturbances into the model EFISCEN-SPACE has progressed for simulating changes in forest structure variables, under climate change scenarios.
Biodiversity monitoring has been initiated in LLs, through the installation of wildlife cameras for macrofauna, Pl@ntNet for invasive plant species monitoring, insect traps and also rhizotrons for belowground monitoring.
An analysis of the state of the art in bioeconomy, governance, certification and insurance approaches has been terminated. This resulted in the development of templates, questionnaires and identification of best applicable methodologies that are currently being employed.
The 11 European living labs (LL) in eco2adapt have been described and stakeholders mapped and contacted for their participation in questionnaires and Decision theatres. Data are included and protected in a specific governmental repository. (For China, the description of LLs is underway). Several different questionnaires on ecosystem services, social-ecological and economic pathways and insurance regulations have been sent to stakeholders in LLs. Best and worst case scenarios for have been identified in preparation for Decision Theatres.
A prototype for the OneForest Knowledge Base (KB) has been developed and stabilised using data from the French Guiana LL. This KB performs FAIRification of data (that are protected eg via a repository) that partners are supplying from LLs.
Work towards designing portfolios of species’ management for given ecosystem services is underway and a large dataset of tree species occurrences, future climatic projections, and data on tree functional traits and tree-specific services has been combined into a modelling framework. Also, the Database of European Forest Insect and Disease Disturbances: DEFID2 was developed and learning models are being used to identify the links between forest, climate, risk and vulnerability with data from this database.
For modelling of global change scenarios and impact on forest resilience at the LL level, a large set of RCP data consisting of 29 different climate models was acquired and data extracted for LL coordinates. Modelling using LandClim has begun and simulations started with climate change scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. LandClim simulations will identify how the provision of ecosystem services varies under different climate change scenarios and different disturbance regimes.
At a larger scale, an ensemble of bias corrected simulations generated from 10 regional climate models run within EURO-CORDEX under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 emission scenarios were used in a machine learning model development regarding main European forest disturbances. Also, the implementation of forest disturbances into the model EFISCEN-SPACE has progressed for simulating changes in forest structure variables, under climate change scenarios.
Biodiversity monitoring has been initiated in LLs, through the installation of wildlife cameras for macrofauna, Pl@ntNet for invasive plant species monitoring, insect traps and also rhizotrons for belowground monitoring.
An analysis of the state of the art in bioeconomy, governance, certification and insurance approaches has been terminated. This resulted in the development of templates, questionnaires and identification of best applicable methodologies that are currently being employed.
1) The OneForest Knowledge Base framework combining ontologies such as SOSA, OWL Time and GeoSPARQL was created. Ultimately this semantic technology will link to the United Nations (UN) Data Hub, so policy-makers can access forestry and ecosystem service data:
https://purl.org/oneforestkb/LivingLabMapDiscovery(opens in new window)
2) The Database of European Forest Insect and Disease Disturbances: DEFID2 was developed (Forzieri et al 2023). https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16912(opens in new window)
The DEFID2 database is a novel resource for many large-scale applications dealing with biotic disturbances. It offers a unique contribution to design networks of experiments, improve our understanding of ecological processes underlying biotic forest disturbances, monitor their dynamics, and enhance their representation in land-climate models.
https://jeodpp.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ftp/jrc-opendata/FOREST/DISTURBANCES/DEFID2/(opens in new window)
https://purl.org/oneforestkb/LivingLabMapDiscovery(opens in new window)
2) The Database of European Forest Insect and Disease Disturbances: DEFID2 was developed (Forzieri et al 2023). https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16912(opens in new window)
The DEFID2 database is a novel resource for many large-scale applications dealing with biotic disturbances. It offers a unique contribution to design networks of experiments, improve our understanding of ecological processes underlying biotic forest disturbances, monitor their dynamics, and enhance their representation in land-climate models.
https://jeodpp.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ftp/jrc-opendata/FOREST/DISTURBANCES/DEFID2/(opens in new window)