Functional Analysis of European Wetland Ecosystems (phase II)

Objective

Integration of the effects of both natural and man-induced environmental change within procedures under development for the functional analysis of European wetland ecosystems.


Phase I of the FAEWE (Functional Analysis of European Wetland Ecosystems) project (Contract STEP-CT90-0084) has enabled considerable scientific advancement to be made towards understanding process dynamics and the use of the improved science base in developing a methodology for wetland functional analysis.
This second phase will capitalize on the achievements of Phase 1, to resolve questions arising from this work and enlarge its scope by extension to the catchment scale and applying the work more directly to EC environmental policy. Natural and man-made environmental changes and socio-economic variables will be integrated into the functional analysis procedures for wetland ecosystems, in particular targeted towards river corridor systems.
The following tasks are included in Phase 2 of the project:
- investigation of the effects of environmental change on processes operating in river marginal wetland ecosystems and their linkages to functioning, developing further the knowledge base established in FAEWE phase 1;
- confirmation of the key biological and physical environmental indicators as measures or predictors of environmental change in wetland ecosystems and evaluation of their sensitivity in relation to ecosystem functioning at a variety of scales from site level to the entire catchment;
- integration of the evaluation of the effects of environmental change, resulting from both anthropogenic and natural disturbance, into the system of functional analysis as a means of consolidating findings to date;
- integration of socio-economic criteria in the functional assessment methodology, facilitating the formulation of sustainable development strategies for river marginal wetlands; and
- establishment of a GIS format for the representation of wetland ecosystem functioning at site, catchment and broader scales.

Fields of science

• natural sciences › earth and related environmental sciences › physical geography › cartography › geographic information systems
• natural sciences › biological sciences › ecology › ecosystems

Programme(s)

• FP3-ENV 1C - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of the environment, 1990-1994

Topic(s)

• 0106 - Biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem dynamics

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

Royal Holloway and Bedford New College

Address

Egham Hill
TW20 0EX Egham
United Kingdom

Participants (8)

ROYAL HOLLOWAY AND BEDFORD NEW COLLEGE

United Kingdom

Address

Egham Hill
TW20 0EX Egham,surrey

Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht

Netherlands

Address

16,sorbonnelaan 16
3584 CS Utrecht

UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

United Kingdom

Address

Edgbaston
B15 2TT Birmingham

UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA

United Kingdom

Address

University Plain
NR4 7TJ Norwich

Umweltstiftung Wild World Fund-Deutschland

Germany

Address

Josefstraße 1
76437 Rastatt

Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

Spain

Address

Carretera Colmenar, Km. 15
28049 Madrid

University of Glasgow

United Kingdom

Address

University Avenue
G12 8QQ Glasgow

Université de Rennes I

France

Address

263 Avenue Du Général Leclerc
35042 Rennes