Developing ecosystem service indicators: experiences and lessons learned from sub-global assessments and other initiatives

People depend upon ecosystems to supply a range of services necessary for their survival and well-being. Ecosystem service indicators are critical for knowing whether or not these essential services are being maintained and used in a sustainable manner, thus enabling policy makers to identify the policies and other interventions needed to better manage them. As a result, ecosystem service indicators are of increasing interest and importance to governmental and inter-governmental processes, including amongst others the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Aichi Targets contained within its strategic plan for 2011-2020, as well as the emerging Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Despite this growing demand, assessing ecosystem service status and trends and developing robust indicators is o!en hindered by a lack of information and data, resulting in few available indicators. In response, the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), together with a wide range of international partners and supported by the Swedish International Biodiversity Programme (SwedBio)*, undertook a project to take stock of the key lessons that have been learnt in developing and using ecosystem service indicators in a range of assessment contexts. The project examined the methodologies, metrics and data sources employed in delivering ecosystem service indicators, so as to inform future indicator development. This report presents the principal results of this project

A More Effective Ramsar Convention for the Conservation of Mediterranean Wetlands

The Ramsar Convention is the multilateral agreement aimed at protecting wetlands globally. Wetlands are particularly recognized for their role in the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot by providing key habitats for endemic and migratory species, directly contributing benefits to the lives of people and being an integral part of their culture. In response to this importance, the Mediterranean Wetlands Observatory publishes Mediterranean Wetland Outlooks (MWOs) on the state and trends of Mediterranean wetlands; the first edition in 2012 (MWO1) and the second edition in 2018 (MWO2). In this paper, we used the results of the two Mediterranean Wetland Outlooks to highlight ways to increase the impact of the Ramsar Convention by identifying the spatial dimensions of detected biodiversity trends as well as the societal developments and estimated impacts of global change and protection status

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

Problèmes posés par le concept d'espèce en biologie de la conservation (exemple des centaurées de la section Maculosae dans les régions méditerranéennes et alpines de l'Europe occidentale)

Le concept d espèce est central dans la protection de la nature. L approche espèce-centrée privilégie souvent les espèces endémiques. Cependant la définition même d espèce est l objet de controverses car c est une entité évolutive dynamique. Je me suis intéressée aux problèmes que cela pose en conservation en étudiant 38 populations de 8 taxons du genre Centaurea (Asteraceae), un répandu et sept endémiques, aux taxonomie et phylogénie incertaines. Différentes approches ont été utilisées pour comprendre (1) la répartition de la diversité génétique neutre (séquences chloroplastiques et microsatellites nucléaires) et potentiellement adaptative (mesure de traits en culture), (2) les processus de spéciation (étude démographique) et (3) l isolement reproductif entre les groupes évolutifs (croisements contrôlés).Cette étude souligne l importance de l espèce répandue. Elle contient une grande part de la diversité et serait à l origine de nombreuses espèces endémiques. La protection de ses populations sur l ensemble de l aire de répartition et dans des habitats variés est donc primordiale pour préserver le potentiel adaptatif du groupe.PARIS-BIUSJ-Thèses (751052125) / SudocPARIS-BIUSJ-Physique recherche (751052113) / SudocPARIS-Museum Histoire Naturelle (751055209) / SudocSudocFranceF

Existing areas and past changes of wetland extent in the Mediterranean region: an overview

We quantified the amount of existing wetlands in the Mediterranean region as well as their losses in the past century. An estimated 18.5 ± 3.5 million ha of wetlands existed in c. 2000, one quarter of them consisting of artificial wetlands, including primarily reservoirs and ricefields. Past losses were estimated to represent c. 50% over the 20th century. Land-cover maps derived from the CORINE Land-Cover system were also used to test whether they could monitor total surface areas, surfaces by wetland types, or wetland losses, at the required scale.Nous avons quantifié la surface de zones humides existant en Méditerranée, ainsi que leurs pertes au cours du siècle passé. Environ 18,5 millions d’hectares (± 3,5 millions) existaient vers l’an 2000, dont environ un quart de zones humides artificielles, principalement des réservoirs et des rizières. Les pertes sont estimées à environ 50 % au cours du XXe siècle. Les cartes d’occupation du sol tirées de CORINE Land-Cover ont aussi été utilisées, afin de tester si elles permettraient de suivre, à l’échelle requise, la surface totale, la surface par type de zones humides, et la perte de ces milieux.Perennou Christian, Beltrame Coralie, Guelmami Anis, Tomàs Vives Pere, Caessteker Pierre. Existing areas and past changes of wetland extent in the Mediterranean region: an overview. In: Ecologia mediterranea, tome 38 n°2, 2012. pp. 53-66

Using the ecosystem services concept to analyse stakeholder involvement in wetland management

Wetland management usually involves multiple stakeholders. This paper describes how the use of the ecosystem services (ES) concept can help to identify the main stakeholders associated with wetland conservation, using the Hula Wetland in the Sea of Galilee's watershed as a case study. We conducted a stakeholder analysis based on semi-structured interviews. We focused on the management of two semi-natural areas within the larger Hula Wetland area (Hula Nature Reserve and Agamon), in which different management regimes are used and which provide different bundles of ES to different stakeholders. Using the ES concept in the stakeholder analysis, we were able to present the Hula Wetland management in a comprehensive manner. The approach also revealed a lack of coordination between the managing organisations which might lead to competition favouring cultural services (in particular tourism) at the expense of habitat services (i.e. biodiversity conservation) in the future. To test our method we also conducted a stakeholder analysis in the Camargue Wetland in France. The two wetlands have similar characteristics but are embedded in different institutional contexts. The Camargue Regional Park has a multi-stakeholder platform which could serve as an example for the Hula Wetland to improve its management and lead to better coordination and complementarity of ES provided by the two sub-sites. Our study showed that applying the ES concept helps to quickly identify relevant stakeholders and analyse wetland management in a more holistic way and to point towards sustainable solutions for conflicting stakeholder interests

Using the Landsat Archive for the Monitoring of Mediterranean Coastal Wetlands: Examples from the GlobWetland-II Project

The monitoring and assessment of the status and trends of wetlands is of major concern for long-term biodiversity conservation initiatives. In particular, the coastal wetlands in the Mediterranean have undergone considerable land use and land cover changes in recent decades, by way of urban growth and increasing tourism infrastructure. A rise in sea level would result in a major ecological pressure for natural and human-made wetlands in deltas and coastal lagoons. Satellite observation techniques allow for an objective monitoring of the Earth on large scales. Aiming at the demonstration of the current capabilities of satellite Earth observation applications to support inventorying, monitoring, and assessment of wetland ecosystems, the GlobWetland-II project makes use of the 35 years of Landsat archives for a basic identification and delineation of wetlands during1975, 1990, and 2005. We present results of wetland identification and delineation mapping from 1975 to 2002, for the test sites of the Menderes Delta and Güllük Bay. Methodically, a decision tree approach is used integrating multi-temporal spectral (Landsat MSS, TM, ETM+) and topographic (SRTM) satellite-based indicators for the occurrence of wetlands. While comparing the spatial distribution of wetlands over 27 years, a remarkable decrease of natural wetlands became obvious, particularly at the expense of increasing agricultural land use, artificial areas, or dam constructions. The detected land change processes show the capabilities of satellite-based Earth observation time series. In particular, the potential of the freely available Landsat archives for the quantification of the status and trends of Mediterranean wetlands in the framework of the RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands is demonstrated

Diagnostic environnemental territorial - Projet PEGASO - CASE Bouches-du-Rhône

L'objet de ce rapport est de présenter l'état d'avancement du diagnostic environnemental territorial pour la zone côtière du département des Bouches-du-Rhône.Le diagnostic environnemental territorial est composé de deux tâches distinctes et complémentaires : une analyse institutionnelle qui rend compte de la diversité des acteurs territoriaux et de leurs actions en matière de gestion de la zone côtière ; et une évaluation pluridisciplinaire (indicateurs morpho-écologique et socio-économique) des enjeux environnementaux prioritaires. Ces travaux conjoints doivent permettre d'expliciter les évolutions passées et les enjeux existants et en devenir du point de vue des dégradations environnementales, des effets associés et des réponses apportées pour y remédier.Seule l'analyse institutionnelle a pour l'instant été réalisée. Elle consiste en une description du dispositif de gestion existant, une identification des difficultés rencontrées par les acteurs territoriaux interrogés dans le cadre de leurs activités de gestion de la zone côtière, et une identification des principaux enjeux environnementaux.La difficulté la plus régulièrement soulignée par les acteurs territoriaux consultés est de faire coïncider les enjeux de gestion car il existe souvent des contradictions en termes d'objectifs entre les différents projets.Parmi les principaux enjeux environnementaux identifiés, le plus souvent cité par les acteurs interrogés est la problématique de la "contamination terrestre des eaux marines". Cette problématique est, avec celle de "l'artificialisation du littoral et les espaces gagnés sur la mer", présente dans l'ensemble de la zone côtière des Bouches-du-Rhône. C'est également, au regard de la nature et des dimensions géographiques et historiques des données disponibles, la seule problématique environnementale qui semble pouvoir faire l'objet d'une évaluation spatio-temporelle intégrée

A More Effective Ramsar Convention for the Conservation of Mediterranean Wetlands

International audienceThe Ramsar Convention is the multilateral agreement aimed at protecting wetlands globally. Wetlands are particularly recognized for their role in the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot by providing key habitats for endemic and migratory species, directly contributing benefits to the lives of people and being an integral part of their culture. In response to this importance, the Mediterranean Wetlands Observatory publishes Mediterranean Wetland Outlooks (MWOs) on the state and trends of Mediterranean wetlands; the first edition in 2012 (MWO1) and the second edition in 2018 (MWO2). In this paper, we used the results of the two Mediterranean Wetland Outlooks to highlight ways to increase the impact of the Ramsar Convention by identifying the spatial dimensions of detected biodiversity trends as well as the societal developments and estimated impacts of global change and protection status