Postglacial migration supplements climate in determining plant species ranges in Europe

The influence of dispersal limitation on species ranges remains controversial. Considering the dramatic impacts of the last glaciation in Europe, species might not have tracked climate changes through time and, as a consequence, their present-day ranges might be in disequilibrium with current climate. For 1016 European plant species, we assessed the relative importance of current climate and limited postglacial migration in determining species ranges using regression modelling and explanatory variables representing climate, and a novel species-specific hind-casting-based measure of accessibility to postglacial colonization. Climate was important for all species, while postglacial colonization also constrained the ranges of more than 50 per cent of the species. On average, climate explained five times more variation in species ranges than accessibility, but accessibility was the strongest determinant for one-sixth of the species. Accessibility was particularly important for species with limited long-distance dispersal ability, with southern glacial ranges, seed plants compared with ferns, and small-range species in southern Europe. In addition, accessibility explained one-third of the variation in species' disequilibrium with climate as measured by the realized/potential range size ratio computed with niche modelling. In conclusion, we show that although climate is the dominant broad-scale determinant of European plant species ranges, constrained dispersal plays an important supplementary role

Rewilding som planmål i Antropocæn

Der er langt fra det moderne kulturlandskab med monotone marker og netværk af bebyggelser med veje og jernbaner til det vildnis, som var biodiversitetens vugge. De arter, der udgør biodiversiteten i dag, opstod i de forhistoriske økosystemer, hvor floderne gik over bredderne, stormfald og brande raserede skove og krat, og elefanter, næsehorn, heste, urokser og andre store dyr trampede og gnavede sig gennem økosystemerne. Det er netop menneskets tæmning af vildnisset, som er årsagen til biodiversitetskrisen. Det traditionelle svar på biodiversitetskrisen har været, at naturen er syg og truet og derfor har brug for vores pleje og omsorg. Denne forvaltningsmodel udfordres i dag af rewilding, som i stedet foreslår, at vi bygger på naturens evne til selvforvaltning, og i særdeleshed de store dyrs vigtige funktioner i økosystemerne. Uanset om målet er traditionel naturpleje eller rewilding, så lider biodiversiteten under pladsmangel, så der er brug for en rumlig planlægning, hvor naturen indgår som planmål. Rewilding kræver desuden store sammenhængende områder, og dem får vi kun, hvis der er politisk vilje til det

Nordic LifeWatch cooperation, final report: A joint initiative from Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden

The main goal of the present report is to outline the possibilities for an enhanced cooperation between the Nordic countries within eScience and biodiversity. LifeWatch is one of several ESFRI projects which aim to establish eInfrastructures and databases in the field of biodiversity and ecosystem research. Similarities between Nordic countries are extensive in relation to a number of biodiversity related issues. Most species in Nordic countries are common, and frequently the same challenges concerning biodiversity and ecosystem services are addressed in the different countries. The present report has been developed by establishing a Nordic LifeWatch network with delegates from each of the Nordic countries. The report has been written jointly by the delegates, and the work was organized by establishing working groups with the following themes: strategic issues, technical development, legal framework and communication. Written during two workshops, Skype meetings and emailing, the following main issues are discussed in the present report: * Scientific needs for improved access to biodiversity data and advanced eScience research infrastructure in the Nordic countries. * Future challenges and priorities facing the international biodiversity research community. * Scientific potential of openly accessible biodiversity and environmental data for individual researchers and institutions. * Spin-off effects of open access for the general public. * Internationally standardized Nordic metadata inventory. * Legal framework and challenges associated with environmental-, climate-, and biodiversity data sharing, communication, training and scientific needs. * Finally, some strategic steps towards realizing a Nordic LifeWatch construction and operational phase are discussed. Easy access to open data on biodiversity and the environment is crucial for many researchers and research institutions, as well as environmental administration. Easy access to data from different fields of science creates an environment for new scientific ideas to emerge. This potential of generating new, interdisciplinary approaches to pre-existing problems is one of the key features of open-access data platforms that unify diverse data sources. Interdisciplinary elements, access to data over larger gradients, compatible eSystems and eTools to handle large amounts of data are extremely important and, if further developed, represent significant steps towards analysis of biological effects of climate change, human impact and development of operational ecosystem service assessment techniques. It is concluded that significant benefits regarding both scientific potential, technical developments and financial investments can be obtained by constructing a common Nordic LifeWatch eInfrastructure. Several steps concerning organizing and funding of a future Nordic LifeWatch are discussed, and an action plan towards 2020 is suggested. To analyze the potential for future Nordic LifeWatch in detail, our main conclusion is to arrange a Nordic LifeWatch conference as soon as possible. This conference should involve Nordic research councils, scientists and relevant stakeholders. The national delegates from the participating countries in the Nordic LifeWatch project are prepared to present details from the report and developments so far as a basis for further development of Nordic LifeWatch. The present work is financed by NordForsk and in-kind contributions from participating institutions