A practical novel assessment tool for the socio-ecological condition of Protected Areas: the Protection Level Index (PLI)

Protected Area (PA) managers and policy makers need to determine and demonstrate the effectiveness of PA management and keep track of the conservation status in ways that are practical, scientifically sound and comparable among PAs in various terrestrial and aquatic environments. As most existing methods for measuring the managerial efficiency of PAs are restricted to specific elements of the management or a limited number of detailed environmental aspects, often without the participation of practitioners, we aim for a generally applicable method developed in close cooperation with PA managers; the Protection Level Index (PLI). PLI includes ecological, socio-economic, as well as managerial factors, and consists of twelve variables that together describe the state of a PA. Seven of those are derived from interviews with PA managers, and five of them are derived from GIS analyses. Data were obtained during face-to-face interviews with PA managers using a fixed protocol, thereby introducing a new way of incorporating the perception of the PA managers. PLI was tested in seven different PAs across Europe. The lowest final PLI score was for the Island Network of Protected Areas in La Palma and the highest final PLI score was for the Kalkalpen National Park. PLI is wider applicable than other related methods and more cost-effective. Therefore PLI can be used on a yearly basis to keep track of the progress of management activities and conservation status within and among (networks of) PAs

Wind energy development and wildlife conservation in Lithuania: A mapping tool for conflict assessment.

The paper presents a mapping tool aiming to identify and minimise potential conflicts between onshore wind energy development and wildlife conservation in Lithuania. It merges current information on the distribution, conservation status and sensitivity of birds and bats to wind power with an integrated evaluation of wind resources (modelled wind speed), special planning status and technical perspectives of wind energy development. The paper includes assessment of the selected wildlife species which were described as sensitive to wind power (69 breeding and 43 migratory bird species and 17 bat species bats in the country). Used species level information allowed the precise identification of sensitive territories and might be used to mitigate negative wind farm effects using special measures based on species behavior. Finally, we delivered overlaps as possible conflicts among the most promising wind farm areas and the areas with high sensitivity in relation to bird and bat distribution. These overlaps point to the required attention and relevant decisions that are needed to ensure sustainable development of wind energy throughout the country. We suggest this tool for initial determination of appropriate areas for wind energy development in the country and as supplement to Environmental Impact Assessment

Assessment of status and evolution of ecosystem service indicators

Ecosystem services indicators are important to measure the trends and state of ecosystem service delivery; with recent years seeing a wide indicator base being developed. Indicators are powerful tools to inform and improve the knowledge base on ecosystems and ecosystem services, which are useful for decision makers at any spatial scale for basing their decisions on evidence and also at a higher levels. A selection of Protected Areas (PAs) from mountain, coast and marine, and arid ecosystems were used as case study areas to investigate a selection of ecosystem indicators and how they can be used to monitor ecosystem services in PAs. In total twelve PAs participated in this report, five from mountain areas, two from arid/semi-arid areas and five from coastal/marine areas. The types of ecosystem service are concurrent with the CICES classification, but the selection of most relevant ecosystem service varies between different PAs. Where possibly, supply, demand and beneficiaries were defined for each of the ecosystem service

Effect of round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) invasion on blue mussel (Mytilus edulis trossulus) population and winter diet of the long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis)

The invasive round goby has established a viable population within 9 years of its first introduction to Lithuanian coastal waters (SE Baltic Sea). During its expansion phase, abundances increased 23-fold, which led to the near complete eradication of its main prey, the blue mussel, at < 20 m depth. The round goby population showed a stabilizing trend after blue mussel biomass was depleted; however, their abundance has not declined. The round goby feeds efficiently on newly settled mollusks, causing a severe constraint for blue mussel recovery. Changes in blue mussel availability and size structure induced a dietary shift in wintering long-tailed duck towards fish prey. An energetically dense food source sustains a good body condition in long-tailed ducks, however the change in trophic position (from 3.1 to 4.3 trophic level) suggests the potential for a reduction in their carrying capacity. Results from this study also show that coastal habitats with low and unpredictable population dynamics of blue mussel become less attractive wintering sites for long-tailed duck in the Baltic Sea. We also document a cascading effect of invasive species in the food web