Panel A :Communities of Practice in Biodiversity ResearchEcological and Ecosystem Studies

Erwin Beck, University of Bayreuth, Germany

Access and Benefit Sharing isѴ

Regulating Climate Regulation Flood Regulation Disease Regulation Water Purification …..

Cultural Aesthetic Spiritual Educational Recreational …..

Provisioning Food Fresh Water Wood and Fiber Fuel …..

Supporting Nutrient Cycling Soil Formation PrimaryProduction…..

Ecosystem Services

Life on Earth = Biodiversity

Source: Millenium Ecosystem Assessment

Ecological and Ecosystem Research

Intensity of linkages between ecosystemServices and human well-being

Strong

Medium

WeakLow

Medium

High

Arrow‘s WidthWidthArrow‘s ColourColourPotential for mediation bysocioeconomic factors

Freedom of choice &

action

Opportunity to be able to achieve

what an individual values

doing and being.

Basic material for good life

Adequate livelihoods Sufficient nutritous food Shelter.Access to goods

Health Strenght Feeling well Access to clean water

and air

Security Personal safety Decure resource access Security from deasters

Good social relations Social cohesion Mutual respect Ability to help others

Constituents of Well-being

Actors:UniversitiesResearch InstitutionsMuseums

Disciplines:Life sciences (taxonomiy, vegetation analysis, ecophysiology,

population studies, crop science)

Geosciences (Climatology, geology, soil science, hydrology, landscape history)

Social Sciences (landuse systems, social communities, livelihood, education)

Non-commercial Ecosystem Studies: The supporting services:Understanding the significance of biodiversity for ecosystem functions: Turnover of matter and energy in an ecosystem results mainly from activities and interactions of its organisms (functionality in an ecosystem)

1. Observations & measurements

Aspects of functionality analysis in an ecosystem

Photosynthesis, biomass production and turnover

Litter decomposition and soil formation

Nutrient cycling (N, P, K, a.s.o.)

Regulation of water relations

Heliocarpus

Tabebuia

Setaria

Cedrela

Rubus

Pteridium

Alnus

Max

imu

m p

ho

tosy

nth

esi

s a

t am

bie

nt

CO

2 [

µm

ol

CO

2

m-2

s-1]

Position in a sucessional sequence1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

24

20

16

12

8 6

Photosynthesis

Organismic interactionsOrganismic interactions

Inventory of organisms

Organismic interactions

Mechanisms of maintenance of the organismic diversity

Understanding the significance of biodiversity for ecosystem functions: 2. Ecological Experiments

require special permits

must be planned cautiously, and

must be performed in agreement with the local scientists and people.

Investigating effects of local land-use practices (burning) on the biodiversity (Ecuador

Simulating ENSO drought effects on the primary forest in the SULAWESI throughfall displacement experimen (Indonesia)

3. Models and simulations using data from measurements

and experiments

e.g. Influence of fire on the competitive growth of 2 selected plant species:

a pasture weed (Pteridium)

and the pasture grass

Name of PI, affiliationLocal counterparts, affiliationsTitle of the projectSummary Research areas Aims of the workExpected resultsRelevance of the project (expected use and potential value for the country)Time schedule of the work (milestones) Collaboration with other projectsPrevious work Materials and methods with special justifications of ecological experiments

and environmental interferences potentially causing pollutionCollection of samples: which material? How many samples?Export necessary (y/n); if yes: JustificationLabelling of research area necessary (y/n); if yes: how?At which authority are duplicate samples deposited?Available funds

Questions to PIs upon application for research permit

Research permit may be for more than 1 year, however annual reports must be submitted.

Access

In some developing countries are the fees for research permit very high..

Sharing benefits in ecological biodiversity research

Participatory gain of knowledge: Identification and systematic grouping of new species Establishment of collections in the host country and conservation of organisms

A better understanding of the ecology of the research area: Functional aspects of biodiversity.

Joint elaboration of management recommendations for a sustainable land use

Disposal of equipment & financing research facilities: Laboratories and laboratory equipment, field observatories and botanical gardens in the host country.

Capacity building: Training of students and scientists in ecology and

biology. Introduction of new methodology

Establishment of, and access to a comprehensive data base

Joint publication of the research

Environmental education of the public

Employment of local people as workers and helpers

Contents:

• Ecosystem research contains inevitably biodiversity research

• Ecosystem-Services, in particular Ecosystem Supporting Services are fields of

basic, non-commercial research: Functionality of biodiversity in an ecosystem

• Turnover of matter and energy in an ecosystem results mainly from activities &

interactions of its organisms.

• Fields of ecosystem research: 1. Inventories, observations and measurements

2. Ecological field experiments

3. Models and simulations

• How to get permit for the research in foreign countries

• Which benefits from ecological and ecosystem research arise for the host country.

Session 3, Panel A :Communities of Practice in Biodiversity Research:

Ecological and Ecosystem Studies (E. Beck)

Initialization: Data collectionInitialization: Data collectionPlant Functional Type-parameters LAI per grid cellFPC per grid cell

Meteorological Initialisation

(MicMet 10 min)

Physiological Initialisation

Growth

ofbracken &

Setaria

10 min

up

date cyc

le of C

Air & Soil Temperature

Rainfall

Humidity

GrossPrim.Prod.Radiation (PAR, Solar)

Wind

Soil Moisture

PhotosynthesisIrradiance

Mic.Meteorol.

Dai et al. 2004Oleson et al. 2004

MicMet NetPrimaryProd.

RespirationNet C PFTsSoil Temperature

Leaf TemperatureSitch et al. 2004Levis et al. 2004 VegDyn

Vegetation Dynamics

AllocationTurnoverMortality→ ΔLAI; ΔFract. Projective Cover

Daily update cycle of LAI & FPC

Bonan et al. 2003Levis et al. 2004

VegDyn

andcompetition for

light

MicMet

Soil Temperature

Day 1 to n

Day > n

Day

> n

After day n

Pakeman et al. 1994

For day 1 --> n

Croot → C

C → Cleaf + Croot

LAI, FPC, Cleaf = 0;

Day 1 to n

FireFire

Understanding the significance of biodiversity for ecosystem functions: 3. Simulations and Modelling using experimental data e.g. Influence of fire on the competition of 2 selected plant species: Bracken and a grass