EBONE · European Biodiversity Observation Network; a project to design and test a biodiversity observation system integrated in time and space

The key challenge addressed in the present proposal is to develop a biodiversity observation system that is transmissible, cost effective and provides added value to the currently independent data sources of in situ data and EO. There are three requirements: the production of protocols to enable extant data to be placed on a common framework for analysis; the provision of a sound scientific conceptual basis for the system that will provide a robust statistical structure for analytical tests and for the eventual estimates of stock and change and the provision of a system for estimating past change and monitoring as well as enabling forecasting of future options so that policy makers can generate appropriate strategies for mitigation. The present consortium has a major advantage in that the framework is based on existing institutional collaboration which has been developed in the EU project ALTERNET. This framework will ensure continuity of recording and shows an existing commitments of the institutes concerned to long term monitoring. It will also provide the necessary structure for integration of available data.. This network already has long term data sets for biodiversity indicators eg butterflies and birds but the ambition is to convert these from site specific measures through inter-calibration to the wider European picture, using tried and tested statistical procedures. The key work package will involve inter-calibration between EO and in situ data,which will involve habitats that can be linked to specific biodiversity indicators. These will be identified using a conceptual framework developed in another work package. The target is to provide a basis for up and down scaling that can be tested to show the added value of integration. Other work packages will provide protocols to place data onto a common framework tests of validation and stratification procedures for assessing the consistency of data coverage.