Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BioMonitor4CAP (Advanced biodiversity monitoring for results-based and effective agricultural policy and transformation)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-12-01 bis 2024-05-31
BioMonitor4CAP aims to develop advanced biodiversity monitoring schemes to support the implementation of result-based agricultural programs. The project combines traditional methods with new technological approaches based on acoustic, optical, and molecular techniques to assess biodiversity changes in agricultural landscapes at farm level. The main objective of BioMonitor4CAP is to establish advanced biodiversity monitoring systems for a results-oriented agricultural policy and sustainable development of agriculture. The project is coordinated by the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (Bonn, Germany) and involves 23 partners from ten countries all over Europe and Peru. BioMonitor4CAP is structured into eight work packages:
WP1 – Baseline analysis and biodiversity indicators, systems, programs, and policies
WP2 – Developing, testing and calibrating farmland biodiversity monitoring systems
WP3 – Validation and demonstration of designed biodiversity monitoring systems
WP4 – Socio-economic proofing of agrobiodiversity measures
WP5 – Ensuring replication, and implementation
WP6 – Dissemination, exploitation, and communication
WP7 – Overall management and coordination
WP8 – Ethics requirements
The field experiments have been implemented and results will be made available to the public at public events and on the project's website. The BioMonitor4CAP project also aims to develop approaches that operate almost autonomously to avoid creating additional workload for farmers and make the technologies and systems as easy to use as possible. Farmers and agricultural advisors are involved in the development of the monitoring and indicator systems to ensure their reliability, robustness, ease of use, and acceptability. The project also invests in knowledge development and exchange activities to enhance acceptance and willingness to adopt at the farm scale.
Overall, BioMonitor4CAP is making significant progress in developing and establishing advanced biodiversity monitoring systems to support the implementation of result-based agricultural programs and promote sustainable development in agriculture.
WP1 – Baseline analysis and biodiversity indicators, systems, programs, and policies
WP2 – Developing, testing and calibrating farmland biodiversity monitoring systems
WP3 – Validation and demonstration of designed biodiversity monitoring systems
WP4 – Socio-economic proofing of agrobiodiversity measures
WP5 – Ensuring replication, and implementation
WP6 – Dissemination, exploitation, and communication
WP7 – Overall management and coordination
WP8 – Ethics requirements
The field experiments have been implemented and results will be made available to the public at public events and on the project's website. The BioMonitor4CAP project also aims to develop approaches that operate almost autonomously to avoid creating additional workload for farmers and make the technologies and systems as easy to use as possible. Farmers and agricultural advisors are involved in the development of the monitoring and indicator systems to ensure their reliability, robustness, ease of use, and acceptability. The project also invests in knowledge development and exchange activities to enhance acceptance and willingness to adopt at the farm scale.
Overall, BioMonitor4CAP is making significant progress in developing and establishing advanced biodiversity monitoring systems to support the implementation of result-based agricultural programs and promote sustainable development in agriculture.
In WP1, we have successfully completed the baseline analysis to establish procedures and standards for data collection, analysis, and management, survey and analyse existing biodiversity indicators and monitoring systems, gather and process geo-spatial information, and assess barriers and obstacles to the development and implementation of proposed methods and tools. The GIS database was successfully launched and will be continuously extended.
In WP2, the first field season has been used to design and develop appropriate biodiversity monitoring approaches that can be deployed across European farmland and agricultural landscapes A second field season has already started to test the methods on a larger scale. We have successfully deployed professional biodiversity monitoring devices across EU member states, UK, and Peru, and the first field data from acoustic, optical and eDNA sampling are coming in. We have also started developing predictive models (e.g. for soil microbiome data) to assess communities and their conservation status. In close collaboration with WP3, we developed an innovative grid-based sampling design that is aligned with other European monitoring approaches (e.g. LUCAS soil sampling grid system, EU pollinator and bird monitoring approaches in 1x1 km squares).
Based on the sampling approach developed with WP2, in WP3, we defined and started to implement site-specific experimental and demonstration trials to test and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods and tools to monitor biodiversity affected by agricultural practices and agri-environmental measures.
In WP4, we ran extensive stakeholder interviews and surveys to determine how useful the novel agrobiodiversity data and measures would be from a stakeholder perspective. This also includes assessing regional socio-economic impacts and potential trade-offs of implementation, and evaluating and conceptualising pathways to enhance the adoption of new biodiversity measures and related policies by rural stakeholders.
In WP5, we developed a methodology for creating an observatory database, based on which we started searching for biodiversity observatories. The database forms the basis for establishing an European network and directory of biodiversity monitoring observatories to enable replication of BioMonitor4CAP methods and tools. To develop new CAP agro-biodiversity measures, we created an bio-scheme outline template and developed criteria criteria for biodiversity indicators.
WP6 started off with setting up the project´s website, including an internal space for project-internal collaboration. A broad range of outreach activities has been done, too, including newsletters, conferences and workshops participations, and some first scientific peer-reviewed publications. Overall, these activities contribute to disseminating research and development outputs to support the management of arable land that supports biodiversity in Europe and beyond.
Project coordination in WP7 and ethics aspects in WP8 has relied on monthly Executive Team meetings, consultation with our Ethics Advisor and the External Expert Advisory Board, annual General Assembly meetings, and a range of work package-specific meetings and workshops at higher frequency. This ensures the project's progress in conformity with the work plan, continuous quality control of project implementation, and optimising administrative procedures and technical management solutions.
In WP2, the first field season has been used to design and develop appropriate biodiversity monitoring approaches that can be deployed across European farmland and agricultural landscapes A second field season has already started to test the methods on a larger scale. We have successfully deployed professional biodiversity monitoring devices across EU member states, UK, and Peru, and the first field data from acoustic, optical and eDNA sampling are coming in. We have also started developing predictive models (e.g. for soil microbiome data) to assess communities and their conservation status. In close collaboration with WP3, we developed an innovative grid-based sampling design that is aligned with other European monitoring approaches (e.g. LUCAS soil sampling grid system, EU pollinator and bird monitoring approaches in 1x1 km squares).
Based on the sampling approach developed with WP2, in WP3, we defined and started to implement site-specific experimental and demonstration trials to test and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods and tools to monitor biodiversity affected by agricultural practices and agri-environmental measures.
In WP4, we ran extensive stakeholder interviews and surveys to determine how useful the novel agrobiodiversity data and measures would be from a stakeholder perspective. This also includes assessing regional socio-economic impacts and potential trade-offs of implementation, and evaluating and conceptualising pathways to enhance the adoption of new biodiversity measures and related policies by rural stakeholders.
In WP5, we developed a methodology for creating an observatory database, based on which we started searching for biodiversity observatories. The database forms the basis for establishing an European network and directory of biodiversity monitoring observatories to enable replication of BioMonitor4CAP methods and tools. To develop new CAP agro-biodiversity measures, we created an bio-scheme outline template and developed criteria criteria for biodiversity indicators.
WP6 started off with setting up the project´s website, including an internal space for project-internal collaboration. A broad range of outreach activities has been done, too, including newsletters, conferences and workshops participations, and some first scientific peer-reviewed publications. Overall, these activities contribute to disseminating research and development outputs to support the management of arable land that supports biodiversity in Europe and beyond.
Project coordination in WP7 and ethics aspects in WP8 has relied on monthly Executive Team meetings, consultation with our Ethics Advisor and the External Expert Advisory Board, annual General Assembly meetings, and a range of work package-specific meetings and workshops at higher frequency. This ensures the project's progress in conformity with the work plan, continuous quality control of project implementation, and optimising administrative procedures and technical management solutions.
The BioMonitor4CAP project is a response to the needs of farmers, EU agriculture and EU nature conservation bodies to adequately monitor biodiversity in agricultural landscapes at scale to assess progress towards enhancing biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, aligning the EU 2030 biodiversity and Farm to Fork strategies. The biodiversity monitoring systems developed and tested in BioMonitor4CAP will support implementation of result-based policies in European agricultural landscapes.
Monitoring approaches are tested across a large range of European agro-ecosystems, including grassland, arable land, heathland, wetlands (Carbon-rich soils) and agroforestry (Portuguese Montado systems). Additionally, devices are showcased also for biodiversity hotspots in the Global South (Peru as an example).
Traditional approaches (e.g. Farmland Bird index) are compared with novel monitoring technology and species groups, using a range of acoustic and optical sensors and remote sensing, to arrive at monitoring data that work also inside arable fields and in remote/inaccessible areas.
As such, the project will considerably advance existing monitoring initiatives, providing guidelines and technology that is useful and acceptable for rural stakeholders.
Finally, BioMonitor4CAP excels in developing and advising towards revised agricultural policies, ensuring rural development is in line with biodiversity conservation. Market opportunities for novel biodiversity monitoring systems are considered.
As such, results generated in BioMonitor4CAP will be integral to the success of future agricultural policy in the context of biodiversity conservation and monitoring in EU agroecosystems and beyond.
Monitoring approaches are tested across a large range of European agro-ecosystems, including grassland, arable land, heathland, wetlands (Carbon-rich soils) and agroforestry (Portuguese Montado systems). Additionally, devices are showcased also for biodiversity hotspots in the Global South (Peru as an example).
Traditional approaches (e.g. Farmland Bird index) are compared with novel monitoring technology and species groups, using a range of acoustic and optical sensors and remote sensing, to arrive at monitoring data that work also inside arable fields and in remote/inaccessible areas.
As such, the project will considerably advance existing monitoring initiatives, providing guidelines and technology that is useful and acceptable for rural stakeholders.
Finally, BioMonitor4CAP excels in developing and advising towards revised agricultural policies, ensuring rural development is in line with biodiversity conservation. Market opportunities for novel biodiversity monitoring systems are considered.
As such, results generated in BioMonitor4CAP will be integral to the success of future agricultural policy in the context of biodiversity conservation and monitoring in EU agroecosystems and beyond.