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Project title

Biodiversity and environmental change: an integrated study encompassing a range of scales, taxa and habitats

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

University of Dublin, Trinity College (TCD)

Lead Applicant

Stephen Waldren

Project Abstract

Biodiversity is currently declining at rates comparable to major extinctions in geological history driven by anthropogenic impacts yet biodiversity underpins the ecological functions that provide the many natural goods and services on which life livelihoods and sustainable living depend. Understanding how human activities impact on biodiversity developing effective methods to mitigate impacts and restoring degraded ecosystems are essential to major international policy objectives that aim to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss. Maintaining and enhancing provision of ecosystem goods and services will be key to delivery of the UN Millennium Development Goals.BioChange was an interdisciplinary multi-institutional study funded by the Environmental Protection Agency of Ireland under its ERTDI programme. Its main aim was to develop integrative research activity that would now and in future address important issues affecting Irish biodiversity with outputs directly linked to policy support both regionally and nationally. BioChange would also produce high-quality biological and sociological data. Four work packages addressed the main drivers of biodiversity loss i- habitat loss and fragmentation invasive non-native species pollution over-exploitation i- in a variety of habitats and at differing spatial scales. Two cross-cutting projects provided accessible information on biodiversity and made recommendations on improved biodiversity governance.

Grant Approved

�1,622,559.50

Research Hub

Natural Environment

Research Theme

Sectoral Impacts on Biodiversity

Start Date

09/01/2006

Initial Projected Completion Date

n/a