Search the repository

A+ | A- | | SLO | ENG

Abstract: The article presents the process of designing and testing an ecosystem-based governance model (EBGM). The EBGM is an innovative and highly participatory approach to addressing management challenges in protected areas. The implementation of the EBGM makes it possible to define a management approach that seeks to balance the interests of various stakeholders, ensure the long-term availability of ecosystem services, and meet the conservation goals of nature protection in important areas. The study focused on Natura 2000 sites affected by climate change (altered precipitation patterns, higher temperatures, more frequent natural disturbances, the spread of invasive alien species, etc.) while also facing management challenges (conflicting stakeholder interests, lack of management capacity, preparation of management plans, etc.). The EBGM consists of six elements, representing phases in the search for shared governance solutions. It incorporates seven fundamental principles and three key management dimensions. The model was developed iteratively and tested in practice through two participatory workshops involving key stakeholders of the Rački ribniki–Požeg Landscape Park, which, at the time of the study, was undergoing a revision of its protection act and the preparation of a management plan. The outcomes of testing the EBGM included the establishment of a stakeholder network, an assessment of the park’s importance for nature conservation and provision of ecosystem services, an evaluation of past and future development trends, and the delineation of management zones for the entire area of the park. The EBGM is sufficiently flexible to be applied in other contexts and under different ecosystem management regimes.
Keywords: ecosystem services, protected areas, spatial analysis, participatory approach, ecosystem governance model, management zones
Published in DiRROS: 27.02.2026; Views: 118; Downloads: 62
Full text (8,86 MB)
This document has many files! More...

Abstract: Subterranean ecosystems (comprising terrestrial, semi-aquatic, and aquatic components) are increasingly threatened by human activities; however, the current network of surface-protected areas is inadequate to safeguard subterranean biodiversity. Establishing protected areas for subterranean ecosystems is challenging. First, there are technical obstacles in mapping three-dimensional ecosystems with uncertain boundaries. Second, the rarity and endemism of subterranean organisms, combined with a scarcity of taxonomists, delays the accumulation of essential biodiversity knowledge. Third, establishing agreements to preserve subterranean ecosystems requires collaboration among multiple actors with often competing interests. This perspective addresses the challenges of preserving subterranean biodiversity through protected areas. Even in the face of uncertainties, we suggest it is both timely and critical to assess general criteria for subterranean biodiversity protection and implement them based on precautionary principles. To this end, we examine the current status of European protected areas and discuss solutions to improve their coverage of subterranean ecosystems.
Keywords: ecology, subterranean ecosystems, biodiversity, protected areas, environmental assessment, environmental indicators, environmental protection
Published in DiRROS: 04.03.2025; Views: 761; Downloads: 412
Full text (2,34 MB)
This document has many files! More...

Keywords: protected areas, national parks, financing mechanisms, Serbia
Published in DiRROS: 06.10.2023; Views: 1555; Downloads: 526
Full text (82,73 KB)

Abstract: The prioritization of alien species according to the magnitude of their environmental impacts has become increasingly important for the management of invasive alien species. In this study, we applied the Environmental Impact Classification of Alien Taxa (EICAT) to classify alien taxa from three different taxonomic groups to facilitate the prioritisation of management actions for the threatened riparian forests of the Mura-Drava-Danube Biosphere Reserve, South East Europe. With local experts we collated a list of 198 alien species (115 plants, 45 insects, and 38 fungi) with populations reported in southeast European forest ecosystems and included them in the EICAT. We found impact reports for 114 species. Eleven of these species caused local extinctions of a native species, 35 led to a population decrease, 51 to a reduction in performance in at least one native species and for 17 alien species no effects on individual fitness of native species were detected. Fungi had significantly highest impact and were more likely to have information on their impacts reported. Competition and parasitism were the most important impact mechanisms of alien species. This study is, to our knowledge, the first application of EICAT to all known alien species of several taxonomic groups in a protected area. The impact rankings enabled to identify taxa that generally cause high impacts and to prioritize species for the management in protected areas according to their impact magnitudes. By following a standardized impact protocol, we identified several alien species causing high impacts that do not appear on any expert-based risk list, which are relevant for policymakers. Thus, we recommend that alien species be systematically screened to identify knowledge gaps and prioritize their management with respect to spatio-temporal trends in impact magnitudes.
Keywords: alien species, biological invasions, EICAT, invasive species management, protected areas, species prioritization
Published in DiRROS: 29.10.2021; Views: 2106; Downloads: 1525
Full text (1,13 MB)
This document has many files! More...