Establishment of a cross-European field site network in the ALARM project for assessing large-scale changes in biodiversity

Abstract

The field site network (FSN) plays a central role in conducting joint research within all Assessing Large-scale Risks for biodiversity with tested Methods (ALARM) modules and provides a mechanism for integrating research on different topics in ALARM on the same site for measuring multiple impacts on biodiversity. The network covers most European climates and biogeographic regions, from Mediterranean through central European and boreal to subarctic. The project links databases with the European-wide field site network FSN, including geographic information system (GIS)-based information to characterise the test location for ALARM researchers for joint on-site research. Maps are provided in a standardised way and merged with other site-specific information. The application of GIS for these field sites and the information management promotes the use of the FSN for research and to disseminate the results. We conclude that ALARM FSN sites together with other research sites in Europe jointly could be used as a future backbone for research proposals.

Alien plants associate with widespread generalist arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal taxa: evidence from a continental-scale study using massively parallel 454 sequencing

“…Our results reveal considerable variation between AM fungal communities in the experimentally introduced European sites, all of which were located in wooded habitats. The lowest number of AM fungal taxa was recorded in the roots of palms introduced into sites characterized by coniferous forest and a cold climate (Estonia, Norway, Austria; Hammen et al. , 2010).…”

“…Experimental introduction of T. fortunei seeds was performed at nine sites, located in several biogeographical subregions across Europe, where the palm does not already occur as a native. The sites constituted part of the Field Site Network (Table 1, Hammen et al, 2010), which was established within the framework of the European FP6 project ALARM (Settele et al, 2005). A further sowing experiment was performed near Locarno, Switzerland, where T. fortunei has been naturalized since the 1970s (Walther et al, 2007).…”

Alien and native plants show contrasting responses to climate and land use in Europe

“…Settele et al (2005) provide a detailed description of the ALARM project as a whole. The characteristics of the field site network are detailed in Hammen et al (2010): here we simply summarize its main features.…”

A novel method for assessing risks to pollinators from plant protection products using honeybees as a model species

“…The approach developed here was applied in 13 study sites (16 km 2 each) established within ALARM Focal Site Network (FSN) (Hammen et al 2009). The sites were located in different countries and were representative of the main European biomes, climatic conditions and crop types: Catalonia (San Pere de Ribes), Spain (Quintos de Mora and Los Cortijos), UK (Chilterns and Lambourn), Estonia (Koeru and Vajke Maarja), Hungary (Tazlar and Soltvadkert), France (IDF-Marchais and Bonnelles) and Italy (Meolo and Livenza) (Fig.…”

“…For each European location, a site with low intensity agricultural impact (U = undisturbed) and a site with high level intensity agricultural impact (D = disturbed) were selected with the exception of Catalonia where only one site was considered. Full details of site selection and characteristics are available in Hammen et al (2009). Data on land use and pesticide application were collected during the growing season of 2007.…”