Research project In RIPARIANET, we investigate how we can prioritise certain riparian ecotones to sustain and connect multiple biodiversity and functional components in river networks
Stefano Larsen (Italy)
Luca Gallitelli (Italy)
Massimiliano Scalici (Italy)
Giogio Pace (Portugal)
Laura Concostrina Zubiri (Spain)
Jose Barquin Ortiz (Spain)
Monika Laux (Germany)
Ralf Schulz (Germany)
RIPARIANET is carried out in 6 different catchments, in Sweden, Germany, Italy (2), Spain, and Portugal. The overarching objective of this project is to, through remote sensing and extensive field work (“ground truthing”), give stakeholders (land users and practitioners) tools to prioritise areas with high conservation values and to preserve biodiversity within catchment areas.
The project is using state-of-the-art techniques within remote sensing, to map nature values and how these are spatially connected in 6 different catchments across Europe. Extensive field work will be carried out to map riparian vegetation, and connect this to remote sensing data, to identify areas that should be prioritized when it comes to nature protection, based on several criteria, including stakeholder needs and interests. The project will also measure multiple ecosystem functions and assess how these are coupled to riparian vegetation and biodiversity in the river networks.
