Suchergebnisse

The second volume of the ESFRI Scripta series is dedicated to the outcomes of the ad hoc Working (WG) Group on Long-Term Sustainability (LTS) of Research Infrastructures.The LTS WG was created by ESFRI in 2016 to comprehensively respond to the Conclusions of the Competitiveness Council of the European Union of 27th May 2016 that ´´underlines the importance of ensuring Long-Term Sustainability of Research Infrastructures and invites the Commission to prepare together with ESFRI and relevant stakeholders a targeted action plan´´.ESFRI has previously developed its concept of lifecycle of the Research Infrastructures in the framework of the Roadmap evaluation exercise, and at all stages of the lifecycle different aspects of sustainability were identified. The LTS WG has analysed the Long-Term Sustainability of Research Infrastructures from a broad perspective taking the ESFRI viewpoint well beyond the mere economical analysis. Scientific excellence is the condition sine qua non for sustainability throughout the entire RI lifecycle, and its persistence is crucial in the long-term operational phase. Excellence in science and outstanding quality services to the users are imperative for the successful performance of each Research Infrastructure, and they are addressed in the monitoring and reviewing processes by ESFRI.The report proposes 7 main recommendations covering the key aspects of Long-Term Sustainability of Research Infrastructures. These recommendations are expanded into 35 specific points ranging over securing highly qualified and motivated human resources, realizing a robust transfer of information to society from the Research Infrastructure via a quality-controlled e-Infrastructure, building an effective interface between RIs and innovation activities, understanding the actual value of the diverse benefits to society, addressing the optimal governance and management structure and promoting coordination among RIs.This volume of ESFRI Scripta contains the full LTS WG report as approved by the ESFRI Forum in June 2017 and then shared with the European Commission to jointly address, with a multifaceted but overall consistent analysis, the mandate of the Competitiveness Council on Long-Term Sustainability of RIs.It represents an advanced expert analysis of substantial value on the sustainability issues connected with the large investments associated with Research Infrastructures, but does not represent in any way commitments of the ESFRI Member States and Associated Countries at political or economical level.

Aim The former continental‐scale studies modelled coarse‐grained plant species‐richness patterns (gamma diversity). Here we aim to refine this information for European forests by (a) modelling the number of vascular plant species that co‐occur in local communities (alpha diversity) within spatial units of 400 m2; and (b) assessing the factors likely determining the observed spatial patterns in alpha diversity. Location Europe roughly within 12°W–30°E and 35–60°N. Taxon Vascular plants. Methods The numbers of co‐occurring vascular plant species were counted in 73,134 georeferenced vegetation plots. Each plot was classified by an expert system into deciduous broadleaf, coniferous or sclerophyllous forest. Random Forest models were used to map and explain spatial patterns in alpha diversity for each forest type separately using 19 environmental, land‐use and historical variables. Results Our models explained from 51.0% to 70.9% of the variation in forest alpha diversity. The modelled alpha‐diversity pattern was dominated by a marked gradient from species‐poor north‐western to species‐rich south‐eastern Europe. The most prominent richness hotspots were identified in the Calcareous Alps and adjacent north‐western Dinarides, the Carpathian foothills in Romania and the Western Carpathians in Slovakia. Energy‐related factors, bedrock types and terrain ruggedness were identified as the main variables underlying the observed richness patterns. Alpha diversity increases especially with temperature seasonality in deciduous broadleaf forests, on limestone bedrock in coniferous forests and in areas with low annual actual evapotranspiration in sclerophyllous forests. Main conclusions We provide the first predictive maps and analyses of environmental factors driving the alpha diversity of vascular plants across European forests. Such information is important for the general understanding of European biodiversity. This study also demonstrates a high potential of vegetation‐plot databases as sources for robust estimation of the number of vascular plant species that co‐occur at fine spatial grains across large areas. ; M.V., J.D., I.K., M.Ř. and M.C. were supported by the Czech Science Foundation (Centre of Excellence Pladias; project no. 14–36079G). I.B. and J.A.C. were supported by the Basque Government (IT936‐16). B.J.‐A. was supported by the Marie Curie Clarín‐COFUND program of the Principate of Asturias and the European Union (ACB17‐26). J.‐C.S. considers this work a contribution to his VILLUM Investigator project "Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World" funded by VILLUM FONDEN (grant 16549) and his Danish Council for Independent Research | Natural Sciences TREECHANGE project (grant 6108‐00078B).