Species biodiversity transnational geo-database - IMPRECO Project

Study Extent

Adriatic-Ionian Macro-Region

Sampling

The main bulk of data collection was conducted using the most recent NATURA 2000 Standard Data Forms. Nevertheless, because biodiversity is not limited only to protected species and habitats, data collection was improved by incorporating data from species checklists of local biomonitoring programmes; scientific literature retrieved from multiple databases related to cross-disciplinary research, which allow an in-depth exploration of specialised sub-fields within certain academic or scientific disciplines, such as Web of Science (http://www.webofknowledge.com), Science Direct (http://www.sciencedirect.com) and Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.com), by adding the keywords "biodiversity, species, ecosystems, ecosystem services, threatens, alien species" to the name of the Protected Areas; personal observations and observations shared through the citizen science communications and interviews; historical maps; and data obtained through new field analyses. The resulting data were organised to collect all information on species protected through the NATURA 2000 directives (Birds Directive 2009/147/EC and Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC), species protected through the Croatian Regulation on strictly protected species (OJ 80/2013, 73/2016), species protected through the Emerald Network and species that are not protected. The biodiversity templates were based on the following entries: taxonID; occurrenceID; scientificName; kingdom; phylum; class; order; family; genus; taxonRank; country; countryCode; locality; VerbatimCoordinateSystem; verbatimLatitude; verbatimLongitude; habitat; organismRemarks; establishmentMeans; bibliographicCitation; basisOfRecord, according to the Darwin Core format. Species were listed, based on the principal taxonomic groups: Plants, Invertebrates, Birds, Fish, Algae, Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians and Lichens and matched with the most commonly used habitats. At the same time, the presence of invasive alien species with reference to the European Alien Species Information Network – EASIN Web Site, was included. The name of the species was reviewed using international databases, such as WORMS, Avibase, AlgaeBase, and IUCN.

Method steps

1. Data for each country and pilot project area was divided according to NATURE 2000 Directives’ species included in the Standard Data Form, listed under Birds Directive and Habitats Directive; NATURE 2000 Directives’ species included in the Standard Data Form listed under Other Interesting Species; species listed in NATURA 2000 Directives, but missing in the Standard Data Forms; and species that are not protected. Shkodra Lake and Buna Delta species, in contrast to the other Protected Areas’ species, are protected on a national level through the institution of a protection plan named "Emerald Network". Pakleni Otoci Islands species were also considered protected according tothe Croatian Regulation on strictly protected species (OJ 80/2013, 73/2016), a national level protection plan for Croatian species.
2. The biodiversity data were initially compiled by counting the species of the NATURA 2000 Directives by taxonomic group and habitat for each protected area. Subsequently, the observed species protected by the Habitats Directive, but missing in the standard data forms, were considered. Eventually, unprotected species observed through personal observations or found in previous checklists were included.

Adriatic-Ionian Macro-Region