Line of action:

Drivers of biodiversity loss

Status:

Finalizado

Execution date:

2019

End date:

2022

Total budget:

€83,137.40

Amount of aid from the Biodiversity Foundation:

€58,227.54

Biocrusts are communities of cyanobacteria, algae, fungi, lichens, mosses, and microorganisms that cover the free spaces between plants in arid and semi-arid regions. They play a key role in the availability and distribution of water in the soil, i.e. they are a key element in the functioning of drylands. In addition, there is scientific evidence that their loss as a result of climate change is having negative effects on the ability of these ecosystems to provide services to society. However, this scientific evidence has not been effectively transferred to the field of management and society to promote conservation and education actions that contribute to their protection. Therefore, the entity points out that climate change adaptation policies should incorporate scientific evidence on biocrusts to promote management and learning mechanisms that promote their conservation.

The general objective of the project is to generate and effectively transfer scientific knowledge on the importance and vulnerability of biocrusts to the field of management and society as a strategy for adaptation to climate change.

It has the following specific goals:

• To know the distribution of biocrusts at the national level, their role in the functioning of ecosystems and their vulnerability to climate change.
• To assess the level of incorporation of the role of biocrusts in management tools aimed at climate change adaptation.
• To explore the social perception of different aspects related to biocrusts and the barriers in the transfer of scientific knowledge in this area.
• To develop a transdisciplinary model to facilitate the transfer of scientific evidence on biocrusts to the field of management and society.
• Inform society about the importance of biocrusts and their vulnerability to climate change and raise awareness of the need to conserve them.

• Generation of scientific knowledge on the importance and vulnerability of biocrusts to climate change in the national territory.
• Identification and analysis of management measures aimed at the conservation of biocrusts adopted by the management instruments applicable to the ecosystems where they are present.
• Analysis of the social perception of different aspects related to biocrusts and the transfer of scientific knowledge on this subject.
• Design, development and evaluation of a transdisciplinary process aimed at researchers, managers and social actors.
• Dissemination, knowledge transfer and environmental education on biocrusts in a context of climate change derived from the different activities of the project.

• The first digital Atlas of biocrusts in Spain has been prepared, based on a review of the available scientific knowledge, which includes its current and future coverage, the areas most vulnerable to climate change and information on the ecosystem services it provides.
• Current legislation has been revised to demonstrate that biocrust communities lack specific legal protection in most of the protected natural areas where they are present.
• The barriers that prevent the available scientific knowledge from reaching management bodies have been explored.
• A pilot model has been developed for local application, but can be extrapolated to other regions, to promote the transfer of knowledge and the conservation of biocrusts.
• It has contributed to the promotion of environmental education with the creation of a collection and a biocrust garden focused on various educational, experimental and conservation activities.
• Numerous dissemination actions have been carried out, such as scientific articles and contributions to congresses.