Management of biodiversity and ecosystem services in spatially structured landscapes

1. Moose and traffic Based on a large number of road accidents involving moose in various local government districts, we have investigated the degree to which overlapping activity in the course of a day is important for the number of moose road accidents in Norway. The results show that there are large differences in the number of moose accidents in the course of a day and that these differences vary through the year and with latitude. As expected we found that most moose are hit in the hours of twilight at dawn and dusk, and at night; while the least are hit in daylight. This pattern is strongest in autumn and winter, when most moose are hit, and much less evident in summer. There is also a tendency that differences in the number of collisions between summer and winter are greater in northern than southern Norway. Collision probability was especially high when high traffic levels overlap with the moose?s periods of high activity. At the same traffic intensities, the probability was much higher that a moose would be hit when these coincided with twilight or darkness then when they occurred during daylight. This can explain why the differences in collision frequency between summer and winter are less in the south than the north: in the north it is daylight almost all day round in summer and moose will be most active in the few hours of twilight around midnight, when traffic intensity is low. Conversely, much of the moose's daily activity occurs in the hours of twilight and darkness in the middle of the day in winter, when traffic intensity is at its highest. The differences between winter and summer are less in southern Norway, probably because the light conditions vary less between summer and winter. Many studies have shown that the moose are most active in the hours just before and after sunrise and sunset, and consequently it will be far more active in the period of heavy road traffic during the winter than in summer. Of course, driving conditions may also affect this pattern, since in twilight and darkness it is more difficult to see a crossing moose. However, if this was the only reason we should not expect to see that the collision frequency for a given traffic intensity was lower at night - when visibility is lowest - than in the twilight in the morning. The effect was, however, less than we initially expected. We believe this is partly due to heavy traffic not only increasing the likelihood that a crossing moose is hit, but also reducing the likelihood of moose trying to cross roads. The most effective preventive measures are to reduce the population, or construct wildlife fences to prevent moose crossing. However, these measures may have adverse ecological impacts (fragmentation of populations) and can lead to reduced hunting revenues for owners of hunting rights (reduced population). For this reason, many are of the opinion that the moose should be allowed to cross roads and railways, and that efforts should instead be directed at raising driver's awareness as to when and where accidents can be expected. 2. Pollination and landscape structure Wild pollinators fill important biological roles and provide significant economic benefits in the short and longer terms. In the short term, they are responsible for a large part of the pollination of crops and wild flowers, ensuring seed and fruit set. In the longer term, wild pollinators can act as an insurance against unpredictable changes in the climate and the landscape. We examined the extent to which landscape composition in relation to the area of forest, flower-rich and flower-poor land-uses, as well as road, forest, and field borders, affected the occurrence and density of important pollinator species. We also studied the importance of the diversity and abundance of local flower resources, and the importance of fruit orchards and clover fields for pollinator abundance. Results show that on a small scale, higher diversity and amount of flowers along forest or field verges result in higher diversity and amount of wild pollinators. At the same time, the composition of the landscape is also important. Diverse landscapes, and the area of flower-rich land-uses are associated with increases in bumblebee densities. In contrast, increasing proportions of forest and flower-poor vegetation in the landscape are associated with a decline in the number of bumblebees. Generally, linear elements such as crop-field verges have a positive effect, but the effect of roads is unclear. It seems that only small roads have a positive effect on pollinators, and larger roads, a negative impact. Flowering crops such as red clover, peas, beans, and rape affect pollinator numbers positively. The study also demonstrated a positive connection between pollinator densities and crop yields.

This strategic program aims to increase NINA's expertise in spatial ecology and understanding of how natural processes and human impacts influence the landscape and its associated biodiversity and other natural values. We identify and address three overar ching issues on how to manage landscapes: (1) how to maintain species diversity and threatened species, (2) how to maintain key ecosystem services, and (3) how to reduce human / wildlife conflicts. In order to ensure sustainable landscape management, such issues need to be related to human understanding of key landscape concepts and values and acceptance of management priorities. The program is organised in 4 research tasks. In Task 1, we study how species assemblages in restricted, critical habitats ar e affected by the habitat's distribution in space and time, and to seek ways to generalize the responses of cross-taxon functional groups to fragmentation. In Task 2, we focus on the pollination as an important ecosystem service, and address the interacti on between the functional attributes of the landscape mosaic and of pollinators, and the economic value of pollination. In Task 3, we investigate the movement of ungulates in the landscape, its consequences for human-wildlife conflicts (collisions and hab itat isolation), and actions mitigating those conflicts, integrating results from TØI's economical assessments. Task 4 examine the Norwegian public's perceptions and valuations of their environment and how they relate to present landscape management and r estoration. Project findings will be highly relevant to the current nature management issues about halting biodiversity losses, including the documentation of the explicit role of nature for human needs through the concept of Ecosystem Services. The co mpetence building resulting from the program will improve NINA's potential for contributing with more robust and precise knowledge and advice to the environmental management authorities.