Climate biomonitoring: assessing climate change and its impacts on the biosphere | Klima-Biomonitoring: Nachweis des Klimawandels und dessen Folgen für die belebte Umwelt : Neuer Schwerpunkt des Arbeitskreises Bioindikation/Wirkungsermittlung

Background, aim and scopeThe use of biomonitoring is proposed for the identification, assessment and documentation of climate change impacts on the biosphere as requested in the German “National Adaptation Strategy” (BMU 2009), because• this method succeeds to present climatic changes in especially sensitive areas of Germany including their habitats, ecosystems, and species,• it can reveal relevant information about the migration and dispersal of new pests and diseases threatening humans, animals and plants,• it can provide politicians with information, documents and a basis for decision support to assess climate change impacts and• it is possible to develop new and to evaluate the effectiveness of existing adaptive measures.It is proposed to use the term „climate biomonitoring“ for biomonitoring methods that are able to indicate climate change effects. For several reasons (e. g. unified methods, common data basis, cost reduction) all federal states should participate in it. Today, bioindication is an indispensable method for the early detection of changes in the biosphere, giving information about special hazards (early warning system). Climate biomonitoring preferably makes use of already existing monitoring systems and data collections.Materials and methodsClimate biomonitoring refers back to accepted and tested methods of bioindication to assess environmental changes. Existing methods are enhanced and supplemented in order to meet the particular needs for the indication of climate change conditions. On the basis of an evaluation of relevant and actual monitoring programs on state and national level we identify relevant impacts of climate change and programs providing relevant data, and we propose evaluation methods. Additionally, other data sources are described, that may enable further in depth assessments.ResultsAn overview table systematically lists the monitoring programs on national and state level and shows their relevance for an assessment of climate change impacts on the biosphere. The relevance of the proposed approach is shown by an overview about the data sources as well as a presentation of first evaluation results. The need for further research and development and proposals for an enhancement of data provision and data exchange are given. Examples for the use and optimization of the method as well as further possibilities of development and ways to close knowledge gaps will be elaborated in further publications.DiscussionThis method provides the basis for a description of the changes caused by climate change as well as the development of scenarios and prognoses for a future assessment of climate change impacts. Furthermore, the secondary effects of climate change can be assessed using bioindication, especially the effectiveness of adaptation measures. For some climate bioindicators, the causal link between climate change effects and indicator response are sufficiently proven (eg. the reaction of spring time plant phenology), other cases still require cause effect studies to separate climate effects from those of other agents. The findings from climate biomonitoring are meant to be the basis for activities in order to develop both adequate strategies for adaptation and measures to avoid or to mitigate the effects of climate change. Also an appropriate advice for politicians, information of the public and the fulfillment of reporting obligations are intended.ConclusionsClimate biomonitoring is shown to be an efficient method to demonstrate climate change impacts in especially sensitive areas of Germany concerning habitats, biocenoses and species distribution. First evaluations have already proven effects of climate change on the biotic environment. Since several years already, plant phenology provides valuable background data. It is possible to supplement these background data by joining them spatially with data from other relevant monitoring programs and other information (like topographic data). This enables us to identify and assess climate change based effects in disease dispersal and other phenomena as well as the evaluation of measures.Recommendations and perspectivesIt is recommended to secure a harmonized application of this method by the federal agencies and the state level actors, to improve the exchange of data and methods, to identify, access and use additional data sources, to develop the method further, and to publish respective results and knowledge. Since climate biomonitoring offers many advantages it may be assumed that it will be established internationally as a solid method of assessing the impacts of climate change on our living environment.