BECC - Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in a Changing Climate - is a new strategic research initiative in cooperation between Lund University and the University of Gothenburg. In Lund it is hosted by the Centre for Environmental and Climate Research (CEC) at the Faculty of Science. BECC strives for a better understanding of the impacts of climate change and land use decisions on terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity, addressing the consequences of ecosystem changes for human beings and socio-economic systems. The vision of BECC is to advance interdisciplinary research approaches that contribute to the sustainable management of ecosystems and biodiversity in a rapidly changing world.
More information can be found at http://www.cec.lu.se/forskning/becc
Biodiversity is affected by the ongoing climate change in different ways. Bird populations have already been influenced, and large changes might be expected in the future, not least in the northern parts of their distribution ranges. But there are other environmental variables that affect bird populations, such as habitat changes and historical processes. Sweden, with its large latitudinal and climatic range, well-covered bird fauna, and good historical records offers good opportunities to study these processes. The aim of this project is to pursue one, or both, of two lines of research.
In Sweden, there is presently a general shift northward of the bird community, possibly as a direct response to ongoing climate warming. However, historical records show that the breeding bird fauna has been under constant change. In the last century, new species have appeared at a steady rate, and species? ranges have shifted mainly northward, but also southward. The aim is to describe these changes in more detail and to investigate the underlying drivers, making use of both historical and present information on bird abundance, habitat and climate change.
The second line of investigation aims at linking environmental changes in stopover and wintering areas to population processes in the breeding grounds. Many Swedish breeding birds migrate through, and some overwinter, in the Sahel region of Africa. This area has undergone pronounced changes in climate, human populations, land use and political systems in recent decades and there are strong reasons to believe these changes have affected bird populations.
The successful candidate is expected to be involved in several multidisciplinary research projects within the BECC programme. The candidate will also take part in and organizing seminars and workshops at the Centre for Environmental and Climate Research (CEC).
|
