In Western and Central Europe, habitat and species diversity is declining due to agricultural intensification and land abandonment in marginal areas. To counteract the negative impacts of modern agricultural land use on species and habitat diversity payment schemes have been developed which compensate farmers for carrying out land use measures which have a positive impact on biodiversity. Such payments are often developed in the context of agri-environment schemes. Important criteria for the design of such payment schemes are that they are effective and cost-effective. With effective we mean that goals of the regulator are actually achieved (for example, the conservation of certain endangered species). With cost-effective we mean that these goals are achieved for as little financial resources spent on payment schemes as possible or alternatively formulated; that the available budget is spent in a way that maximizes the level of goal achievement. In view of many alternative conservation measures and goals as well as spatially and temporally differentiated effects of measures on costs and biodiversity, identifying effective and cost-effective payment schemes is a complex task which requires scientific decision support. Against this background the software Ecopay was developed as decision support. Ecopay serves to design effective and cost-effective payments for measures to conserve biodiversity in grasslands. The software is based on an ecological-economic modeling approach. ... [Information of the supplier]
European landscapes are being reshaped by the growth in renewable energies and the ongoing exploitation of fossil resources such as lignite (brown coal) and shale gas. These forces are at the heart of debates on the assessment, appropriate design and governance of the emerging energy landscapes. European and national policies for energy transitions challenge conventional ways of perceiving and thinking about landscapes as well as established planning routines. Key questions are: Perception – How is the character, perception, assessment and social construction of landscapes influenced by present and past uses of energy? Planning – Which types of landscape-related planning and governance regimes exist and how are they linked to landscape planning, spatial planning and energy policy? Participation – In the face of energy transitions, to what extent are landscape policies inclusive and participatory? Which actors are involved and who is constituted as an actor in this regard? Power – Which power relations shape the interplay of energies and landscapes? How can the workings of power be conceptualised and critically reflected? ... [Information of the supplier]
Wooded rural landscapes are an invaluable natural and cultural legacy of Central and Eastern Europe. A concentration on particular, strictly classified natural sites or plant communities, national and European conservation systems ignores, neglects or undervalues the meta-systems of dynamic rural landscapes dependent on the multiple traditional use of land. Intensive farming and modern forestry, accompanied by the development of conservation models based on segregated land-uses, mean that there are now ‘hard’ boundaries, both philosophically and physically, between spatial units of economic or conservation interest. Despite the increasing knowledge of the role of dynamic processes in the well-being of populations and ecosystems, these boundaries cause substantial reduction of horizontal movements of species. As a result, what had once developed as highly dynamic patchy landscapes, have started to shift towards mostly static and much simplified spatial patterns. In addition, the boundaries discourage researchers from seeing the landscape as a whole; instead, they may concentrate on just what happens inside one patch or type of patch. The conference aims at fostering interdisciplinary discussion and analysis. We seek to encourage the sharing of knowledge from researchers studying wooded rural landscapes and representing from across disciplines: from taxonomy and ecology, from paleo-ecology and environmental history, from ethno-ecology, from spatial planning and landscape architecture, from land use economy involving ecosystem services. We believe such a platform will provide a theoretical foundation for the development of a new management and conservation approach that is essential for sustaining the richness and values of wooded rural landscapes in Central and Eastern Europe. ... [Information of the supplier]
DRZE comprehensively provides scientific information which is required for a qualified formation of opinion and judgment in the area of ethics in the life sciences and medicine. The main focus lies in the scientific preparation of the information. [Information of the supplier]
The Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR), a not-for-profit organization established to advance research, conservation, and education concerning amphibians and reptiles, was founded in 1958. It is the largest international herpetological society, and is recognized worldwide for having the most diverse program of publications, meetings, and other activities. ... [Information of the supplier]
The GfÖ is an independent, nonprofit scientific organisation founded in 1970. We aim to promote basic and applied ecological science, encourage collaborative work of all ecological disciplines and represent ecological interests in public. [Information of the supplier, modified]
The World Conservation Union is the world's largest and most important conservation network. The Union brings together 82 States, 111 government agencies, more than 800 non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and some 10,000 scientists and experts from 181 countries in a unique worldwide partnership. The Union's mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. The World Conservation Union is a multicultural, multilingual organization with 1000 staff located in 62 countries. ... [Information of the supplier]
The purpose of this society is to promote and encourage the biological study of animal behavior in the broadest sense, including studies at all levels of organization using both descriptive and experimental methods under natural and controlled conditions. Both research studies and the dissemination of knowledge about animal behavior through publications, educational programs, and activities shall be encouraged ... [Information of the supplier]
Scientists in 15 Helmholtz Centres work on a wide range of topics, such as A for astrophysics, B for biology, C for cell research, and so on. 24,000 staff use the most modern scientific infrastructure, including, in particular, large-scale facilities and instrumentation, which are also open to use by members of the international scientific community. Working on behalf of the state, Helmholtz scientists pursue an ambitious goal: To make an essential contribution to solving the grand challenges which society faces. ... [Information of the supplier]
The Wissenschaftsgemeinschaft Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz e.V. is a scientific organisation comprised of 84 non-university research institutes and service facilities. The research work carried out and services provided are of national significance. For this reason the institutes work is funded by both the Federal Government and the federal states (German "Länder"). In November 2000 the German Science Council (Wissenschaftsrat) confirmed that all Leibniz Institutes contribute considerably to Germany s research potential. The tasks perfomed by our institutes range from regional infrastructure research and economics through research projects in the area of social sciences to natural sciences, engineering and environmental research. The Leibniz Institutes are demand-oriented and interdisciplinary centers of competence. They consider themselves as co-operation partners for industry, public administration and politics; scientific collaboration with universities is particularly close and intensive. ... [Information of the supplier]
