Speaker
Description
Understanding long-term distributional changes of species is essential for effective conservation and biodiversity management, as well as for avoiding shifting baselines in ecological research. Historical sources—including archival documents, maps, oral histories, and paleoecological evidence—can help reconstruct past ecological patterns and processes. In this study we assessed long-term incidence changes of 42 selected vertebrate species in Bavaria forest districts by comparing a historical biodiversity survey from 1845 with modern species occurrence and monitoring data. Of the 42 species examined, 22 showed increases and 18 decreases in incidence. Apex predators such as the wolf and lynx generally increased, whereas mesopredators like martens declined. Species associated with aquatic habitats, including large waterbirds such as the mute swan, common crane, and white stork, exhibited strong increases, while the Eurasian otter declined markedly. Herbivores showed variable trends, with red deer displaying the strongest decline and now being largely restricted to designated “red deer habitats.” Migratory birds tended to increase, whereas sedentary forest birds such as the black grouse and western capercaillie declined. Species occurring at higher elevations showed more negative incidence changes. Overall, long-term incidence changes in Bavaria are heterogeneous and influenced by trophic role, habitat association, migration behavior, and elevation. Our findings highlight the importance of distinguishing between long- and short-term trends in conservation assessments and underscore the value of integrating historical ecology into biodiversity research and management.
| Status Group | Postdoctoral Researcher |
|---|---|
| FOR TALKS: Poster Presentation Option | No, I prefer to present only as a talk. |