Dynamic Dunes Congress 2015 Workshop: Research and monitoring - Hubert Kivit

1. Monitoring dynamic dunes
state of the art
monitoring biotic changes
Hubert Kivit

2. Considerations
• Large-scale dynamics leads to changes on landscape level
 Developments unpredictable
• Define unambiguous and measurable targets (not easy!)
– name them expectations instead of targets
• Where existing vegetation will not be destroyed, start monitoring the
situation before the intervention
• Integrate abiotic and biotic measurements, e.g. along transects
• Plan evaluation

3. What to measure?
• Target & process indicator plant species
• Species groups
• Landscape pictures
• Vegetation structure map
• Vegetation map -> Habitats
• Vegetation relevés (permanent quadrats)

4. • Target & process indicator plant
species (€ 500/km2)
• use a (ha)grid to standardize time spent
and area coverage
• if short in time, monitor grid cells on
gradiënts or make random selection
• use tablet with e.g. Locus mapping app for
oriëntation
• in most dynamic parts start on a yearly
basis
• monitor recurrence of remnants of former
vegetation (e.g. Ammophila, Rubus
caesius, Populus)
How to measure (1)

5. How to measure (2)
– Species groups
• use methods according to Non-governmental data managing organisations
(PGO’s)
• choose species groups, depending on budget, volunteers & current
monitoring
– plants (Tansley relevés)
– birds
– butterflies, dragonflies, mushrooms etc.
– thermophilous insects

6. Monitoring Thermophilous
fauna NW Nature Core
– target groups: bees, wasps, ants, carabid
beetles
– methods:
• pitfalls (terrestrial species)
• malaise traps (flying species)
• water boards (flower visitors)
• sightings along fixed route (from trap to trap)
– 2008, 2015
– needs specialist!
– Labour intensive: € 12000
 Total monitoring budget (incl. abiotics) 3%

7. How to measure (3)
• Vegetation structure (€ 500/km2)
– aerial (IR-) images
– drones or existing photo’s
• vegetation map -> habitats
(€ 8000/km2)
– national standard under
construction

8. How to measure (4)
• vegetation relevés (permanent quadrats) (€ 1000/10 rel.)
– to follow subtle changes in vegetation (and soil)
– combine with abiotic monitoring
– use a 10 cm accurate GPS
– also install reference transects

9. How to measure (5)
• Landscape pictures: (panoramic) photo’s at fixed points & fixed date

11. The finishing touch
• Evaluate & dissiminate
– with English summary
– spread through international repository