Ecosystem services are often used unconsciously by society and the economy and remain invisible. Where is the largest wood supply, where are the most pollinating insects? What influence does precipitation have on food production? But climate change and changes in land use can strongly affect these ecosystem services. In order to better protect them in the future, the universities and colleges from Bayreuth, Würzburg, Augsburg, Munich and Weihenstephan-Triesdorf have jointly developed the Atlas of Ecosystem Services in Bavaria, an online map tool.rbeit der Natur
For the first time, Bavarian researchers are publishing a freely accessible online atlas of ecosystem services in Bavaria. It shows the benefits humans derive from nature: Harvest, climate, recreation and the like. Researchers at the Chair of Ecosystem Services at the University of Bayreuth designed the interactive maps of the atlas.
Ecosystem services are often used unconsciously by society and the economy and remain invisible. Where is the largest wood supply, where are the most pollinating insects? What influence does precipitation have on food production? But climate change and changes in land use can strongly affect these ecosystem services. In order to better protect them in the future, the universities and colleges from Bayreuth, Würzburg, Augsburg, Munich and Weihenstephan-Triesdorf have jointly developed the Atlas of Ecosystem Services in Bavaria, an online mapping tool.
In this atlas, nine different ecosystem services, their influencing factors, climate and land use, as well as factors climate and land use as well as biodiversity in the regions of Bavaria can be explored. The atlas is thus a contribution to making the valuable services of nature and landscape visible. This was made possible by the Bavarian Network for Climate Research "BayKLIF" through the Bavarian Ministry of Science and the Arts (StMWK).
The data come from field experiments, from computer models as well as from surveys. From this the staff at the Chair of Ecosystem Services at the University of Bayreuth have created interactive maps. In the next few years, the atlas will be expanded to include other ecosystem services and then show how these have changed over the years.
In the future, the researchers would also like to investigate how humans influence the climate change on ecosystem services in regions used for private or professional purposes. By participating in a survey, all users can contribute to the collection of further data. The survey is aimed at citizens, but also to those who are professionally involved in the topics of the atlas, i.e. people who work in agriculture, forestry, water management, tourism and nature conservation. The special feature is that the anonymised answers are immediately displayed in the atlas. The data will be presented to political decision-makers and published in scientific articles. published in scientific articles. By participating, users can express their opinion on a politically and socially topical and make a direct contribution to research.
