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Structure MonViA

The basic structure of monitoring consists of national trend monitoring and question-based monitoring on agricultural and regional issues. With the help of an integrative monitoring approach, citizen science-based monitoring approaches are integrated into the basic structure.

Monitoring structure

Source: IBV/Schröder

For the development of a nationwide biodiversity monitoring in agricultural landscapes, MonViA aims to develop national indicators for agriculture that complement the existing set of indicators. These should track changes in biodiversity as well as enable an evaluation of agri-environmental policy measures.

Evidence on the state and development of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes are to be made with the help of trend monitoring (> 10 years) and an adaptive approach, the in-depth monitoring on specific agricultural questions (e.g. evaluation of AECMs). For the in-depth monitoring, methods will be developed and tested that can be applied at national level as well as in different agricultural areas.

Interfaces for future cooperation will be identified via joint data evaluations from existing monitoring programs (DDA & UfZ). A focus is placed on the so-called integrative monitoring approach in order to strengthen trend statements. With the help of an integrative monitoring approach, citizen science-based monitoring approaches are integrated into the basic structure of trend monitoring and in-depth monitoring.

For developing the MonViA biodiversity monitoring, a subdivision into the following functional groups was made, which are of importance for agroecosystems:

  • Habitat diversity in agricultural landscapes
  • Insects in agricultural landscapes
  • Diversity of soil microorganisms and earthworms in agricultural soils
  • Relevant organism groups for agroecosystems

In addition to the diversity of agricultural landscapes and the quality of agricultural habitats and soils, the monitoring includes various organism groups, focussing on insects and the ecosystem services they provide. In particular, flower-visiting insects and their pollination services, pests and beneficial organisms as well as functional communities of soil biota will be studied to determine the ecological performance of production systems.