
• The Bioclima Network, a project of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and the Generalitat Valenciana, brings together professionals to discuss biodiversity and protection of the natural environment in the Valencian Community.
• Its applicability to public policies makes it a relevant tool for the protection of natural heritage.
To study the response of biodiversity to climate change in several typical terrestrial ecosystems of the Valencian territory. This is the main objective of the Biodiversity Monitoring Network, Bioclima Network, led by the Desertification Research Center (CIDE, CSIC-UV-GVA) and co-funded by the Biodiversity Foundation, Generalitat Valenciana and CSIC. It also has the collaboration of the Regional Ministry of Environment, Water, Infrastructures and Territory through the Center for Forestry Research and Experimentation (CIEF) and the Natural Parks of the Valencian Community.
During the Bioclima Network and Citizen Science App Presentation Day: Public knowledge at the service of environmental protection, which took place at the Regional Ministry of Environment, Water, Infrastructures and Territory of the Generalitat Valenciana, the attendees were informed and made to participate in the progress of this monitoring network.
Importance of monitoring
In the current climate context it is essential to have data on the evolution of biodiversity to be able to prevent and face the challenges we face. The Bioclima Network meets this need with periodic sampling on the change of species composition in different typical Valencian habitats and on how the rhythm of plants, vegetation and phenology changes, among others.
For this purpose, since 2020 the project has a network of permanent observation plots (sampling points with fixed geographical coordinates) located in the Natural Parks of the Valencian Community (map attached). The network provides data of great importance to achieve, among others, the objectives of the Biodiversity Strategy of the Valencian Community 2030 and the State Strategic Plan for Natural Heritage and Biodiversity to 2030. Likewise, the monitoring information is stored and openly accessible in the Biodiversity Data Bank of the Generalitat Valenciana.
In addition, the project has launched the Bioclima App for the collection of phenology data (flowering period, leaf loss, etc.) which are stored and openly accessible in the Biodiversity Data Bank of the Valencian Community, so that scientists and interested people (citizen science) can contribute and observe the changes recorded by the Bioclima Network.
Knowledge transfer to public policies
The Conference has been configured as a meeting and connection point for researchers, technicians and public administration managers with responsibility for environmental protection, where the advances of the Bioclima Network and its applicability to public policies have been shared, through the promotion of dialogue between science, public management and society.
In short, the final idea has been to build bridges and create synergies between the generation of knowledge and decision making, linking people with their environment as a driver of sustainability.
About CIDE
The Center for Research on Desertification (CIDE) is a mixed public scientific research center, jointly owned by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the University of Valencia (UV) and the Generalitat Valenciana (GVA).
The CIDE has been working since its origin to provide knowledge based on scientific evidence, and to communicate to society the importance of environmental issues, and in particular, the risk and potential impact of desertification and climate change on ecosystems and human beings, thus contributing to the protection of our environment. In this sense, it is one of the pioneer centers in Europe in the study of desertification and one of the few institutes devoted to this topic, with a solid base and extensive experience in the study of soil, water and ecosystem degradation processes, mainly in the Mediterranean.
About CIEF
The Center for Forestry Research and Experimentation (CIEF) manages lines of work aimed at solving problems directly related to the management of forest systems (ecological restoration and reforestation) and the conservation of wild flora. It also promotes cooperation with universities, research centers and technology centers.
CIEF is a pioneering center in Spain that integrates germplasm banks and forest nurseries, the germplasm bank of rare, endemic and endangered flora and the Seed Bank of Traditional Varieties of Agricultural Interest. It also acts as a resource and technical support center for research projects, but also as a node for communication and knowledge transfer in the management of the natural environment.
Since the creation of the forest seed bank in 1994, a complete collection of seeds of the most representative habitats of the whole Valencian territory has been formed.
CIDE Communication