Within the EVEREST project (/Essential Variables for the rEmote characterisation and monitoRing of mountain EcosystemS along a biogeographical gradienT: from data to decision making/)
*Objectives*
The goal of EVEREST is to sit together managers and scientists in the co-design, co-production and validation of a common methodological framework to provide scientifically sound and managerially meaningful remote sensing variables, as well as monitoring and modeling
Capabilitie
s to report on the conservation status of species and habitats (Habitats Directive), on water quality parameters (Water Framework Directive), and on ecosystem recovery and resilience after disturbances and restoration measures (Nature Restoration Law).
EVEREST will identify and provide relevant ecosystem compositional, structural and functional attributes for these aims in mountain ecosystems.
*Tasks to be performed*
Stakeholders engagement; Identification of essential compositional, structural and functional variables and metrics; Characterisation of reference dynamics, spatial variability, temporal trends and anomalies; Mapping species and habitats of community importance and monitoring
their conservation status; Monitoring water quality of high-mountain lakes; Monitoring ecosystem recovery after disturbances and evaluation of restoration measurements; Decision support tool for protected area managers; Scientific and social dissemination of project results and reporting.
*Education requirements*
Any MSc degree in Biological or Environmental Sciences, Data or Computer Sciences, Remote Sensing, Geography or Geographical Information Systems.
Courses on data science, GIS, remote sensing, ecology, ecological modeling, machine learning, multivariate analysis, programming languages, Google Earth Engine, Python, R, JavaScript.
*Languages*
English (CEFR: C1 or C2)
*Previous professional experience*
Collaboration in national and international basic and applied research projects related to environmental monitoring through remote sensors. Experience on reporting obligations on the Water Framework Directive, Habitats Directive or the Nature Restoration Law.
*We will also value:*
* Publications (research papers, conference proceedings, books or book
chapters, reports)
* Academic record
* Motivation letter
* References by established academic researchers
* Grants and research contracts
* Research internships
* Teaching experience
* Driving license
* Fieldwork experience
* Organization of (or participation in) participatory workshops
* Motivation for scientific research and conservation science
* Teamwork and proactive skills
* Availability to travel abroad for conferences and research stays
* Capacity building skills
* Experience on the use of public environmental databases
* Dissemination and communication skills
*Contact people:*
*Domingo Alcaraz-Segura (**dalcaraz@ugr.es* <mailto:dalcaraz@ugr.es>*)*
*Javier Martínez-López (**javier.martinez@ugr.es*
<mailto:javier.martinez@ugr.es>*)*
*Regino Zamora (**rzamora@ugr.es* <mailto:rzamora@ugr.es>*)*
**Project summary: *EVEREST brings managers and scientists together to codesign, coproduce and validate a common platform to provide scientifically sound and managerially meaningful variables from remote sensing (RS), together with field data and modeling, to report on 3 European regulations: conservation status of species and habitats (Habitats Directive), water quality monitoring (Water Framework Directive), and ecosystem recovery and resilience following disturbances and restoration (Nature Restoration Law). EVEREST uses 8 mountain
national parks (MNPs) across 4 biogeographical regions (Spain and Portugal) as a proof of the advantages of fusing RS with artificial intelligence, public datasets, modeling tools, and ground-truth data to support ecological studies, biodiversity conservation, and effective management. EVEREST will also test ecological hypotheses like whether warming and aridification, which may respectively lengthen or shorten the growing season, are differentially affecting mountain ecosystems, so that mountains with a more temperate and rainy summers are less affected than mountains with hotter and drier summers. EVEREST has 5 specific objectives:
1) To create a science-policy group that fosters collaboration between researchers, managers, and decision-makers to ensure that the project's outcomes align with real-world needs and
facilitate the actual adoption and long-term use of the monitoring platform developed;
2) To identify and implement essential RS variables and metrics relevant for EU reporting obligations.
3) To characterize the reference dynamics, spatial variability, and temporal changes of
such variables and metrics, which provides insights into the functioning and resilience of mountain ecosystems across gradients;
4) To test and validate with local researchers and managers the performance of such variables and metrics by using expert knowledge, public data and ground-truth data recorded in each MNP;
5) To provide a near-real time online tool for the exploitation of the project results by three types of users: scientists, managers and citizenship, with guidelines for decision making, management and public awareness.
EVEREST involves stakeholder engagement through workshops and collaboration with managers, researchers, and environmental institutions to promote adaptive management and use-inspired research. It uses RS, existing field data, artificial intelligence and modeling to generate scientific knowledge and practical tools for conservation and management.
EVEREST
contributes to international biodiversity monitoring initiatives and provides guidelines for preserving and managing high-mountain ecosystems.
EVEREST’s social and economic impacts also include enhanced adaptive management practices, a user-friendly approach to high-tech tools and biodiversity data, and increased awareness of mountain values, threats and trends among society. Outcomes will be disseminated through
scientific publications, conferences, training activities, and online public platforms nationally and internationally recognized, like OAPN, GEOBON and LifeWatch, which have members in this proposal. By promoting international collaboration and knowledge transfer, the project aims to
contribute to the conservation and sustainable management of mountain ecosystems and theNature Positive Journey and Nature Based Solutions in Europe and beyond.
*More info:*
https://smartecomountains.lifewatch.dev/
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_https://obsnev.es/
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Sierra Nevada Global Change Observatory (https://obsnev.es/
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Andalusian Institute for Earth System Research (IISTA-CEAMA),
Granada, 18071, Spain (https://www.iista.es/
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Andalusian Centre for the Evaluation and Monitoring of Global
Change (engloba - UAL
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