Workpackages of Subproject W03

Workpackage coordination: Dr. W. Küper, Nees-Institute for Biodiversity of Plants, Bonn, Germany
wk@uni-bonn.de

Workpackage WP03.1

Completion of the Biogeographical Information System on African Plant Diversity

Short description: Our database is extended with special emphasis on its representativeness for the African flora in respect to its composition of taxonomic, ecological and biogeographical elements. Concerning its size, its geographic coverage, and its spatial resolution, this is currently the most comprehensive database for Africa-wide species distributions. The work profits from the close cooperation within the BIOTA network and with further international research institutions (e.g., P. Linder, Institute of Systematic Botany, Zurich, Switzerland, and J. Lovett, Centre for Ecology, Law and Policy, York, England).

Workpackage WP03.2

Analyses of spatial patterns of biodiversity in Africa

Short description: The aim of this workpackage is to generate a representative map of the continental patterns of plant diversity in Africa at a spatial resolution of at least one degree, but possibly 0.5 by 0.5 degree. The dependence of biodiversity on geodiversity is investigated in detail. A more comprehensive knowledge on African biodiversity is obtained by comparing plant- and zoodiversity in cooperation with collaborators within BIOTA (e.g., W08, W09, W11) and the Zoological Museum of Copenhagen. Bioclimatic modeling techniques are used to maximize the quality of modeled distribution ranges of species.

Workpackage WP03.4

Global change-integrated concepts to identify hotspot and priority areas

Short description: Global change will have an increasing impact on human livelihood and biodiversity. The aim of this workpackage is first to understand the consequences of these processes on the patterns of biodiversity. Different scenarios of biodiversity change are evaluated in cooperation with the University of York (CELP). Second, the efficacy of current strategies and priorities for biodiversity conservation are tested under different future scenarios of biodiversity change.

Workpackage WP03.5

Global plant diversity patterns: Africa as a model continent

Short description: Detailed analyses for the model continent of Africa are used for a better general understanding of global biodiversity patterns. Analyses on African biodiversity are linked with worldwide investigations of spatial phytodiversity patterns on the global scale. It is investigated which of the trends, patterns, and processes found for Africa can be generalized and used for predictions in other parts of the world.