pondscape

Objectives

PONDSCAPE has both operational and strategic objectives.

The operational objectives of PONDSCAPE are:

to study the organization of pond biodiversity, including ecosystem functioning, in Belgium at multiple spatial scales and relate it with important driving variables, with special reference to pond age
to quantify the effects of management strategies on local and regional pond biota biodiversity and to broaden our knowledge on the prevalence of pollutants and the effects they have on pond biota
to obtain insights into the way stakeholders value risks and benefits of ponds, and how the creation and maintenance of ponds can be promoted in a sustainable way

These operational objectives will provide the basic scientific data by which the more applied objectives can be elaborated. PONDSCAPE will:

validate the results of the ecological and socio-economic research throughout the duration of the project
deliver sustainable and acceptable management strategies for ponds at a regional scale, in full recognition that acceptability is a key component of sustainability
provide stakeholders with scientific information and tools that allow an effective management of pond biodiversity - as a major component of aquatic biodiversity – at different spatial scales