Nicola Arndt und Matthias Pohl - Neobiota

DMEER-Projekt (Digitale Karte der ökologischen Regionen Europas) des Europäischen Topic Centers
für Naturschutz auf der Basis der Karte der natürlichen Vegetation Europas ermittelt und abgegrenzt.
In Europa hat die Ausweisung von Ökoregionen im Mediterrangebiet, in den Waldgebieten Skandina-
viens, in den Alpen und Karpaten begonnen. Diese Vorhaben umfassen zahlreiche weitere Projekte,
neben dem des WWF u.a. Natura 2000 und die Europäische Initiative für Großkarnivore (LCIE). Im
Ergebnis des WWF-Projektes wurde die Landfläche der Erde in 8 Biogeographische Reiche, 14 Biome
und 825 Ökoregionen untergliedert und in einer Welt-Übersichtskarte dargestellt. Im Beitrag wird
ferner auf Anwendungsbeispiele und –möglichkeiten im globalen und regionalen Rahmen hinge-
wiesen. Die Ergebnisse sind auch im Internet zugänglich und abrufbar.
1 Introduction
The Map of the Natural Vegetation of Europe (BOHN et al. 2000) was a primary source used in
developing both the western Palearctic portion of World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) terrestrial ecoregions
of the world (OLSON et al. 2001) and the Digital Map of European Ecological Regions (see
contribution of Painho & Augusto in this volume).(DMEER). Accurate and detailed maps of
vegetation are critical tools for many aspects of biodiversity conservation. Here we summarize how
such a map has been used to guide the delineation of larger biogeographic units intended to be used for
regional priority-setting and as a framework for developing detailed conservation strategies for
different areas.
The conservation community has been hampered by the lack of a global map of the world’s biodiver-
sity of sufficient resolution for effective regional and global planning. The Conservation Science
Program of the WWF has endeavored to develop a detailed map of the terrestrial ecoregions of the
world that is better suited to identify areas of outstanding and representative biodiversity (NOSS 1992),
as well as to provide a system of biologically logical units to be used as a framework for developing
networks of protected areas around the world. Ecoregions are defined as relatively large units of land
containing a distinct assemblage of natural communities and species, with boundaries that approximate
the original extent of natural communities prior to major land-use change (OLSON et al. 2001).
This global map of terrestrial ecoregions features comprehensive (global) coverage, a classification
framework that builds on existing biogeographic systems and knowledge, and a level of biogeographic
resolution sufficiently detailed for regional planning purposes. Ecoregions reflect the distributions of a
broad range of fauna and flora across the entire planet, ranging from the vast boreal regions and
deserts to tiny Pacific islands. Ecoregions representing distinct biotas (sensu DASMANN 1973, 1974;
UDVARDY 1975) are nested within a hierarchical framework of biomes and biogeographic realms that
provide a framework for comparisons among units as well as the identification of representative
habitats and species assemblages. The terrestrial world has been subdivided into 14 biomes and 8
biogeographic realms (Figure 1). Nested within these biomes and realms are 825 ecoregions (Figure 2)
(OLSON et al.2001).
While the system of terrestrial ecoregions is primarily intended for conservation action, it is built on
the foundations of classical biogeography. The ecoregion map has been developed through extensive
collaboration with thousands of regional biogeographers, taxonomists, conservation biologists, and
ecologists from around the world. Although the map is primarily intended to distinguish distinct
biotas, based on the distribution of species and communities, it also attempts to reflect patterns of
higher taxonomic endemism and important patterns of ecological and evolutionary phenomena.
72