Project information
WetFlorVegChange: Floristic and Vegetation Changes in European Wetlands (WetFlorVegChange)

The importance and endangered status of all wetlands is recognized in Europe and worldwide. However, despite numerous studies on wetland decline, there is limited knowledge about changes in flora and vegetation at European scales, with most research being local case studies. Recent efforts have increased the use of permanent plots and vegetation resurveys, leading to the creation of databases like ReSurveyEurope and LOTVS, which are valuable for assessing changes in species composition and diversity. However, these databases currently have limited wetland data. This project aims to build a network of wetland experts, create a “ReSurveyWetlands” database, and use it to investigate floristic and vegetation changes in managed and unmanaged European wetlands over the last 30 to 70 years. The project involves mainly (semi-) permanent plots and repeated species pool surveys from databases and field surveys. To reach our aims, we will apply various statistical methods and GIS tools to map and analyze spatial patterns of species changes across wetlands.