MONET 2030: Biocoenosis diversity in meadows and pastures

SDG 15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

Goal description

Conservation of biodiversity is essential to social and economic development, and to human survival.

Swiss target 15.5: The state of conservation of local species, especially populations of national priority species, is improved and to the extent possible, their extinction averted. Genetic diversity is preserved.

Significance of the indicator
This indicator shows the evolution of the composition of biocoenosis in meadows and pastures. A high index denotes a rich biocoenosis, while a low one indicates poor biocoenosis, which corresponds to a decline in biological diversity. The preservation of biodiversity, which is a legacy for future generations, is particularly important for food security. An increase in the value of the indicator, therefore, is a step towards sustainable development.

International comparability
This indicator cannot be compared at international level.

Synthesis

Comments: Synthesis of the observed trends of plants (P), mosses (MOS) and molluscs (MOL). The assessment of each variable is expressed by a value without dimension (-1 for a negative assessment, 0 for an unchanged assessment, +1 for a positive assessment). These values are then added up and the result sets the general trend of the indicator.

The diversity of biocoenosis in meadows and pastures is shown using the Simpson Index on a scale from 0 (zero diversity) to 100 (high diversity). The index is calculated in the following way for a given group of species: the list of species present in a meadow or pasture is compared with the list of species present in all other meadow and pasture areas in the sample. All possible pairs are compared. A Simpson index is calculated for each comparison. The average of all indexes calculated takes a value of between 0 and 100. The value is 0 if exactly the same species were found in all meadows and 100 if every meadow features a unique biocoenosis. The more rare species and the fewer common species a group of species contains, the higher its index.

The areas surveyed, for which an inventory of plants, molluscs and mosses is drawn up, measure ten square metres. All the sampling areas are surveyed over a five-year period. A comprehensive comparison of all the sampling areas is therefore based on surveys carried out over five years.

This indicator is compiled annually on the basis of the data for the indicator on species diversity in habitats (Z9), which is part of the biodiversity monitoring carried out by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). The data on molluscs are collected with a one-year time lag.

FOEN – Biodiversity Monitoring Switzerland

Swiss target 15.5: The state of conservation of local species, especially populations of national priority species, is improved and to the extent possible, their extinction averted. Genetic diversity is preserved.

International target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.