Description
There is lack of System enabling monitoring of grasslands by the authorities and assessing the effect of climatic changes on grassland growth, its water conditions and biomass. Monitoring of grasslands status and prediction of their changes is significant research in the designation of the important functions of grasslands. Forecasting the grassland biomass and indicating the influence of climate on grasslands growth could be an important tool in grassland management on the national, regional and single grassland scales. The prime objective of the proposal is an assessment of the effect of climatic changes on grassland growth, its water conditions and biomass with the application of satellite data. The Project is designed to deliver methodology for designation of climate changes indicators in grasslands through analysis of specific bioparameters (investigated under the project) on the basis of satellite data. Within the Project, several demonstration activities, such as Grasslands focused Conference, Seminar for Users and meetings with individual Users are planned to be performed, in order to demonstrate the knowledge gained and results achieved under the Project and to transfer the know-how to the Users interested in its application. Authorities and farmers owning/managing of grasslands. There is an extensive exchange of knowledge and experience between project partners through common Seminars, field campaigns and research (visits of Norwegian Partners in Poland and common analysis). Moreover there is a chance to transfer the good practices between project partners and Users, through Seminars and Conferences. There is a Meeting for the Users planned to be organised in the 3rd year of the Project. Common, interesting results, strengthen through the data from both countries, and possibility for future joint projects.
Summary of project results
Grasslands are one of the most important components of the environment and an important part of European ecosystems. They serve many important functions, such as providing cheap fodder for livestock; production of oxygen; mitigation of soil erosion; flood control, water retention, absorption of excess nutrients, sediment of pollutants etc. The main motivation of the project was that the international research confirmed that grasslands ecosystems are under threat and big pressure and their stability is in danger. Therefore, monitoring of grasslands status was considered very important. It was also stated that proper management of grasslands requires rapid data about growth conditions andprognosis of yield and thus remote sensing methods were found most efficient.The short them goal of the project, namely: delivery of research results on the influence of climatic changes on grasslands growth, its water conditions and biomass, and then on yield, were achieved. The satellite data based models for soil-moisture assessment and biomass estimation were calibrated and validated and their accuracy were accepted by the Users. The long-term application of the project outcomes are aimed at incorporating them into European Space Agency Climate Change Initiatives and moreover to enable a long-term economical-ecological-environmental prediction. Delivered methods and models will be presented to ESA CCI. The pilot implementation of the produced outputs by their Users will be performed by the Central Agricultural Advisory Office (CDR). In order to meet the objectives of the project, the soil moisture model based on fusion of optical and microwave satellite data and the model of grasslands biomass estimations were developed. Moreover the following maps and reports were produced: vegetation indices and trends in vegetation biomass growth on the basis of satellite data, maps of grasslands vegetation indices since 1997 were developed for the national scales, the effect of climate conditions in 50-years period on yield of grasslands, determination of climatological trends in identified regions (NUTS1) of Poland and Norway applying meteorological data, ECMVF data and snow cover information collected from meteorological stations, analysis of biomass and soil moisture changes –connections with climate changes the assessment of carbon exchange in grassland areas on the basis of fusion of in-situ and remote sensing methods. The project outcomes resulted in sixteen peer-reviewed publications, from which four international.
Summary of bilateral results
The research work under the project was performed jointly by partners from Poland and Norway and achieved results were exchanged. Three field campaigns, aiming at collection of in-situ data on grasslands soil-vegetation conditions were organised – two in Poland and one in Norway. Three annual progress meetings and three additional project meetings were organised in order to exchange results and to work on common methodologies as well as plan further activities. The demonstration of the project results to the Users were performed directly to the Users in both countries. As a result of the work commonly performed under the project, two common publications in peer-reviewed journals were developed and six publications in conference proceeding were elaborated. Partners from Norway and Poland participated together in four conferences on the international level. Within the conduction of the project, the meeting with Central Statistical Office, which aimed at development of joined project under the Horizon2020 Programme was organised. The further cooperation between project partners is planned and will be performed. Each group represented the high level of knowledge and we all learned through the cooperation a lot. The formal partnership agreement between the Institute of Geodesy and Cartography as well as Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research will be signed.