Download Showcasing Ireland’s Success in European Research Programmes Research Area:

Showcasing Ireland’s Success in European Research Programmes
Research Area:
Protection of the
environment, sustainable
management of natural resources,
water, biodiversity and ecosystems
AQUACROSS
Knowledge, Assessment, and Management for
AQUAtic Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
aCROSS EU policies
Project Description
“Biodiversity loss is a major
global problem
affecting
humans and the environment.
As humans, we are entirely
dependent for survival on
nature’s benefits. In order to
halt biodiversity loss and
manage the environment
sustainably, we need to find
new ways of integrating the
connections between land, air,
water and all living things
including human beings and
their institutions.”
Dr Tim O’Higgins, University
College Cork, Ireland
Aquatic ecosystems are rich in life from the tiniest plankton to the
largest whale, and everything in between. This biodiversity, the vast
array of species and habitats in watery environments, provides
enormous benefits to humans, through economic activities; through
cultural enrichment and by providing the life support systems on
which we all depend. Loss of biodiversity is one of the major
environmental challenges facing the planet and the EU has clear
targets to halt this loss. AQUACROSS aims to support these efforts; to
enhance the resilience of aquatic ecosystems and to ensure our
aquatic environments continue to provide the benefits or ‘ecosystem
services’ on which we rely. Within Europe, as around the world, many
of these valuable ecosystems are at significant risk of irreversible
damage by human activities. These drivers of change create
pressures including habitat loss, pollution, contamination, the arrival
of invasive species, overfishing and climate change. Protecting
biodiversity while meeting economic and environmental needs is
fundamental to development of sustainable societies.
Existing European policies have so far been unable to reverse the
trend of declining biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems. AQUACROSS
will support EU efforts to protect aquatic biodiversity and ensure
provision of aquatic ecosystem services. The project will take a whole
systems approach exploring the interactions and feedbacks between
social and ecological system to develop the theory and practice of
Ecosystem-Based Management for a sustainable future.
www.aquacross.eu
If you are interested in finding out more about participating in Horizon 2020 or reading more case studies about the experiences of academic
researchers, small & medium enterprises and multinational companies in Horizon 2020, visit www.horizon2020.ie or contact your Societal
Challenge 5 NCP at [email protected]. To search or add your profile and/or a partner search request to the Online Catalogue of Irish Expertise
in Environmental Research, visit http://erc.epa.ie/h2020catalogue
Project Partners
Irish Contribution
University College Cork will play a key role.
The project team will establish an
information platform to synthesize and
disseminate information on Aquatic
biodiversity across the EU. A cross-border
case study will focus on an ecosystem
approach to management of Aquatic
Invasive Species in Lough Erne, Co
Fermanagh, including management of the
problematic Nutall’s pond weed (Eldoea
nutallii).
The study will explore the
relationship between aquatic biodiversity,
non-indigenous species and ecosystem
service supply to provide practical advice
on ecosystem-based management options
and related EU policies. Using a variety of
techniques
including
participatory
mapping, the case study will be run in close
collaboration with the cross-border Lough
Erne Invasive species Working Group.
Project Details
Research area: SC5-06-2014
Start Date: 01/06/2015

 University College Cork, National
University of Ireland, Cork (Ireland)

Forschungsverbund Berlin E.V
(Germany)

United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organisation - UNESCO
(France)

Stichting Dienst Landbouwkundig
Onderzoek (Netherlands)

Fundacion Imdea Agua (Spain)

Universitaet Fuer Bodenkultur Wien
(Austria)

Universidade de Aveirio (Portugal)

Acteon SARL (France)

The University of Liverpool (United
Kingdom)

Institut Royal Des Sciences Naturelles
de Belgique (Belgium)

Stockholms Universitet (Sweden)

Institutul National de CercetareDezvoltare Delta Dunarii (Romania)

Eidgenoessische anstalt fuer
wasserversorgung Abwasserreingung
Und Gewaesserschutz (Switzerland)

Uicn, Bureau de Representation Aupres
de L'Union Europeenne Aisbl (Belgium)

BC3 Basque Centre for Climate Change
- Klima Aldaketa Ikergai (Spain)
Duration: 42 months
End date: 01/12/2018
Funding: €6.34 million
Coordinator: Germany
Irish Contact
Dr Tim O’Higgins
University College Cork, Ireland
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +353 (0)21-4864324
Ecologic Institut gemeinnützige GmbH
(Germany)
AQUACROSS has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Programme for Research, Technological
Development and Demonstration under Grant Agreement no. 642317. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and
the European Union cannot be held responsible for any use, which may be made of the information contained therein.