Pressure measurement
How to measure the pressure on our ecosystem
A science project is using KELLER level loggers to monitor the conditions in the mangrove forests on Aldabra atoll in the Seychelles. It is part of a research programme at the University of Zurich which is trying to gauge the impact of global changes on biodiversity
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he challenge of the ever faster changing environment is threatening biodiversity in different parts of the world. The University Research Priority Programme (URPP)
tries to better understand these effects by observing different ecosystems and their correlation to climate change and the condition of the local environment. One of the goals is to identify specific indicators that will allow to better predict future changes on a global scale if combined. Scientists of various fields work together on a number of long-term projects across the globe to get a bigger picture of this trend and possible correlations. In order to do this, there is a lot of data to be collected. This often requires much fieldwork, collecting samples or examining wildlife while other parameters can be monitored automatically.
A DELIcAtE NAtURAL MARvEL One benchmark habitat is Aldabra atoll, which is part of the island state Seychelles located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of
Africa. This world- heritage natural reserve is 35km in length and has no permanent residents. Aldabra was added to the programme as a sample of a pristine ecosystem, largely untouched by human activity. Also, it is highly exposed to rising sea levels with most areas not exceeding eight meters above sea level. The reefs, which form its foundations, boast marine life in all forms. The world’s greatest population of giant tortoises shares the slender ring of land with huge colonies of sea birds. Large parts of the islands are covered in scrub and grasslands. The coastal area is dominated by rocky shores with a few wonderful white beaches while the sheltered interior is partly covered by mangroves.
MANgRovE YogA AND DAtA coLLEctIoN Annabelle Constance is part of the URPP GCB science projects concerning Aldabra. She grew up in the Seychelles and has been researching the ecosystem there since 2015. Currently she
is doing so as a part of her PhD at the University of Zurich under the supervision of Professor Gabriela Schaepman-Strub. The main aim is to forecast how this system will behave in future, changed conditions, in order to take precautions to preserve its unique nature. Constance is working closely with the Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF), which manages the reserve and supports scientific work in the area. As one of the bigger implications of climate
change is the rising sea level this is a major focus of the studies on Aldabra as well. The Mangroves consist of shrubs and small trees
May 2022 Instrumentation Monthly
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