Bird
species which are protected under the EU Birds Directive have fared better
since 1980 than unprotected species, research has found. The study also showed
that climate change does not undermine the effectiveness of the Bird Directive.
28
October 2015 / Ecology
EU
Member States must take special conservation measures to protect certain
species under Annex I of the EU Birds Directive. The researchers used bird
species data gathered as a result of the reporting requirements of the Birds
Directive to compare the population trends of these species to those of
non-Annex I species.
The
findings are good news for the legislation. Last September, the EC launched a
public consultation on the Birds Directive as part of its REFIT ‘fitness check’
on whether it is fit for purpose. The UK-based authors have said their works
shows that “multilateral conservation agreements can have significant benefits
for wildlife even in the face of unprecedented climate changes.”
The
study assessed long-term (1980–2012) and short-term trends (2001–2012) for all
breeding bird species occurring naturally in the 27 member states. Using a
statistical computation system, they found populations of Annex I species were
better maintained than those not listed on the Annex. This effect applied to
both time periods, and was more pronounced in countries that had been in the EU
for longer.
At
the same time, the team examined they evaluated the effect of climate change on
the birds. To account for the effects of climate change, the researchers
calculated whether the species would expand its range and population as a
result of climate change, or whether the range of the species would narrow.
The
results indicated that Annex I status has a strong, independent effect on a
bird species’ population, despite its response to changing climate.
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