Species monitoring

The goal of species monitoring is to observe changes in the population sizes, densities, distribution ranges, or compositions of species communities. Based on monitoring data, it is possible to assess the overall status and trends of biodiversity.

On this page:

• Species monitoring
• Types of species monitoring
• Monitoring data coordinators and other actors producing monitoring data
• Active species monitoring schemes

Species monitoring

The aim of species monitoring is to observe changes in the number of individuals, densities, areas of occurrence or distribution, or in the composition of the communities formed by the species. Based on the monitoring data, the general state and development of biodiversity can be assessed. The monitoring also produces important information about species that are endangered, economically significant, or otherwise require special attention. This section lists 85 ongoing national species monitoring schemes. Only monitoring activities that are carried out throughout Finland and systematically have been included. Please note that not all of these monitoring schemes provide material in English.

Monitoring is defined as regular and repeated collection of all information related to the presence, distribution, abundance, and reproduction of a species. The division of work must be agreed and data management and data availability must be at least at a satisfactory level. The monitoring is considered to be systematic if a certain way of monitoring is repeated or is intended to be repeated at some time interval.

The listing below includes monitoring activities that are carried out annually or otherwise regularly at even intervals, but also monitoring activities where frequency has varied considerably, for example the forest vegetation monitoring. There are also monitoring activities where the collection of data is continuous without an actual monitoring cycle, for example the plant atlas. The list includes both long-standing monitoring, such as the winter bird counts that started in the 1950s, as well as newly established monitoring, such as pollinator monitoring. Especially the continuity of the newest monitoring schemes is uncertain.

Types of species monitoring: abundance, occurrence and distribution

Monitoring the abundance of species

The species monitoring that provides the most precise information investigates the changes of species abundance in time. Abundance monitoring uses the most advanced methods and they’re the most demanding when it comes to the field work. The results can be used for example for

• determining the regulation of the use of species
• determining population dynamics
• for indicators describing the changes in the state of nature

Monitoring the occurrence of species

After the abundance monitoring, the next most specific type of monitoring is species occurrence monitoring, where it is observed whether a certain species is present at a spotting point or not. Numbers of individuals are not usually counted. Observing strives to be as efficient and regular, that is is possible to say with a certain probability, that a species is not present at certain location. Monitoring results can be used for

• monitoring the changes in the areas of occurrence of a species
• monitoring the effects of climate change
• threat assessments of species
• reporting of directive species

Monitoring the distribution of species

At the simplest, only the species distribution is monitored, without information on which areas or at what time the monitored species are not present. At this level of precision, the monitoring is usually quite random, but the observations are collected centralized and in a pre-determined form. Observations are usually collected by volunteers, that is to say, citizen science. Based on this type of monitoring, it is possible to

• define rough estimates of species distribution areas, that is areas where they can at least be found
• draw an overall picture of the Finnish nature

Types of species monitoring: general, specific and impact monitoring

General monitoring

General monitoring provides information on the state of biodiversity of the main habitat types and changes in biodiversity. The main habitat types are forests, peatlands, the Baltic Sea, inland waters, agricultural environments, fells, built environments, shores and rocks. General monitoring plays a central role when assessing the general condition of biodiversity. Their results can be used as indicators of diversity, especially when it comes to monitoring the abundance of organisms.

Special monitoring

The targets of special monitoring are those species that are nationally or internationally endangered, economically significant or otherwise require special attention, whose monitoring obligation comes from, for example, various regulations or agreements. These monitoring schemes often emphasize species for which Finland has a special international responsibility and, on the other hand, species considered important by the EU mentioned in the annexes of the EU nature and bird directives.

Species that can be exploited economically are also subject to special monitoring. These are species for which predation quotas are set, or whose sustainable use is otherwise regulated.

In their own category are the species for which compensation is paid for the harm they cause to the business, and on the other hand, invasive species whose monitoring involves the goal of controlling the growth of populations.

Impact monitoring

In impact monitoring, the main focus is mostly on monitoring the effects of nature management and restoration measures in habitats. The monitoring can also focus on the effects of habitat degradation. The results of impact monitoring are needed to interpret the results of general monitoring and to predict future developments, for example what can be expected to happen if a certain amount of habitat is restored.

Monitoring data coordinators and other actors producing monitoring data

The most important coordinators of species monitoring schemes are:

• Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS)
• Finnish Environment Institute (Syke)
• Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife Finland

Among hobbyist organizations, species monitoring is coordinated or participated in by at least BirdLife Suomi, the Finnish Lepidopterology Society, WWF, the Finnish Osprey Foundation and the Finnish Bat Science Association. Other bodies coordinating the monitoring are universities, other natural history museums in addition to Luomus, Biological stations, ELY centers, the provincial government of Åland, The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, Turku University of Applied Sciences and the bird stations of BirdLife’s member associations.

In addition to the actual bodies that coordinate the monitoring, numerous organizations significantly support the collection of monitoring data, data management and the use of monitoring data.

A lot of species information is accumulated outside of actual systematic monitoring schemes by both hobbyists and professionals (citizen observations, nature surveys). Most often, this is information about the presence and distribution of the species: The species is reported as observed, but no information is received about the absence of the species. A considerable part of this natural information is difficult to utilize. The usability of observations outside of systematic monitoring could be improved by guiding and developing recording possibilities and practices to obtain occurrence and abundance type data, which indicate both detection and non-detection of the species.

Active species monitoring schemes

The name of the monitoring, the coordinating organization and the name of the contact person are listed below by organism group. The name of the monitoring contains a link to the monitoring’s own pages or to the source presenting the monitoring, if one is known. Please note that not all of these monitoring schemes provide material in English.