WORKPACKAGES

1. To ensure the implementation of the project, follow the activities and prepare a data management plan.

 

2. Defining „subterranean bioregions“ and "subterranean habitats" at different spatial scales; these areas will serveboth for developing and adapting monitoring plans specific for certain habitats or regions as well as a proxy for predicting subterranean biodiversity richness before monitoring efforts. Considering the wide ecological divergence between terrestrial and aquatic subterranean environments, we will start producing separate maps for each environment, and then combine them.

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3. Here we test and improve the readiness of (e)DNA-based approaches for the monitoring of subterranean communities at various taxonomic, technical and spatial scales, i.e. based on three target subterranean groups with well-resolved traditional taxonomy based on morphology (i.e. groundwater crustaceans, cave spiders and cave beetles) and the bioregions developed in WP2, or based on national and local lists of cave communities.

 

4. We propose and test a feasible protocol for monitoring subterranean fauna with focus on groundwater crustaceans, spiders, and beetles in selected karst caves and springs.

 

5. Involvement and continuous information exchange with all stakeholders ranging from governmental agencies to umbrella organizations and field monitoring experts. Detecting the technical, financial, conceptual and ethical limitations of monitoring subterranean biodiversity and providing realistic solutions for the difficulties emphasized by the stakeholders. Discussing the results of the other WPs and shaping the direction of method development.