DRYvER_h2020

The Horizon 2020 project, DRYvER (Securing biodiversity, functional integrity and ecosystem services in DRYing riVER networks) consists of multidisciplinary teams of 25 experts from 11 countries in Europe, South America, China and the USA will build on EU efforts to investigate how climate change has cascading impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem functions and ecosystem services of DRNs. DRYvER aims to collect, analyse and model data from nine drying river networks (DRN) in Europe and South America to create a novel global meta-system approach that incorporates hydrology, socio-economics, ecology and biogeochemistry in order to craft strategies, tools and recommendations for adaptive management of river networks. In particular, the objectives of DRYvER are to: - Determine current and future patterns of DRNs in space and time; - Develop a dynamic meta-system framework to catalyse our understanding of the effects of drying on river network biodiversity and key ecosystem functions; - Assess socio-economic impacts of changes in DRNs through the identification of ecosystem services of DRN and their values; - Identify options for environmental decision-making in DRNs; - Enable science-policy interfacing to embrace adaptive management strategies of DRNs; - Create shared value, capacity-building and public acceptance of the outcomes of the project. The end results of DRYvER will contribute to reaching the objectives of the Paris Agreement and place Europe at the forefront of research on climate.