CENTRAL LABORATORY OF GENERAL ECOLOGY BULGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

1. CENTRAL LABORATORY OF GENERAL ECOLOGYBULGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 1113 Sofia, 2 Gagarin Street, E-mail: ecolab@ecolab.bas.bg , http://www.ecolab.bas.bg Director: Associate Professor Nesho Chipev, PhD Phone (+3592) 736 137, E-mail: chipev@ecolab.bas.bg ERA ENV Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

2. CLGE - General information The Central Laboratory of General Ecology (CLGE) has been established on January 1, 1996, as a successor of the former Commission of Nature Protection (1956-1974), Scientific & Co-ordination Center of Environmental Protection (1974-1979), National Center of Ecology & Environmental Protection (1979-1989) and latest – of the Institute of Ecology (1989-1995) at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

3. CLGE - General information • During these years, this permanent academic institution was the only scientific center devoted to the studying and science-based decision making of the nature protection policy in Bulgaria. Establishment of the national network of reserves, including 17 biosphere reserves listed by the UNESCO (1968-1995), affiliation of the Pirin Mountain National Park and the Srebarna Lake biosphere reserve to the World Heritage List (1984), publication of the Bulgarian Red Data Book (1985), designation of several Ramsar sites of international importance (1978-1996) were among the main achievements within this period. Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

4. CLGE - General information • The present Central Laboratory of General Ecology (CLGE) is an autonomous scientific body (legal person) for research and development (R&D) and post-graduate (PhD) training. The main scope of the Lab’s current works is in the fields of Functional Ecology & Ecological Modeling, Bio-Diversity & Nature Conservation, and Bio-Indication & Ecological Assessments. The current activities cover large scale of natural and man-made ecosystems and habitats of all kinds (marine, freshwater, terrestrial, forest, agro-systems, etc.). Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

5. CLGE - General information • The Lab has three permanent filed stations which support on site the scientific and applied studies in various fields of the biodiversity and ecosystems structure and functioning. The Ecological Station of the Srebarna Lake is located on the one of the most prominent Bulgarian biosphere reserves and is involved in several research and applied projects devoted to the ecosystems of the reserve. A complex monitoring program aims the service of the reserve managements based on ecosystems state determination and prognoses on the state development. The Marine Ecology Lab is located on the Black Sea coast (Sozopolis) and its activities include coastal zones management, marine water quality modeling and management, eutrophication and pollution impact on the coastal ecosystems, etc. Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

6. CLGE - General information • The third station, located on another reserve - Atanassovsko Lake on the Black Sea coast, also a Ramsar site, is among the basic sites for studying the birds’ migration (Via Pontica) and biodiversity and functioning of hyperhaline coastal wetlands. • CLGE develops and maintains several data bases and information systems (wetlands inventory, invertebrate & fish biodiversity of rivers, parasitic worms and their hosts (PARAHOST), ecological status of the Bulgarian rivers (BIOMONITOR) and of the southern Black Sea coastal waters). CLGE is hosting the academic network BULBIONET on Bulgarian biodiversity – an official node to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF, Copenhagen) and to the National Clearing-House Mechanism (NCHM, Ministry of Environment & Waters). Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

7. CLGE - Structure The administrative structure of CLGE includes three departments, Biological Diversity, Functional Ecology, and Bioindication and Ecological Risk, representing the basic research units, as well as a functional group of Applied Ecology which supports the interface with the socio-economic environment. Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

8. CLGE - Structure Department of Functional Ecology Research Field Functional characteristics and scientific bases of ecosystem quality assessment and management Research activities Identification of key processes and mechanisms on local and regional scales Studies on the basic fluxes within the biogeochemical cycles Studies on environmental factors and anthropogenic impacts on ecosystem structure and function Integrated modeling and analysis on the ecosystem level Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

9. Department of Functional Ecology CLGE - Structure The results of these studies are applied in the process of decision making and development of integral management programs in the following fields: i. integrated management of watershed ecosystems; ii. integrated management of water quality and ecosystems of waterflows and wetlands; iii. management of water quality in marine coastal ecosystems Research priorities Scientific basis for the assessment and management of ecosystem status Molecular approaches in the study of marine coastal ecosystem structure and function Studies on the biogeochemical transformation of complex organic compounds and harmful substances in the environment Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

10. CLGE - Structure Department of Biological Diversity Research priorities • Inventory, classification and methods for biodiversity assessment in natural ecosystems • Biodiversity of helminth parasites and soil nematodes and the role of co-evolutionary processes in its origin and sustaining • Structure and functioning of biotic communities • Effects of urbanization on biodiversity and community structure • Biodiversity conservation strategies Research groups • Structural and functional role of biodiversity in ecosystems • Parasite biodiversity and ecology of parasite communities • Biodiversity conservation Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

11. CLGE - Structure Department of Bioindication and Ecological Risk Research priorities • Bio-indication and ecological assessment of the aquatic environment; • Methodology of the ecological classification and impact assessment of the aquatic ecosystems associated with surface water bodies; • Mutagenesis and modulation of the mutagenic effects of the anthropogenic factors; • Applied ecology and environmental impact assessment; • Scientific and methodological support to the decision makers; Research groups • Bioindication and ecological assessments • Environmental mutagenesis Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

12. The CLGE is the winner of the 1999 National Award of the Henry Ford European Conservation Awards for developing the Management Plan of the Srebarna Lake Biosphere Reserve. Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

13. CLGE - Main Projects • 2004-2007: Elaboration of the Red Data Book of the Republic of Bulgaria (Project 4036/2004/MOEW) [Ministry of Environment & Water] • 2004-2006: NaturNet-Redime New Education and Decision Support Model for Active Behavior in Sustainable Development Based on Innovative Web Services and Qualitative Reasoning (6th FP, Proposal/Contract No 004074, in negotiation procedure)[University of Jena, Germany] • 2004-2005: Reference & Intercalibration Sites and Selection of Biological Parameters Relevant to the Framework Water Directive 2000/60/EC (Project 508/2004/MOEW)[Ministry of Environment & Water] • 2004-2005: Development of guidance for designation of water bodies supporting fish and shelfish life (Contract No 3979/2004/MOEW) [Ministry of Environment & Water] • 2003-2004: BIOFORUM: Conflicts between human activities and the conservation of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, grasslands, forests, wetlands and uplands in Europe (5th FP, EVK2-CT-1999-20006/BIOFORUM-ACC)[CEH] • 2003-2003: An improved monitoring of environmental cancer genes – a principally new test. (Project NATO 977977328 CDW Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

14. CLGE - Projects • 2002-2004: Complex Monitoring of the Srebarna Lake Biosphere Reserve in Support of the Decision-Making and Management (Project No MOEW) [Ministry of Environment & Water] • 2002-2003: Protection of Waters against Pollution Caused by Nitrates from Agricultural Sources, Directive 91/676/EEC, for Bulgaria (EC/PHARE BL-0081.00-12.0/LDK1) [Ministry of Environment & Water] • 2001-2004: Assessment of the dynamics of structural and functional parameters of chestnut ecosystems in South West of Bulgaria [Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry] • 2001-2003: Needs Assessment and CHM Establishment in Bulgaria (Joint UNDP BUL/98/G3/USAID LAG-I-00-99-00013-00) [Ministry of Environment & Water] • 2001-2002:Development of Program on Setting the Military Activities in Compliance with National Environmental Legislation [Ministry of Defense Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

15. CLGE - Projects • 2001-2002: EIA for the Second Set of Urban Wastewater Treatment Plants in the Black Sea Basin (EU Framework Contract IB/AMS/45)[AGRIFOR-Belgium] • 2000-2004: Development and implementation of the network BULBIONET for biological diversity of the Republic of Bulgaria (Project No 176/1999)[National Trust EcoFund] • 2000-2003:Development of a method of determination the permissible nutrient load of the marine coastal zone [contract 943-2391, Ministry of Environment & Water] • 1999-2001: Development of Methods for Assessment of Minimum Water Flow Protecting the Biodiversity and Ecological Quality of the Running Waters in the Republic of Bulgaria ( [Ministry of Environment & Water] Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

16. CLGE - Projects • 1999-2000: Development & Implementation of the Management Plan for the Srebarna Lake Biosphere Reserve [Ramsar Convention Bureau & Ministry of Environment & Water] • 2000-2004: Development and implementation of the network BULBIONET for biological diversity of the Republic of Bulgaria (Project No 176/1999)[National Trust EcoFund] • 1999-2001: Development of Methods for Assessment of Minimum Water Flow Protecting the Biodiversity and Ecological Quality of the Running Waters in the Republic of Bulgaria ( [Ministry of Environment & Water] • 1999-2000: Development & Implementation of the Management Plan for the Srebarna Lake Biosphere Reserve [Ramsar Convention Bureau & Ministry of Environment & Water] Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006

17. Thank you for your attention! Тренировъчна сесия София 23 – 24 февруари, 2006