Abstract Book ONLINE | 12-14 January 2021 Organisers Infrastructure and Ecology Network Europe IENE 2020 International Conference “LIFE LINES – Linear Infrastructure Networks with Ecological Solutions” CREDITS NAME IENE 2020 International Conference “LIFE LINES – Linear Infrastructure Net- works with Ecological Solutions” – Abstract Book, January 12 – 14, 2021, Évora, Por- tugal EDITORS António Mira, André Oliveira, João Craveiro, Carmo Silva, Sara Santos, Sofia Eufrázio, Nuno Pedroso The respective authors are solely responsible for the contents of their contributions in this book. PHOTOGRAPHY Luís Guilherme Sousa PUBLISHER Universidade de Évora LAYOUT E DESIGN Rui Manuel Belo, Unipessoal, Lda. ISBN 978-972-778-182-9 DATA January 2021 DOWNLOAD AT https://www.iene2020.info/index.html RECOMMENDED CITATION IENE 2020 Organising and Programme committees (2021). IENE 2020 International Conference - LIFE LINES – Linear Infrastructure Networks with Ecological Solutions. Abstract Book. January 12 – 14, 2021, Universidade de Évora. Abstract Book CONTENTS Welcome 4 Conference Organisers 6 Part 1: Plenary Sessions 9 Part 2: Full Presentations 15 Part 3: Lightning Talks 175 Part 4: Poster Communications 229 Part 5: Workshops 291 Part 6: Side Events 325 LIFE LINES Final Seminar 326 LIFE SAFE CROSSING Workshop 327 Part 7: Training Session 355 Part 8: List of Ccommunications 359 Part 9: Authors Index 379 IENE 2020 International Conference “LIFE LINES – Linear Infrastructure Networks with Ecological Solutions” 4 WELCOME TO THE IENE 2020 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE The University of Évora, in the framework of the LIFE LINES project, and the Infrastructure and Ecology Network Europe welcome you to the IENE 2020 International Conference. This year, due to the COVID 19 pandemic constraints, it will not be possible to host you in Évora, the beautiful World Heritage City in southern Portugal, as originally planned. The Conference was postponed to January 2021 and will take place fully online. We will be physically distant and a hand-shake or a hug will not be possible. But we are still together to share ideas and experiences that will inspire the adoption of nature friendly solutions in Linear Infrastructure Networks. IENE 2020, “LIFE LINES – Linear Infrastructure Networks with Ecological Solutions” “No effort is too small to preserve biodiversity” Humans are today the main biological influencers of ecosystems, biological commu- nities and species survival. In 2020, the World Economic Forum recognized that “bio- diversity loss” is one of the threats with plausible higher impact on Global Economic Development. Linear infrastructure (LI) networks such as roads, motorways, railways, navigation and irrigation channels, pipelines and electric powerlines, fences, etc. have grown expo- nentially since the middle of the 20th century. However, most existing LI networks built before the 90th decade are not environmentally friendly, do not consider properly biodi- versity conservation and have immense negative impact on wildlife. Every year, billions of animals are killed by cars, hit by trains, powerlines collisions, electrocuted in electrical poles, drowned in artificial channels, and isolated from their natural resources and mates through insurmountable LI barriers. Light, noise and hu- man activities associated with many of these infrastructures displace wildlife form large areas or induce stress and lowers fitness of those that remain, contributing to small- er, more isolated and less resilient populations. As the climate changes progresses, species can only survive by moving along with the shifting ecological conditions. This requires even more mobility across the landscape, worsening the already detrimental impacts of LI networks. Whether acting in isolation or synergistically, these impacts are a major step to the extinction of species and populations. On the other hand, the habitats related to linear infrastructures, including verges, areas under powerlines poles and others, if properly managed, may play an important role as corridors or biodiversity refuges, counteracting the adverse ecological effects of LI, particularly when those are embedded in highly human-modified landscapes. Abstract Book Particularly in the last two decades, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) processes 5 increasingly demand new LI to be ecologically sustainable. However, very often the assessment and mitigation are focused on the new infrastructure itself discharging the larger landscape context and the integration and intervention on other infrastructures already present. Monitoring data on ecological impacts of LI and mitigation efficacy is more available than ever. New devices taking advantage of machine-learning techniques and artificial intelligence are being tested to promote safer LI for humans and wildlife through the reduction of accidents and non-natural mortality, and promotion of safer LI crossings. Big data about species occurrences and ecological needs, increasingly detailed satel- lite imagery, new and progressively cheaper genetic tools and powerful computers, and modelling techniques are helping us to understand better than ever, interactions between LI and biodiversity. Landscape designers and planners, LI managers and con- structors, decision makers are, like never before, aware of the risks and opportunities for biodiversity associated with LI development. No net loss politics and compensatory schemes are powerful and promising tools to prevent biodiversity decline. However, till now, they are not doing enough. Achieving ecologically sustainable LI implies to mainstream biodiversity across all phases of LI development, giving natural capital the priority it deserves in all parts of the process. So, is it time to strengthen this message to top world politicians and decision-makers. For already existing LI, the investment towards sustainability may seem huge and im- possible to accommodate in short term national or institutional budgets. However, of- ten, simple actions, like repairing a fence, adapting a culvert, isolating an electrical cable, etc., can make a difference. When understood by local human communities and authorities these small things will easily get ingrained by people and the motto “no simple action is too simple to help biodiversity” will echo and cement the cooperation across all sectors and regions. Rushing this to happen is the responsibility of all of us, but the support and incentive of decision-makers is the master pylon to implement and spread the idea, guarantying a sustainable Earth where biodiversity, including people, may thrive. The IENE 2020 International Conference Organising and Programme Committees IENE 2020 International Conference “LIFE LINES – Linear Infrastructure Networks with Ecological Solutions” 6 CONFERENCE ORGANISERS ORGANISING COMMITTEE: CHAIR António Mira (Universidade de Évora, hosting institution, and MED, Mediterra- nean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development) Andreas Seiler (IENE 2020 Programme Committee) Carme Rosell (Infrastructure and Ecology Network Europe, IENE, Governance Board) Carmo Silva (IENE 2020 Conference Secretariat) Francisco Moreira (REN, Very-High-Tension Powerlines, Biodiversity Chair) Graça Garcia (Infrastructures of Portugal) Nuno Pedroso (LIFE LINES project and MED, Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development) Palmira Catarro (Montemor-o-Novo Municipality) Sara Dimas Fernandes (Évora Municipality) Sofia Eufrázio (IENE 2020 Conference Secretariat) Abstract Book 7 PROGRAMME COMMITTEE: Jan Olof Helldin LOCAL ORGANISING TEAM: Chair: Sara Santos Jean-François Lesigne André Oliveira Adam Hofland Joaquim Pedro Ferreira João Craveiro Agnès Hallosserie Lazaros Georgiadis Luis Guilherme Sousa Anabela Belo Marguerite Trocmé Tiago Pinto Anders Sjölund Marianne Lund Ujvári Mariana Fernandes Andreas Seiler Marion Gust Paula Matono Anthony Clevenger Marita Böttcher Erika Almeida António Mira Michal Bil Ana Sampaio Carla Pinto Cruz Neftali Silero Dinora Peralta Carme Rosell Nuno Pedroso Eduardo Ferreira Cristian Papp Paul J. Wagner Francesco Valerio Darryl Jones Paulo Sá Sousa Tiago Mendes Denis Medinas Pedro Salgueiro Edgar van der Grift Radu Mot Elke Hahn Rodney van der Ree Eric Guinard Rui Lourenço Fernando Ascensão Tony Sangwine Fraser Shilling Vaclav Hlavac Heinrich Reck Wendy Collinson Ivo Dostál Yannick Autret Part 1: Plenary Sessions IENE 2020 International Conference “LIFE LINES – Linear Infrastructure Networks with Ecological Solutions” 10 PLENARY I MOLECULAR TOOLS TO ASSESS THE ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURES Niko Balkenhol Niko received degrees in Forest Ecology, Environmental Mon- itoring, and Wildlife Resources. His practical experiences in- clude working for a private consulting company where he conducted environmental impact assessments for road con- struction projects. He was a postdoc at the Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in Berlin before moving to the University of Goettingen in 2011, where he currently leads the Department of Wildlife Sciences. His research focuses on ecological connectivity, which he analyses at different bio- logical levels (from genes to ecosystems) and by combining movement ecology, landscape genetics, and simulation mod- elling. Many of his projects include an assessment of road effects on functional connectivity. Molecular tools are increasingly used to address fundamental and applied questions in ecological and biological research. Here, I provide an overview of the