Arthropods play vital roles in the ecosystem (e.g., pollinators, decomposers, and others), and thus can act as indicators of ecosystem integrity. Recently, the anthropogenic impact on ecosystems, through climate change and LUC, has been devastating, especially in vulnerable regions such as the Mediterranean Basin and its numerous small islands. The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship, PALEOSIM (PALEOclimate modelling of Small Islands in the Mediterranean and possible impacts on arthropod habitats) aims to assess the climate impacts on arthropod habitats of small islands using a Regional Climate Model (RCM). The project will provide new insight into the expected habitat changes arthropods may experience in the future, and help mitigate the destruction of these fragile ecosystems.
Several recent research projects of the Biodiversity and Ecology Research Group put an emphasis on Vegetation monitoring using GIS and remote sensing data, including using multispectral UAVs.
In partnership with the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) and the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST), BERG participates in the SPRING initiative. This effort focuses on monitoring wild pollinators, leveraging citizen science methodologies to gather data and engage the public in conservation efforts.
The monitoring of wild orchid populations across the Maltese archipelago is another key project. Through this work, we aim to understand and preserve the diversity and distribution of these captivating plants, again employing citizen science approaches to involve the community in our research.