Studying the sensitivity of Annex I habitats (HD) to pressures and understanding of state-pressure links

Following the adoption of the Nature restoration Law in 2024, EU Member States have committed to prevent deterioration, to restore and to re-establish Annex I habitats over their territories. To implement the adapted restoration measures necessary to improve to good condition areas of those habitat types, it is necessary to understand the factors contributing to their degradation. The Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) model (1) has been developed to describe environmental responses to anthropogenic pressures. Following this framework, it is theoretically possible to map habitats condition by overlaying habitat distribution data with standardized and spatialized data available on pressures. However, it is important to ensure that the pressure in question is indeed the cause of the degradation of the considered habitat. This is the goal of studying of the sensitivity of habitats to pressures. Sensitivity is described as the combination of resistance (the ability to tolerate external pressure) and resilience (the time required to recover from the degradation faced) (2). The national centre of expertise on biodiversity, “PatriNat”, supports the French ministry in charge of the environment in the implementation of the EU restoration law by mapping restoration priorities and providing recommendations on restoration measures. This presentation will therefore detail the ongoing work to evaluate the sensitivity of Annex I habitats to every pressure they may face, based on literature and expert consultation. We will first address resistance, aiming to prevent degradation, before focusing on recuperation. We will first study the 5th group of habitat types from the restoration law: Steppe, heath and scrub habitats. Our plan is to increase knowledge of the ecology of each habitat, in order to identify the threatening pressures. For example, analyses of plant functional traits composing habitats could help us understand their sensitivity to certain pressures. The study of the links between state and pressure at the habitat group level should also help to better understand the causes of ecosystem degradation on land. In the end, it will help to recommend relevant pressure reduction measures and strategies. Indeed, the restoration of degraded habitats will necessarily require actions and measures aiming to prevent current pressures, before applying potential interventionist restoration measures. 1) Smeets, E., Weterings, R., 1999. Environmental indicators: typology and overview. Technical report No. 25. European Environment Agency, Copenhagen. 19 pp 2) Holling C. S., 1973. Resilience and stability of ecological systems. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 4(1): 1-23.