About FutureNature
Climate change is pushing ecosystems beyond historical boundaries. Traditional conservation methods are no longer effective. Instead of resisting change, we should guide ecosystems toward desired outcomes.
One promising strategy is assisted migration — the translocation of species to mimic range expansion under climate change. However, this approach remains controversial. A predominant focus on risks over benefits has hindered research and innovation. Yet, the costs of inaction are too high, and time is running out.
FutureNature is a research project funded by the European Research Council, aiming to shape functional ecosystems for the future. We take an innovative functional perspective on assisted migration, shifting the focus from minimizing the impact of translocated species to maximizing their contribution to ecosystem functioning. To achieve this, our research team will:
- Study how non-invasive alien species contribute to ecosystem processes.
- Experiment with engineered grassland communities under climate change scenarios.
- Develop knowledge to build resilient ecosystems that thrive under future conditions.
With the insights gained, we aim to create a “greenprint” for studying assisted migration across species and ecosystems. Ultimately, FutureNature strives to shift conservation thinking, breaking psychological barriers that currently prevent adaptive ecosystem management.
The FutureNature project is led by Prof. Koenraad Van Meerbeek, associate professor at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at KU Leuven and PI of the sGlobe lab. In 2022, he was awarded an ERC Starting Grant to support this research.
