The authors conclude that the development of consistent and regionalized adaptation strategies for forest management and the adequate transfer of these into practice are particularly important for conserving forest biodiversity in the context of climate change. The last three articles address potential strategies and instruments of forest biodiversity conservation for coping with climate

change and related challenges. These tackle this topic from different see more points of view and use rather diverse approaches, ranging from a classical review, via an empirical study of socio-cultural data to a model-based spatial analysis. The extensive literature review of Pawson et al. (2013) analyses the direct and indirect impacts of climate change for plantation forests. Though often underestimated, plantation forests may contribute via their increasing area worldwide to biodiversity conservation by serving as secondary habitats as well as by reducing negative impacts on remaining primary forest ecosystems. MAPK inhibitor Similar to other forest ecosystems, plantation forests will suffer from direct impacts of climate change such as higher storm and fire frequencies or outbreaks of pests and diseases. However, the

authors conclude Selleck VS-4718 that the adaptation of forest management is likely to have greater effects on biodiversity in plantation forests than direct climate impacts. They advocate a landscape-level concept for the design and management of plantation forests to maximize the opportunities ID-8 for biodiversity conservation of plantation ecosystems in a changing climate. Provided adequate environmental safeguards are included, the international payment transfer mechanism to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, known as REDD+, could take on an important role in climate change mitigation as well as forest biodiversity conservation in the future. Taking REDD+ pilot projects in Peru as an example, Entenmann and Schmitt (2013) identify expectations and policy issues with regards to forest biodiversity conservation that are assigned to

the instrument by different actors in this country. The authors reveal that most actors see direct links between REDD+ and biodiversity conservation. Biodiversity values mentioned by the actors were, above all, connected to direct or indirect uses. Aspects of biodiversity that are vital for the long-term integrity of forest ecosystems were not rated as equally important. This highlights the importance of integrating respective safeguards into the REDD+ mechanism. In light of climate change, conservation priorities may shift. Thus, the systematic and efficient redirection of the limited resources available for biodiversity conservation will become increasingly important. In the last paper of this special issue, Freudenberger et al.