INFORMEDEuropean Union ProjectsProject duration: Jan 2015 to Dec 2017Mediterranean forests are complex socio-ecological systems characterized by an important biodiversity, high levels of spatial environmental heterogeneity, and a long history of deep interlinking with human populations to which they provide a bunch of ecosystem services. Mediterranean forests are also considered as a hotspot of global change impacts and they deserve a research project on resilience not only for their own sake but also for the model value they represent for other areas.IntroductionThe project INFORMED is conducted by a consortium of 15 partners from 10 countries from both sides of the Mediterranean, combining well-balanced multidisciplinary expertise in ecology (genetics, functional and community ecology), forest management, governance and economics. A scientific advisory group of international experts and a stakeholder panel representing various types of actors contribute to achieve high level science and effective impacts.INFORMED develops a dynamic approach of the resilience of Mediterranean forests facing global change based on the following conceptual scheme: global change modifies the overall context of a socio-ecological system where management drives the forest biodiversity and functions, which determine the ecosystem services; their economic assessment can support the governance system in selecting the more appropriate future management options. The project has three main objectives:to fill-in knowledge gaps on the basic mechanisms that determine the flexibility of the socio-ecological system in response to disturbance;to integrate knowledge by combining different process-based models at various spatial and temporal scale;to use integrated knowledge to develop management strategies as well as policy and governance guidelines to foster forest system resilience.In particular, the project aims to produce global change scenarios specifically dedicated to the Mediterranean forests, to develop process-based approach of biodiversity and functional response of Mediterranean forests to disturbance, to develop integrated assessment of ecosystem services and their dynamics based on ecosystem functions and their economic evaluation, and to evaluate adaptive management strategies, policy and governance for their expected impact on resilience of Mediterranean forests.Beyond the three-years research activities, the project contributes to spread scientific expertise and exchange on innovative research practices within each discipline, to the development of interdisciplinary experience in the Mediterranean forest scientific community in the continuity of previous projects and to create strong “science-policy-practice” links between FORESTERA partners well connected to European and international networks. It consolidates a regional network of early stage researchers and enhances their capacity by linking them to leading researchers in the Mediterranean basin.