Swiss Academy of Sciences, CH

The starting point of the present study is the fact that the quality of biotopes in Switzerland that are nationally protected is deteriorating and some are also shrinking in size. There are nearly 6000 biotopes in Switzerland, covering about 2% of the country's surface area. They belong to five categories: raised bogs, fens, floodplains, dry meadows and pastures, and spawning areas for amphibians. The declining quality and quantity of biotopes may be due to insufficient funding to ensure their protection and maintenance.