Public participation in scientific research, now commonly referred to as citizen science, is incr... more Public participation in scientific research, now commonly referred to as citizen science, is increasingly promoted as a possibility to overcome the large-scale data limitations related to biodiversity and conservation research. Furthermore, public data-collection projects can stimulate public engagement and provide transformative learning situations. However, biodiversity monitoring depends on sound data collection and warranted data quality. Therefore, we investigated if and how trained and supervised pupils are able to systematically collect data about the occurrence of diurnal butterflies, and how this data could contribute to a permanent butterfly monitoring system. We developed a specific assessment scheme suitable for laypeople and applied it at 35 sampling sites in Tyrol, Austria. Data quality and its explanatory power to predict butterfly habitat quality was investigated comparing data collected by pupils with independent assessments of professional butterfly experts. Despite substantial identification uncertainties for some species or species groups, the data collected by pupils was successfully used to predict the general habitat quality for butterflies using a linear regression model (r² = 0.73, p <0.001). Applying the proposed method in a citizen science context with laypeople could support both the long term monitoring of butterfly habitat quality, as well as the efficient selection of sites for professional in-depth assessments.
... Land-use changes and natural reforestation in the Eastern Central Alps. ... The study sites s... more ... Land-use changes and natural reforestation in the Eastern Central Alps. ... The study sites selected on the municipality level (1:25,000) are situated in four agrarian structure regions in the Alps: &#x27;Innsbruck Land&#x27;, &#x27;Südtiroler Berggebiet&#x27;, &#x27;Unterland/Überetsch&#x27; and &#x27;Carnia&#x27;. ...
ABSTRACT Traditional agro-forest systems (TAFS) link the two ecosystems forest and grassland and ... more ABSTRACT Traditional agro-forest systems (TAFS) link the two ecosystems forest and grassland and are an attractive, species-rich land-use type in the European cultural landscape. In the past decades, particularly in mountainous regions, socio economic changes have resulted in their abandonment or intensification of use. Our study employed plant traits to analyze and understand the consequences that abandonment and intensification have on plant species diversity, functional diversity and the provision of ecosystem services of larch (Larix decidua) grassland, a TAFS in the European Alps. By applying commonly used traits such as growth form and pollination agent, together with less used traits such as flower color and edible or healing plants, we found highest plant species diversity in traditionally managed larch meadows and larch pastures, while functional diversity was seen to be high also in abandoned larch grasslands. We further show that provision of the ecosystem services scenic beauty and pollination is best in traditionally managed larch meadows and larch pastures. Regarding the provision of edible or healing plants, the largest species pool was found in traditionally managed larch meadows, while the highest species coverage was found in intensively managed larch meadows. Summarizing our results, we deduce that both the abandonment and intensification of larch grasslands result in a loss of plant diversity and a decrease in provided ecosystem services. Consequently, enhancement of our knowledge through further investigation of TAFS is essential for the maintenance and conservation of these valuable cultural ecosystems.
Based on three case studies, the impact of sample size and sample randomness on the predictive ac... more Based on three case studies, the impact of sample size and sample randomness on the predictive accuracy of multilayer perceptrons (MLP) is investigated. The MLP prove to be useful for classiÿcation problems. Although they are dependent on the sample size and the non-linearity of the underlying problem, they achieve predictions superior to the classical methods. A so-called saturation curve describes the dependency of the network performance on the sample size. This function enables the user to evaluate the achieved network performance and the usefulness of additional data. For reliable and generalizable results, the calculation of prediction intervals for the network is essential. It is demonstrated that the network leads to narrower conÿdence intervals of the performance measures in comparison to classical methods even for small sample sizes. The experiments show the validity of the law, for even relatively small sample sizes, that the standard error of the hit ratio decreases by one over the square root of the sample size. Therefore, the suggestion is to estimate the standard error for a given sample size by randomly drawing smaller sample sizes, and then rescaling the standard error accordingly.
In landscape planning, land-use types need to be compared including the ecosystem services they p... more In landscape planning, land-use types need to be compared including the ecosystem services they provide. With multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), ecological economics offers a useful tool for environmental questions but mostly case-specific criteria are applied. This, however, makes it difficult to compare findings. Therefore, we present a systematic framework that includes the ecosystem services as criteria into MCDA. The ecological quantification of the provided ecosystem services is combined with the assigned importance of the single ecosystem services. In a case study from the central Alps, we compared three land-use alternatives resulting from land-use change caused by socio-economic pressures: traditional larch (Larix decidua) meadow, spruce forest (abandonment) and intensive meadow (intensification). Criteria for the MCDA model were selected by experts, criteria importance was ranked by stakeholders and criteria values were assessed with qualitative and quantitative indicators. Eventually spruce forest was ranked as the best land-use alternative followed by traditional larch meadow and intensive meadow. The combined approach of MCDA using ecosystem services as criteria showed how criteria weightings and criteria indicator values influence land-use alternatives' performance. The MCDA-model visualizes the consequences of land-use change for ecosystem service provision, facilitating landscape planning by structuring environmental problems and providing data for decisions.
... a Institute for Alpine Environment, European Academy Bozen/Bolzano, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Boze... more ... a Institute for Alpine Environment, European Academy Bozen/Bolzano, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano, Italy. ... The mean altitudes of the defined potential treeline are 2000 m at the Alpine margin, and 22002350 m in the central regions of the European Alps. ...
The European Alps and their surroundings is a heterogeneous region, where different spatial condi... more The European Alps and their surroundings is a heterogeneous region, where different spatial conditions require appropriate research approaches as well as political and planning strategies. Researchers and decision makers are dependent principally on information relating to environmental and spatial characteristics in their area of interest. Up until now and following the call of Agenda 21, a significant amount of information has already been compiled in a variety of sustainability-indicator systems that also contain information on spatial conditions. The aim of the presented study was to develop a regional typology of the European Alps and their surroundings, on the basis of spatial-pattern indicators.
... and Graf, 1998; see Randall et al., 1994 for a review) or snowmelt-runoff processes ([Leavesl... more ... and Graf, 1998; see Randall et al., 1994 for a review) or snowmelt-runoff processes ([Leavesly ... In particular in mountainous areas, access during the snow melt period is difficult or even ... Whereas the spatio-temporal dynamics of snowmelt (onset, duration) clearly depend on the ...
A modelling approach based on discriminant analysis and the GIS (geographical information system)... more A modelling approach based on discriminant analysis and the GIS (geographical information system) is presented with the aim of identifying the influence of environmental parameters and human impact on the Alpine cultural landscape. For testing the model we used the vegetation patterns of an area of 5 km 2 between 1300 and 2300 m above sea level in the Central Alps (Passeier Valley, Italy). The overall prediction for the highly heterogeneous vegetation (a total of 21 different vegetation units characterized by high biodiversity) is in the order of 78% (pixel to pixel correspondence), the probability of correct classification by chance is only 21%. Only two vegetation units were totally misclassified, whereas six were classified correctly at almost 100%, a further seven at 60 -80% and the remaining six at 20-50%. The proportion of unexplained variability in the research area may to some degree be attributed to the snow distribution pattern and to the use of a more detailed scale of spatial grazing habits. The most important lack of information, however, concerns land use history. Simulation analysis shows that human impact and elevation exert a major influence on the vegetation, whereas hydrological parameters and radiation do not greatly affect biodiversity and vegetation patterns in the study area.
Land use change Forest regeneration pattern Spatially-explicit model a b s t r a c t In addition ... more Land use change Forest regeneration pattern Spatially-explicit model a b s t r a c t In addition to the effects of climate change, land use change is expected to trigger dynamic processes that may shift alpine tree lines upwards. To gain a conceptual understanding of the spatio-temporal processes shaping tree line patterns, we developed an individual-based and spatially-explicit model of spontaneous forest regeneration at the alpine tree line. Remote sensing data were integrated with the succession processes for individual trees in an object based image analysis approach. The model presented here predicts patterns of natural forest regeneration on a summer pasture in the Austrian Central Alps between 1954 and 2006. Different model scenarios are compared to the actual forest regeneration during the study period to validate the model's structure and its sensitivity to changing input parameters. The model's main process parameters are tested in four scenarios: A baseline scenario with the most likely input parameters derived from empirical studies in the literature; and three scenarios with differing parameters for seed production, seed dispersal kernel, and seedling competition with the ground vegetation. The tests largely confirm the model's formulation. The baseline scenario correctly predicts a significant upwards shift of the tree line elevation. Moreover it is demonstrated that (1) fecundity is a crucial factor in the expansion of forest into open land, (2) land cover and land use history have a significant impact on the emergence of forest regeneration patterns and (3) the dispersal kernel of Norway spruce has a long-distance component. We thus identified the key processes operating under environmental change from the characteristics of spatial changes in tree line patterns over the last 50 years.
Surface roughness Snow-gliding model a b s t r a c t Snow gliding is a key component leading to n... more Surface roughness Snow-gliding model a b s t r a c t Snow gliding is a key component leading to natural hazards, i.e. avalanches and erosions, and due to ongoing global changes has become a topic of major concern. Spatial information on snow gliding is important for management purposes, but, to date, lack of knowledge about key drivers for the snow-glide process hindered the development of a spatial snowglide model (SSGM). We report the most important drivers for snow gliding derived from analyzing snow-glide distances taken over five winter periods in two climatically different study areas by ordinary least-squares regression. Six variables (forest stand, slope angle, winter precipitation, surface roughness, slope aspect west, slope aspect east) were revealed as key drivers and enabled us for the first time to establish a SSGM. Both model development (R 2 = 0.838) and model validation (R 2 = 0.823) exhibit outstanding accuracy of prediction.
Long-term trends including depopulation and shifts in agricultural policies and management have l... more Long-term trends including depopulation and shifts in agricultural policies and management have led to large-scale land-use changes throughout the European Alps which are likely to affect the size of carbon (C) stocks of the respective land-use types. This article analyzes landscape-scale changes of C-stocks present in the vegetation in relation to historical land use (1865), current land use , and three contrasting scenarios of future land use (2020) in the Stubai Valley, Austria. Results show that more than 47% of the total valley area and more than 90% of the usable agricultural area have undergone a change in land use during the last approximately 140 years. Changes of land use were seen to peak between 1954 and 1973 and slow down there after. Phytomass and C-stocks in 1865 amounted to 63.1 Mg ha -1 and 30.8 Mg C ha -1 , and increased until 2003 to 75.8 Mg ha -1 and 37.2 Mg C ha -1 , respectively. Evaluations along an altitudinal gradient indicate the highest C gain to be in the sub-Alpine belt (more than doubling of the C-stock) due to the abandonment of pastures and hay meadows. All future scenarios project only a minor increase in phytomass (0.3-2.8 Mg ha -1 ) and C-stocks (0.2-1.4 Mg C ha -1 ) because major elements of the landscape (forests, rocks, screes) will be either largely unaffected or are unimportant in their spatial extent (built environment).
Flora - Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants, 2011
Apart from forests, the landscape of the Alps is dominated by grasslands, where they account for ... more Apart from forests, the landscape of the Alps is dominated by grasslands, where they account for up to 40% of the agricultural area. This study focuses on the main man-made grassland plant communities of the Eastern Alps, shows their current spatial distribution and examines how strongly the influence of land use and site factors determines the communities. Discriminant analysis was
ABSTRACT Better understanding of surface runoff quantity for distinct hydrological units becomes ... more ABSTRACT Better understanding of surface runoff quantity for distinct hydrological units becomes increasingly important as many rainfall–runoff models use static surface runoff coefficients and neglect key factors affecting ecohydrological dynamics, e.g. land cover and land use. Especially in small-scale alpine catchments, surface runoff and its contribution to mountain torrent runoff is frequently underestimated. In our study, the seasonal variability of surface runoff on abandoned areas and pastures in the alpine catchment ‘Kaserstattalm’ (Stubai Valley, Austria, Eastern Alps) was analyzed using a rain simulator along with soil water content (SWC) and soil water tension (SWT) measurements. Additionally, seasonal variability of soil physical and soil hydraulic properties were assessed. Analyzing more than 30 rainfall simulations on 10 m2 plots at a rate of 90 mm h−1 (equivalent to convective precipitation events with 100 years return period) revealed a mean surface runoff coefficient of 0.01 on abandoned areas and 0.18 on pastures. Regarding seasonal variability, relevant surface runoff was limited to pastures in autumn with a maximum runoff coefficient of 0.25. The field capacity (Fc) of all soils was found to be stable throughout the season. However, for pastures, cattle trampling led to a significant increase of dry bulk density (BD) of up to +0.33 g cm−3 (p ⩽ 0.01) in the top 0.1 m of the soil which is attributed to a compaction of macropores. Although measured infiltration rates decreased by more than 60%, BD could ‘recover’ during the winter season presumably due to freezing-and-thawing cycles and bioturbation processes decreasing soil compaction. This study highlights that impacts of land-use changes on soil physical properties make surface runoff difficult to model. Moreover, dynamic and interactive behaviour of soil parameters have to be considered in order to make realistic assessments and accurate predictions of surface runoff rates. Finally, land-use effects on runoff formation in general and significance at catchment scale are discussed.
The Sieversio montanae-Nardetum strictae is one of the most widespread plant communities in (sub-... more The Sieversio montanae-Nardetum strictae is one of the most widespread plant communities in (sub-) alpine regions of the Alps. Our study examines the composition, ecology and distribution of this plant community in the Eastern Alps and addresses the issue of how the community is to be classified in the phytosociological system of Nardusrich grasslands. Therefore, 357 vegetation relevés were taken from the literature and 115 from our own inventories were recorded from 2005 to 2007 in Western Austria (mostly Tyrol) and Northern Italy (mostly South Tyrol). Additionally, indicator values of Ellenberg and land-use information were used to help better interpret the ecological site conditions of the subgroups. The HCA revealed there the existence of four groups of the Sieversio montanae-Nardetum strictae, which were classified to subassociations: (1) typicum, (2) vaccinietosum, (3) trifolietosum pratensis, and (4) seslerietosum albicantis. Besides the specific plant composition, altitude specifies the first, land-use intensity the second and third, and the pH of the topsoil the fourth subassociation. For the Eastern Alps, the plant community of the Sieversio montanae-Nardetum strictae should now be reclassified in the order of Nardetalia and the class of Calluno-Ulicetea. Finally, this plant community can be further classified by using the four above-mentioned subassociations.
Page 1. RESEARCH ARTICLE An integrative approach for analysing landscape dynamics in diverse cult... more Page 1. RESEARCH ARTICLE An integrative approach for analysing landscape dynamics in diverse cultivated and natural mountain areas Erich Tasser Æ Flavio V. Ruffini Æ Ulrike Tappeiner Received: 6 December 2007 / Accepted ...
Against a background of increasing land use intensification on favorable agricultural areas and l... more Against a background of increasing land use intensification on favorable agricultural areas and land abandonment on less arable areas in the Alps, the aim of this investigation was to detect whether and how 10 differently used types of grassland can be distinguished by site factors, plant species composition, and biodiversity. By using a very large number of vegetation surveys (936)
ABSTRACT Simulating heavy rain events to analyze potential surface runoff and related soil erosio... more ABSTRACT Simulating heavy rain events to analyze potential surface runoff and related soil erosion is a well-established approach in alpine ecology and hydrology. In steep and inaccessible terrain with highly variable relief and vegetation, as occurs in mountainous regions, the rain simulators used to date are often not adapted to the abovementioned characteristics. This study reviews heavy rainfall simulators and presents a consequentially developed rain simulator that covers an area of 10 m2. The results of simulated heavy rainfall events (100 mm h− 1) demonstrated the sprinkling equipment used here to be a useful tool, delivering robust results when studying surface runoff at small scales in a heterogeneous terrain. A comparison to rainfall simulation on a 50 m2 plot revealed no significant differences, which demonstrates the equipment used at the scale of 10 m2 to be above a “minimum area” for rainfall simulation. Finally, the impacts of plot size on runoff behavior are discussed to provide useful information using a rainfall simulator in the field. The presented rainfall simulator turned out to be a valuable tool for obtaining more detailed information on the surface runoff of small patterned landscapes (i.e., in both natural and managed grass and dwarf-shrublands) by delivering results comparable to those of larger-scale rain simulators (covering 50 or 100 m2).
ABSTRACT We have developed an integrated modeling framework (IMF) to quantify indicators for ecos... more ABSTRACT We have developed an integrated modeling framework (IMF) to quantify indicators for ecosystem services (ES) and economic development (ED) in agricultural landscapes. Austria serves as a case study in which impacts, trade-offs, and synergies of ES and ED are assessed for different agricultural policy pathways and regional climate change scenarios. Agricultural intensification and incentivized use of provisioning ES (e.g. biomass production) lead to higher macro-economic output (e.g. GDP) but usually reduce ES related to regulation and maintenance (e.g. ecological integrity, climate regulation), as well as cultural services (landscape diversity). We revealed both synergies for certain ES (e.g. biomass production and soil organic carbon stocks) as well as large spatial deviations from the national mean across the heterogeneous agricultural landscapes in Austria. Climate change scenarios (i) lead to substantial variation in ES and ED indicators and (ii) usually amplify trade-offs by stimulating land use intensification. Our findings depict the complex relationship between different ES and ED indicators as well as the importance of considering spatial heterogeneity and regional climate change. This assessment can help to improve targeting of agri-environmental schemes in order to provide a more balanced and efficient supply of ES and to foster rural development.
Public participation in scientific research, now commonly referred to as citizen science, is incr... more Public participation in scientific research, now commonly referred to as citizen science, is increasingly promoted as a possibility to overcome the large-scale data limitations related to biodiversity and conservation research. Furthermore, public data-collection projects can stimulate public engagement and provide transformative learning situations. However, biodiversity monitoring depends on sound data collection and warranted data quality. Therefore, we investigated if and how trained and supervised pupils are able to systematically collect data about the occurrence of diurnal butterflies, and how this data could contribute to a permanent butterfly monitoring system. We developed a specific assessment scheme suitable for laypeople and applied it at 35 sampling sites in Tyrol, Austria. Data quality and its explanatory power to predict butterfly habitat quality was investigated comparing data collected by pupils with independent assessments of professional butterfly experts. Despite substantial identification uncertainties for some species or species groups, the data collected by pupils was successfully used to predict the general habitat quality for butterflies using a linear regression model (r² = 0.73, p <0.001). Applying the proposed method in a citizen science context with laypeople could support both the long term monitoring of butterfly habitat quality, as well as the efficient selection of sites for professional in-depth assessments.
... Land-use changes and natural reforestation in the Eastern Central Alps. ... The study sites s... more ... Land-use changes and natural reforestation in the Eastern Central Alps. ... The study sites selected on the municipality level (1:25,000) are situated in four agrarian structure regions in the Alps: &#x27;Innsbruck Land&#x27;, &#x27;Südtiroler Berggebiet&#x27;, &#x27;Unterland/Überetsch&#x27; and &#x27;Carnia&#x27;. ...
ABSTRACT Traditional agro-forest systems (TAFS) link the two ecosystems forest and grassland and ... more ABSTRACT Traditional agro-forest systems (TAFS) link the two ecosystems forest and grassland and are an attractive, species-rich land-use type in the European cultural landscape. In the past decades, particularly in mountainous regions, socio economic changes have resulted in their abandonment or intensification of use. Our study employed plant traits to analyze and understand the consequences that abandonment and intensification have on plant species diversity, functional diversity and the provision of ecosystem services of larch (Larix decidua) grassland, a TAFS in the European Alps. By applying commonly used traits such as growth form and pollination agent, together with less used traits such as flower color and edible or healing plants, we found highest plant species diversity in traditionally managed larch meadows and larch pastures, while functional diversity was seen to be high also in abandoned larch grasslands. We further show that provision of the ecosystem services scenic beauty and pollination is best in traditionally managed larch meadows and larch pastures. Regarding the provision of edible or healing plants, the largest species pool was found in traditionally managed larch meadows, while the highest species coverage was found in intensively managed larch meadows. Summarizing our results, we deduce that both the abandonment and intensification of larch grasslands result in a loss of plant diversity and a decrease in provided ecosystem services. Consequently, enhancement of our knowledge through further investigation of TAFS is essential for the maintenance and conservation of these valuable cultural ecosystems.
Based on three case studies, the impact of sample size and sample randomness on the predictive ac... more Based on three case studies, the impact of sample size and sample randomness on the predictive accuracy of multilayer perceptrons (MLP) is investigated. The MLP prove to be useful for classiÿcation problems. Although they are dependent on the sample size and the non-linearity of the underlying problem, they achieve predictions superior to the classical methods. A so-called saturation curve describes the dependency of the network performance on the sample size. This function enables the user to evaluate the achieved network performance and the usefulness of additional data. For reliable and generalizable results, the calculation of prediction intervals for the network is essential. It is demonstrated that the network leads to narrower conÿdence intervals of the performance measures in comparison to classical methods even for small sample sizes. The experiments show the validity of the law, for even relatively small sample sizes, that the standard error of the hit ratio decreases by one over the square root of the sample size. Therefore, the suggestion is to estimate the standard error for a given sample size by randomly drawing smaller sample sizes, and then rescaling the standard error accordingly.
In landscape planning, land-use types need to be compared including the ecosystem services they p... more In landscape planning, land-use types need to be compared including the ecosystem services they provide. With multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), ecological economics offers a useful tool for environmental questions but mostly case-specific criteria are applied. This, however, makes it difficult to compare findings. Therefore, we present a systematic framework that includes the ecosystem services as criteria into MCDA. The ecological quantification of the provided ecosystem services is combined with the assigned importance of the single ecosystem services. In a case study from the central Alps, we compared three land-use alternatives resulting from land-use change caused by socio-economic pressures: traditional larch (Larix decidua) meadow, spruce forest (abandonment) and intensive meadow (intensification). Criteria for the MCDA model were selected by experts, criteria importance was ranked by stakeholders and criteria values were assessed with qualitative and quantitative indicators. Eventually spruce forest was ranked as the best land-use alternative followed by traditional larch meadow and intensive meadow. The combined approach of MCDA using ecosystem services as criteria showed how criteria weightings and criteria indicator values influence land-use alternatives' performance. The MCDA-model visualizes the consequences of land-use change for ecosystem service provision, facilitating landscape planning by structuring environmental problems and providing data for decisions.
... a Institute for Alpine Environment, European Academy Bozen/Bolzano, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Boze... more ... a Institute for Alpine Environment, European Academy Bozen/Bolzano, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bozen/Bolzano, Italy. ... The mean altitudes of the defined potential treeline are 2000 m at the Alpine margin, and 22002350 m in the central regions of the European Alps. ...
The European Alps and their surroundings is a heterogeneous region, where different spatial condi... more The European Alps and their surroundings is a heterogeneous region, where different spatial conditions require appropriate research approaches as well as political and planning strategies. Researchers and decision makers are dependent principally on information relating to environmental and spatial characteristics in their area of interest. Up until now and following the call of Agenda 21, a significant amount of information has already been compiled in a variety of sustainability-indicator systems that also contain information on spatial conditions. The aim of the presented study was to develop a regional typology of the European Alps and their surroundings, on the basis of spatial-pattern indicators.
... and Graf, 1998; see Randall et al., 1994 for a review) or snowmelt-runoff processes ([Leavesl... more ... and Graf, 1998; see Randall et al., 1994 for a review) or snowmelt-runoff processes ([Leavesly ... In particular in mountainous areas, access during the snow melt period is difficult or even ... Whereas the spatio-temporal dynamics of snowmelt (onset, duration) clearly depend on the ...
A modelling approach based on discriminant analysis and the GIS (geographical information system)... more A modelling approach based on discriminant analysis and the GIS (geographical information system) is presented with the aim of identifying the influence of environmental parameters and human impact on the Alpine cultural landscape. For testing the model we used the vegetation patterns of an area of 5 km 2 between 1300 and 2300 m above sea level in the Central Alps (Passeier Valley, Italy). The overall prediction for the highly heterogeneous vegetation (a total of 21 different vegetation units characterized by high biodiversity) is in the order of 78% (pixel to pixel correspondence), the probability of correct classification by chance is only 21%. Only two vegetation units were totally misclassified, whereas six were classified correctly at almost 100%, a further seven at 60 -80% and the remaining six at 20-50%. The proportion of unexplained variability in the research area may to some degree be attributed to the snow distribution pattern and to the use of a more detailed scale of spatial grazing habits. The most important lack of information, however, concerns land use history. Simulation analysis shows that human impact and elevation exert a major influence on the vegetation, whereas hydrological parameters and radiation do not greatly affect biodiversity and vegetation patterns in the study area.
Land use change Forest regeneration pattern Spatially-explicit model a b s t r a c t In addition ... more Land use change Forest regeneration pattern Spatially-explicit model a b s t r a c t In addition to the effects of climate change, land use change is expected to trigger dynamic processes that may shift alpine tree lines upwards. To gain a conceptual understanding of the spatio-temporal processes shaping tree line patterns, we developed an individual-based and spatially-explicit model of spontaneous forest regeneration at the alpine tree line. Remote sensing data were integrated with the succession processes for individual trees in an object based image analysis approach. The model presented here predicts patterns of natural forest regeneration on a summer pasture in the Austrian Central Alps between 1954 and 2006. Different model scenarios are compared to the actual forest regeneration during the study period to validate the model's structure and its sensitivity to changing input parameters. The model's main process parameters are tested in four scenarios: A baseline scenario with the most likely input parameters derived from empirical studies in the literature; and three scenarios with differing parameters for seed production, seed dispersal kernel, and seedling competition with the ground vegetation. The tests largely confirm the model's formulation. The baseline scenario correctly predicts a significant upwards shift of the tree line elevation. Moreover it is demonstrated that (1) fecundity is a crucial factor in the expansion of forest into open land, (2) land cover and land use history have a significant impact on the emergence of forest regeneration patterns and (3) the dispersal kernel of Norway spruce has a long-distance component. We thus identified the key processes operating under environmental change from the characteristics of spatial changes in tree line patterns over the last 50 years.
Surface roughness Snow-gliding model a b s t r a c t Snow gliding is a key component leading to n... more Surface roughness Snow-gliding model a b s t r a c t Snow gliding is a key component leading to natural hazards, i.e. avalanches and erosions, and due to ongoing global changes has become a topic of major concern. Spatial information on snow gliding is important for management purposes, but, to date, lack of knowledge about key drivers for the snow-glide process hindered the development of a spatial snowglide model (SSGM). We report the most important drivers for snow gliding derived from analyzing snow-glide distances taken over five winter periods in two climatically different study areas by ordinary least-squares regression. Six variables (forest stand, slope angle, winter precipitation, surface roughness, slope aspect west, slope aspect east) were revealed as key drivers and enabled us for the first time to establish a SSGM. Both model development (R 2 = 0.838) and model validation (R 2 = 0.823) exhibit outstanding accuracy of prediction.
Long-term trends including depopulation and shifts in agricultural policies and management have l... more Long-term trends including depopulation and shifts in agricultural policies and management have led to large-scale land-use changes throughout the European Alps which are likely to affect the size of carbon (C) stocks of the respective land-use types. This article analyzes landscape-scale changes of C-stocks present in the vegetation in relation to historical land use (1865), current land use , and three contrasting scenarios of future land use (2020) in the Stubai Valley, Austria. Results show that more than 47% of the total valley area and more than 90% of the usable agricultural area have undergone a change in land use during the last approximately 140 years. Changes of land use were seen to peak between 1954 and 1973 and slow down there after. Phytomass and C-stocks in 1865 amounted to 63.1 Mg ha -1 and 30.8 Mg C ha -1 , and increased until 2003 to 75.8 Mg ha -1 and 37.2 Mg C ha -1 , respectively. Evaluations along an altitudinal gradient indicate the highest C gain to be in the sub-Alpine belt (more than doubling of the C-stock) due to the abandonment of pastures and hay meadows. All future scenarios project only a minor increase in phytomass (0.3-2.8 Mg ha -1 ) and C-stocks (0.2-1.4 Mg C ha -1 ) because major elements of the landscape (forests, rocks, screes) will be either largely unaffected or are unimportant in their spatial extent (built environment).
Flora - Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants, 2011
Apart from forests, the landscape of the Alps is dominated by grasslands, where they account for ... more Apart from forests, the landscape of the Alps is dominated by grasslands, where they account for up to 40% of the agricultural area. This study focuses on the main man-made grassland plant communities of the Eastern Alps, shows their current spatial distribution and examines how strongly the influence of land use and site factors determines the communities. Discriminant analysis was
ABSTRACT Better understanding of surface runoff quantity for distinct hydrological units becomes ... more ABSTRACT Better understanding of surface runoff quantity for distinct hydrological units becomes increasingly important as many rainfall–runoff models use static surface runoff coefficients and neglect key factors affecting ecohydrological dynamics, e.g. land cover and land use. Especially in small-scale alpine catchments, surface runoff and its contribution to mountain torrent runoff is frequently underestimated. In our study, the seasonal variability of surface runoff on abandoned areas and pastures in the alpine catchment ‘Kaserstattalm’ (Stubai Valley, Austria, Eastern Alps) was analyzed using a rain simulator along with soil water content (SWC) and soil water tension (SWT) measurements. Additionally, seasonal variability of soil physical and soil hydraulic properties were assessed. Analyzing more than 30 rainfall simulations on 10 m2 plots at a rate of 90 mm h−1 (equivalent to convective precipitation events with 100 years return period) revealed a mean surface runoff coefficient of 0.01 on abandoned areas and 0.18 on pastures. Regarding seasonal variability, relevant surface runoff was limited to pastures in autumn with a maximum runoff coefficient of 0.25. The field capacity (Fc) of all soils was found to be stable throughout the season. However, for pastures, cattle trampling led to a significant increase of dry bulk density (BD) of up to +0.33 g cm−3 (p ⩽ 0.01) in the top 0.1 m of the soil which is attributed to a compaction of macropores. Although measured infiltration rates decreased by more than 60%, BD could ‘recover’ during the winter season presumably due to freezing-and-thawing cycles and bioturbation processes decreasing soil compaction. This study highlights that impacts of land-use changes on soil physical properties make surface runoff difficult to model. Moreover, dynamic and interactive behaviour of soil parameters have to be considered in order to make realistic assessments and accurate predictions of surface runoff rates. Finally, land-use effects on runoff formation in general and significance at catchment scale are discussed.
The Sieversio montanae-Nardetum strictae is one of the most widespread plant communities in (sub-... more The Sieversio montanae-Nardetum strictae is one of the most widespread plant communities in (sub-) alpine regions of the Alps. Our study examines the composition, ecology and distribution of this plant community in the Eastern Alps and addresses the issue of how the community is to be classified in the phytosociological system of Nardusrich grasslands. Therefore, 357 vegetation relevés were taken from the literature and 115 from our own inventories were recorded from 2005 to 2007 in Western Austria (mostly Tyrol) and Northern Italy (mostly South Tyrol). Additionally, indicator values of Ellenberg and land-use information were used to help better interpret the ecological site conditions of the subgroups. The HCA revealed there the existence of four groups of the Sieversio montanae-Nardetum strictae, which were classified to subassociations: (1) typicum, (2) vaccinietosum, (3) trifolietosum pratensis, and (4) seslerietosum albicantis. Besides the specific plant composition, altitude specifies the first, land-use intensity the second and third, and the pH of the topsoil the fourth subassociation. For the Eastern Alps, the plant community of the Sieversio montanae-Nardetum strictae should now be reclassified in the order of Nardetalia and the class of Calluno-Ulicetea. Finally, this plant community can be further classified by using the four above-mentioned subassociations.
Page 1. RESEARCH ARTICLE An integrative approach for analysing landscape dynamics in diverse cult... more Page 1. RESEARCH ARTICLE An integrative approach for analysing landscape dynamics in diverse cultivated and natural mountain areas Erich Tasser Æ Flavio V. Ruffini Æ Ulrike Tappeiner Received: 6 December 2007 / Accepted ...
Against a background of increasing land use intensification on favorable agricultural areas and l... more Against a background of increasing land use intensification on favorable agricultural areas and land abandonment on less arable areas in the Alps, the aim of this investigation was to detect whether and how 10 differently used types of grassland can be distinguished by site factors, plant species composition, and biodiversity. By using a very large number of vegetation surveys (936)
ABSTRACT Simulating heavy rain events to analyze potential surface runoff and related soil erosio... more ABSTRACT Simulating heavy rain events to analyze potential surface runoff and related soil erosion is a well-established approach in alpine ecology and hydrology. In steep and inaccessible terrain with highly variable relief and vegetation, as occurs in mountainous regions, the rain simulators used to date are often not adapted to the abovementioned characteristics. This study reviews heavy rainfall simulators and presents a consequentially developed rain simulator that covers an area of 10 m2. The results of simulated heavy rainfall events (100 mm h− 1) demonstrated the sprinkling equipment used here to be a useful tool, delivering robust results when studying surface runoff at small scales in a heterogeneous terrain. A comparison to rainfall simulation on a 50 m2 plot revealed no significant differences, which demonstrates the equipment used at the scale of 10 m2 to be above a “minimum area” for rainfall simulation. Finally, the impacts of plot size on runoff behavior are discussed to provide useful information using a rainfall simulator in the field. The presented rainfall simulator turned out to be a valuable tool for obtaining more detailed information on the surface runoff of small patterned landscapes (i.e., in both natural and managed grass and dwarf-shrublands) by delivering results comparable to those of larger-scale rain simulators (covering 50 or 100 m2).
ABSTRACT We have developed an integrated modeling framework (IMF) to quantify indicators for ecos... more ABSTRACT We have developed an integrated modeling framework (IMF) to quantify indicators for ecosystem services (ES) and economic development (ED) in agricultural landscapes. Austria serves as a case study in which impacts, trade-offs, and synergies of ES and ED are assessed for different agricultural policy pathways and regional climate change scenarios. Agricultural intensification and incentivized use of provisioning ES (e.g. biomass production) lead to higher macro-economic output (e.g. GDP) but usually reduce ES related to regulation and maintenance (e.g. ecological integrity, climate regulation), as well as cultural services (landscape diversity). We revealed both synergies for certain ES (e.g. biomass production and soil organic carbon stocks) as well as large spatial deviations from the national mean across the heterogeneous agricultural landscapes in Austria. Climate change scenarios (i) lead to substantial variation in ES and ED indicators and (ii) usually amplify trade-offs by stimulating land use intensification. Our findings depict the complex relationship between different ES and ED indicators as well as the importance of considering spatial heterogeneity and regional climate change. This assessment can help to improve targeting of agri-environmental schemes in order to provide a more balanced and efficient supply of ES and to foster rural development.
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Papers by Ulrike Tappeiner