European Mountain Regions Research Articles

MAPPING ALPINE VEGETATION LOCATION PROPERTIES BY DENSE MATCHING

Highly accurate 3D micro topographic mapping in mountain research demands for light equipment and low cost solutions. Recent developments in structure from motion and dense matching techniques provide promising tools for such applications. In the following, the feasibility of terrestrial photogrammetry for mapping topographic location properties of sparsely vegetated areas in selected European mountain regions is investigated. Changes in species composition at alpine vegetation locations are indicators of climate change consequences, such as the pronounced rise of average temperatures in mountains compared to the global average. Better understanding of climate change effects on plants demand for investigations on a micro-topographic scale. We use professional and consumer grade digital single-lens reflex cameras mapping 288 plots each 3 x 3 m on 18 summits in the Alps and Mediterranean Mountains within the GLORIA (GLobal Observation Research Initiative in Alpine environments) network. Image matching tests result in accuracies that are in the order of millimetres in the XY-plane and below 0.5 mm in Z-direction at the second image pyramid level. Reconstructing vegetation proves to be a challenge due to its fine and small structured architecture and its permanent movement by wind during image acquisition, which is omnipresent on mountain summits. The produced 3D point clouds are gridded to 6 mm resolution from which topographic parameters such as slope, aspect and roughness are derived. At a later project stage these parameters will be statistically linked to botanical reference data in order to conclude on relations between specific location properties and species compositions.

Climate extremes during high competition contribute to mortality in unmanaged self-thinning Norway spruce stands in Bulgaria

Climatic variability often is thought to be most important for ecosystem development at ecotones, while competition is thought to be most important farther from ecotones, where neighboring plants compete for scarce resources. However, climatic variability may also modulate consequences of competition, especially under recent and future climate change. Norway spruce (Picea abies) forests are among the most important ecosystems in the mountain regions of Europe and provide various ecosystem services. Many of these forests are currently in a self-thinning, stem-exclusion phase. Understanding processes governing forest dynamics during this phase is necessary for understanding future forest structure and processes as well as effects of climatic variability on ongoing forest development. We studied growth and mortality patterns in unmanaged 100–150years-old Norway spruce forests that originated after stand-replacing disturbances in the Parangalitsa Reserve in Bulgaria. We collected data on forest structure and tree ring samples from 648 live and dead trees (DBH >4cm) to analyze onset, pattern and duration of mortality, as well as contributing factors.We found that climate extremes acted together with competition to cause sharp growth declines lasting from a few years to several decades and, in some cases, eventually led to death. The majority of dead trees had one to several consecutive growth declines, most of which initiated in response to extreme summer droughts during periods of high within-stand competition (after trees were 40–50years old). Our tree-ring analysis revealed that some suppressed trees that died were more drought-sensitive than living trees. Other climate extremes such as unusually cold winters or summers also contributed to sharp growth reductions in some cases. Trees that died had significantly lower initial radial growth, which suggests that in the absence of external disturbances, the outcome of mortality in the stem-exclusion stage may be pre-determined from factors that determine initial growth rates. Spatial distribution data showed that there was no significant aggregation of dead and live trees and that in almost all cases, neither live nor dead trees were clustered.Our findings contribute to understanding mortality processes in self-thinning subalpine Norway spruce forests in Europe and show that under climate change scenarios that include more frequent future droughts, even forests in which competition is thought to be the main driver of dynamics, may experience higher rates of mortality.

Are interest groups different in the factors determining landscape preferences?

In the last decades, rural landscape in Europe has evolved from an agricultural by-product to an important public good. This development creates not only new challenges to farming practices, it also makes participation and public involvement an indispensable tool for sustainable landscape planning. This is especially true for many European mountain regions, where tourism represents an important source of income and conflicts between locals’ and tourists’ interests should be avoided. In our study, we analyze whether discrepancies in the perception of the Alpine landscape can be located between locals and tourists and, if these differences exist, in which aspects these two groups are differing. A model employing three general factors able to describe landscape preferences regardless of the personal background is suggested and validated by confirmatory factor analysis. Our major finding shows that an attractive landscape for tourists does not have to be contradictory to a landscape that supports a high living quality for locals. Compromises in landscape planning between locals’ and tourists’ requirements seem often not to be necessary as they, generally, do not differ in the way they experience and assess the landscape.

Late Pleistocene hyena skeleton remains of a communal/prey depot cave den in the Bohemian Mountains (Czech Republic) – its osteology, taphonomy and palaeoecology

AbstractA total of 366 bones are arranged to six incomplete individual skeletons (=MNI) of different age classes and taphonomic preservation from the Late Pleistocene Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823) hyena den Srbsko Chlum–Komín Cave, Czech Republic, Bohemian Mountains (Central Europe). The hyena assemblage counts no siblings, 37% cub, 33% early adult/subadult and 30% adult/senile individuals. A senile scavenged individual demonstrates the cannibalism within the cave. About 10% of the 3569 megafauna bones are from hyenas which larger amounts are typical at communal/prey depot den sites. This site is different to three other larger natal/birth and communal or prey depot hyena den cave sites in Czech Republic. The Chlum–Komín Cave hyena prey bone assemblage (=NISP) consists, similar as at two other Czech Republic sites, mainly of Equus ferus przewalskii (50%), including pregnant females being hunted in spring/early summer. The fewer amounts of Coelodonta antiquitatis (4%), Bison priscus (2%), Rangifer tarandus (15%), and alpine Rupicapra rupicapra (2%) or Capra ibex (1%) and the absence of mammoth correlate to hyena den bone assemblages in middle high elevated mountain regions of northern/central Europe. The rareness of cave bears in the Bohemian Mountains, on which hyenas specialized to feed additionally in European mountain regions, explains predominant predation on horses.

Collaborative working environment and knowledge databank for agroforestry training and education

The aim of the AgroFE project (http://www.agrofe.eu) is to develop vocational training in the field of agroforestry in six countries. Several levels of training are targeted by the project, levels N3-N4 relate to farmers and future farmers, levels N5-N6 affect (future) advisors, trainers, teachers, and technicians who are working in the domain. In the context of ICT related to the AgroFE project there are four components: the collaborative tools, the knowledge databank, the tools for training and a portal that integrates the tools. The Agrof-MM Erasmus+ project reinforces the AgroFE project that ended in December 2015. The objective of the Agrof-MM project is to train European agricultural stakeholders in agroforestry practices. The project will give them the opportunity to familiarise themselves with agroforestry, and to improve their knowledge of it, in order to work towards the development of agroforestry in the Mediterranean and mountain regions of Europe.

Collaborative working environment and knowledge databank for agroforestry training and education

The aim of the AgroFE project (http://www.agrofe.eu) is to develop vocational training in the field of agroforestry in six countries. Several levels of training are targeted by the project, levels N3-N4 relate to farmers and future farmers, levels N5-N6 affect (future) advisors, trainers, teachers, and technicians who are working in the domain. In the context of ICT related to the AgroFE project there are four components: the collaborative tools, the knowledge databank, the tools for training and a portal that integrates the tools. The Agrof-MM Erasmus+ project reinforces the AgroFE project that ended in December 2015. The objective of the Agrof-MM project is to train European agricultural stakeholders in agroforestry practices. The project will give them the opportunity to familiarise themselves with agroforestry, and to improve their knowledge of it, in order to work towards the development of agroforestry in the Mediterranean and mountain regions of Europe.

Singing Polyphony

Polyphony, often used to describe a type of composition in early European music, is also practiced in other parts of the world, not only for aesthetic enjoyment but also to strengthen a society’s cohesiveness. Examples of such musical traditions are found in sub-Saharan Africa and many mountainous regions of Europe, where group singing or music-making is part of the communal lifestyle. However, polyphony in Asian music, especially in East Asia, is rarely discussed. This article introduces two polyphonic singing traditions in East Asia: in the Wa people of southwest China and the Thao people of Taiwan. Members of these groups frequently use polyphonic techniques such as canonic imitation, antiphonal singing, melodic ostinato, or drone to accompany many sociocultural events. This article provides guidelines and teaching strategies for music educators to implement the interdisciplinary lessons in their classroom.

On the relationship between ecosystem-scale hyperspectral reflectance and CO<sub>2</sub> exchange in European mountain grasslands

Abstract. In this paper we explore the skill of hyperspectral reflectance measurements and vegetation indices (VIs) derived from these in estimating carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes of grasslands. Hyperspectral reflectance data, CO2 fluxes and biophysical parameters were measured at three grassland sites located in European mountain regions using standardized protocols. The relationships between CO2 fluxes, ecophysiological variables, traditional VIs and VIs derived using all two-band combinations of wavelengths available from the whole hyperspectral data space were analysed. We found that VIs derived from hyperspectral data generally explained a large fraction of the variability in the investigated dependent variables but differed in their ability to estimate midday and daily average CO2 fluxes and various derived ecophysiological parameters. Relationships between VIs and CO2 fluxes and ecophysiological parameters were site-specific, likely due to differences in soils, vegetation parameters and environmental conditions. Chlorophyll and water-content-related VIs explained the largest fraction of variability in most of the dependent variables. Band selection based on a combination of a genetic algorithm with random forests (GA–rF) confirmed that it is difficult to select a universal band region suitable across the investigated ecosystems. Our findings have major implications for upscaling terrestrial CO2 fluxes to larger regions and for remote- and proximal-sensing sampling and analysis strategies and call for more cross-site synthesis studies linking ground-based spectral reflectance with ecosystem-scale CO2 fluxes.

Scientific collectives in region-building processes (Reprint)

Abstract During the last 30 years, growing demand for science-based policy making has contributed to the mobilization of scientific cooperation alongside transnational political arrangements for addressing environmental issues. Following the contemporary trend toward regionalizing environmental policy and practice, many of these scientific joint efforts have focused on a regional scale. This article examines regional scientific cooperation in the context of the institutionalization of mountain regions in Europe. Such cooperation can be observed from the Pyrenees to Central Asia, albeit with a degree of variation that largely remains unexplored in scientific research. Sometimes scientific cooperation served to lay the groundwork of a mountain policy initiative, other times it appeared in its wake; some examples appear as loose networks of individual scientists, others are set up as formalized monitoring and observation centers; finally, some scientific joint efforts are formally linked to, or incorporated in a mountain policy initiative, while others are largely independent. The article proposes a new typology for understanding the interactions between regional scientific mobilization and regional policy making and provides up-to-date portraits of six main cases.

Melting law: Learning from practice in transboundary mountain regions

Abstract Transboundary mountain regions in Europe emerge as normative spaces at the intersection of territorial and environmental governance. Constituting a meeting point of different national legal orders under the umbrella of international regimes, they have become natural laboratories for the development of cross-border law. The objective of this article is to examine the nature and normative dimension of such legal environments. To this end, we introduce the concept of ‘melting law’ as a means to assess the re-combination of different modes of conventional, national, international, supranational and/or interregional normativities. Hard (national) laws melt within the framework of transboundary mountain regions as a legal category, based on a mixture of national, international (or EU) and interregional norms, each combining with the other by softening their usual normative impact. Building on a review of legal approaches to mountains and cross-border cooperation practices, we trace the development of “melting law” and “melted law” through a discussion of the legal framework for and the impact of “working communities” and the “European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation” (EGTC). The discussion mobilizes a global approach with a view to generate new insights into the legal challenges facing transboundary mountain governance in Europe.

Analysis of governance systems applied in multifunctional forest management in selected European mountain regions / Analýza systémov governancie využívaných pri multifunkčnom manažmente lesov vo vybraných európskych horských oblastiach

Abstract The objective of this study is to map and analyse governance systems relevant for the implementation of multifunctional mountain forest management in selected European countries. This paper is based on the FP7 research project Advanced multifunctional forest management in European mountain ranges (ARANGE). Current governance systems relevant for the implementation of multifunctional forest management are analysed in seven case study areas: the Iberian Mountains (Spain), Western Alps (France), Eastern Alps (Austria), Dinaric Mountains (Slovenia), Scandinavian Mountains (Sweden), Western Carpathians (Slovakia) and Western Rhodopes (Bulgaria). Qualitative social research methods were applied for data collection. Semi-structured questionnaire was focused on the following elements of governance: participation and stakeholders interactions and inter-sectorial coordination. The results indicate that forest managers share a general perception of multifunctional forest management being focused on preserving or strengthening several forest functions and services including timber production. They believe that current governance systems basically support multifunctional management of mountain forests. The participatory and inter-sectoral processes are playing an important role in multifunctional forest management in selected European mountain regions.

Scientific collectives in region-building processes

During the last 30 years, growing demand for science-based policy making has contributed to the mobilization of scientific cooperation alongside transnational political arrangements for addressing environmental issues. Following the contemporary trend toward regionalizing environmental policy and practice, many of these scientific joint efforts have focused on a regional scale. This article examines regional scientific cooperation in the context of the institutionalization of mountain regions in Europe. Such cooperation can be observed from the Pyrenees to Central Asia, albeit with a degree of variation that largely remains unexplored in scientific research. Sometimes scientific cooperation served to lay the groundwork of a mountain policy initiative, other times it appeared in its wake; some examples appear as loose networks of individual scientists, others are set up as formalized monitoring and observation centers; finally, some scientific joint efforts are formally linked to, or incorporated in a mountain policy initiative, while others are largely independent. The article proposes a new typology for understanding the interactions between regional scientific mobilization and regional policy making and provides up-to-date portraits of six main cases.

In search of glacial refuges of the land snail Orcula dolium (Pulmonata, Orculidae)--an integrative approach using DNA sequence and fossil data.

Harboring a large number of endemic species, the Alps and the Western Carpathians are considered as major centers of biodiversity. Nonetheless, the general opinion until the turn of the millennium was that both Central European mountain regions did not provide suitable habitat during the Last Glacial Maximum, but were colonized later from southern refuges. However, recent molecular genetic studies provide new evidence for peripheral Alpine refuges. We studied the phylogeography of the calciphilous land snail O. dolium across its distribution in the Alps and the Western Carpathians to assess the amount of intraspecific differentiation and to detect potential glacial refuges. A partial sequence of the mitochondrial COI was analyzed in 373 specimens from 135 sampling sites, and for a subset of individuals, partial sequences of the mitochondrial 16S and the nuclear histone H3 and H4 were sequenced. A molecular clock analysis was combined with a reconstruction of the species’ geographic range history to estimate how its lineages spread in the course of time. In order to obtain further information on the species’ past distribution, we also screened its extensive Pleistocene fossil record. The reconstruction of geographic range history suggests that O. dolium is of Western Carpathian origin and diversified already around the Miocene-Pliocene boundary. The fossil record supports the species’ presence at more than 40 sites during the last glacial and earlier cold periods, most of them in the Western Carpathians and the Pannonian Basin. The populations of O. dolium display a high genetic diversity with maximum intraspecific p-distances of 18.4% (COI) and 14.4% (16S). The existence of various diverged clades suggests the survival in several geographically separated refuges. Moreover, the sequence patterns provide evidence of multiple migrations between the Alps and the Western Carpathians. The results indicate that the Southern Calcareous Alps were probably colonized only during the Holocene.

Inter- and transdisciplinary perspective on the integration of ecological processes into ecosystem services analysis in a mountain region

IntroductionEcosystem goods and services (EGS) studies have had little impact on policy processes and real-world decision-making due to limited understanding of the interactions and feedbacks among ecological, social and economic processes. Here we present an inter- and transdisciplinary analysis of global change impacts on EGS provision in a European mountain region. Our aim is to evaluate the projected influence of ecological, economic and social drivers on future EGS provision and to show possible ways to address the predominant limitations of EGS studies.MethodsThe integrated findings from ecological experiments, mechanistic models of landscape dynamics, socio-economic land-use models, policy analysis and transdisciplinary stakeholder interactions are presented consecutively. Four regionally downscaled global change scenarios, for a case study region near Visp, Switzerland (350 km2), were used to examine the impacts of climate and socio-economic changes on four ecosystem services, i.e., food provision, timber production, net greenhouse gas emissions and protection from natural hazards.ResultsOur simulation results reveal four key aspects that influence the future provision of mountain EGS. First, we show the high spatial and temporal heterogeneity of EGS provision even in a small case study region. Second, we find that climate change impacts are much more pronounced for forest EGS, while changes to agricultural EGS result primarily from shifts in economic conditions. Third, our modeling results reveal the complex trade-offs associated with the different scenarios. Fourth, simulations illustrate the importance of interactions between environmental shifts and economic decisions. We discuss our simulation results with respect to both existing policy networks and transdisciplinary stakeholder interactions.ConclusionWe describe a framework based on experiments and observations that effectively supports the integration of ecological processes into an integrative modeling chain of EGS provision in mountain regions, the political decision-making process and also transdisciplinary stakeholder interactions.

Light availability and ungulate browsing determine growth, height and mortality of Abies alba saplings

Ungulate browsing is one of the many factors that affect structure and species composition of forests. Silver fir (Abies alba) is a highly desirable tree species in many European mountain regions, but at the same time one of the most preferred tree species by ungulates. Failure of natural fir regeneration is thus often attributed to browsing.We employ natural light gradients with planted fir saplings but natural browsing to analyze: (i) under which light conditions fir saplings grow and survive best; (ii) where and which ungulate species browse saplings; and (iii) which saplings react and survive best after browsing. The experiment was carried out in a Swiss forest in two fenced plots where parts extended from closed stands into gaps and an unfenced plot under closed canopy. On the three plots 803 fir saplings had been planted in 2008. On half of the total area, browsing had been allowed in at least the winter of 2009/2010.The more light available, the better was the growth of the saplings before and after browsing. For canopy openness⩾11%, some fir saplings had large height increments irrespective of the exact light level. Video surveillance demonstrated that chamois was the only browsing ungulate species. Mortality was positively correlated with light availability, probably due to site preparation, i.e. mainly where ground vegetation was abundant, and with mouse browsing in one plot. Mortality due to chamois or mice was 2.8–16.4% in plots unfenced for one winter and 52% in the plot unfenced for three winters. A small fraction (10%) of browsed saplings that survived used flagging of a twig to form a new leader, and fully compensated for browsing-related height loss. The other saplings showed a partial compensation in the 2nd year after browsing with equally long shoots, but they still remained shorter than unbrowsed saplings. Saplings under a very dense canopy often did not react (7%).The strong impacts of ungulates on fir recruitment are thus more due to the strong preference of the ungulates for this tree species rather than to a low tolerance of fir to browsing. We do not recommend planting firs in forest gaps due to higher mortality rates, since: (1) competition with ground vegetation is higher in gaps, (2) they risk becoming desiccated and (3) mouse browsing is more likely. Thus we provide evidence that A. alba regeneration benefits from moderately shaded conditions.

Strategies of disadvantaged mountain dairy farmers as indicators of agricultural structural change: A case study of Murau, Austria

The decline in the number of farms, seen as one of the main dimensions of agricultural structural change, is presumed to predominantly take place in areas with farming difficulties, such as the disadvantaged European Alpine mountain regions. Especially regarding dairy farms, facing profound changes due to pending EU policy reforms, many questions remain unanswered concerning structural change patterns. This paper presents a follow-up qualitative study that for the first time visualizes a pattern of farm household strategies among Austrian dairy farmers in a specific particularly disadvantaged mountain region. The pattern contains disengaging farms, professionalizing farms, and three differing types of stable reproduction farms. The examination shows that this revealed typology provides a suitable framework for the ex ante indication of agricultural structural change.

The Institutionalization of Mountain Regions in Europe

Debarbieux B., Price M. F. and Balsiger J. The institutionalization of mountain regions in Europe, Regional Studies. Since the 1990s, many ‘project regions’ have emerged in Europe, a trend deriving from the tendency to adopt ad hoc institutions for specific spatial and environmental issues and the empowerment of diverse stakeholders who compete with the dominant role of states. This article addresses the building of institutionalized mountain regions in Europe, analysing how the specificity of mountain areas was considered in policies by states and the European Union, and later for transnational mountain ranges. Environmental and trans-boundary issues have been major driving forces for new institutional arrangements combining a territorial and environmental focus and complex networks of stakeholders.

PP045—The effects of yarrow’s (Achillea millefolium) hydro alcoholic extract on blood proteins in mice

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) means thousands leaves plant and belongs to Asteraceae family. Yarrow is a perennial plant which grows in mountainous regions of Europe, North Africa and East Asia (including North Iran and Alborz heights). This plant has many health benefits like treating problems of digestive system, respiratory system, cardiovascular system (stimulating blood circulation and lowering blood pressure), and genital-urinary system. In this study, the effect of Yarrow extract was evaluated on immunity parameters of blood serum in little female laboratory rats (Balb/C race). At first, samples were divided randomly in five groups: three treatment groups, one control group and one placebo group. Each group had eight members and all groups were kept in similar conditions. Hydroalcoholic extract was prepared in three doses including 50,100 and 200 mg/kg and was injected in peritoneum every two days for twenty days. Normal saline was injected to placebo group. All measurements were done using protein electrophoresis method. Measured parameters were albumin amount, α-1 and α-2 globulin, β globulin, gamma globulin, albumin globulin ratio, and total protein. Results showed that the amount of albumin, β globulin and total protein were increased in all three doses. α-2 were decreased in all treatments and α-1 were increased in all three doses but this increase was significant for doses 100 and 200 mg. Albumin globulin ratio was increased also in all treatments but it was significant only for 50 mg. Gamma globulin amount was increased in 50 and 100 mg but decreased a little in 200 mg. Results of this study showed that Yarrow extract caused significant changes in blood immune parameters and can affect immune system of body even in absence of antigenic factors. Nat. Env. & Poll. Tech. Website: www.neptjournal.com Received: 31-10-2012 Accepted: 3-12-2012

Can We Model the Scenic Beauty of an Alpine Landscape?

During the last decade, agriculture has lost its importance in many European mountain regions and tourism, which benefits from attractive landscapes, has become a major source of income. Changes in landscape patterns and elements might affect scenic beauty and therefore the socio-economic welfare of a region. Our study aimed at modeling scenic beauty by quantifying the influence of landscape elements and patterns in relationship to distance. Focusing on Alpine landscapes in South and North Tyrol, we used a photographic questionnaire showing different landscape compositions. As mountain landscapes offer long vistas, we related scenic beauty to different distance zones. Our results indicate that the near zone contributes by 64% to the valuation of scenic beauty, the middle zone by 22%, and the far zone by 14%. In contrast to artificial elements, naturalness and diversity increased scenic beauty. Significant differences between different social groups (origin, age, gender, cultural background) occurred only between the local population and tourists regarding great landscape changes. Changes towards more homogenous landscapes were perceived negatively, thus political decision makers should support the conservation of the cultural landscape.

Do the elevational limits of deciduous tree species match their thermal latitudinal limits?

AbstractAimWe compared the upper limits of 18 deciduous tree species with respect to elevation in Switzerland and latitude in Europe. We hypothesized that species would exhibit the same relative positions along elevation and latitude, which can be expected if species have reached their thermal cold limit along both gradients.LocationEurope and Switzerland.MethodsWe developed a method to identify a least biased estimate of the elevational and latitudinal cold temperature limits of species and for comparing the relative rank positions with respect to these two limits. We applied an algorithm to calculate the elevation of the potential tree line for each point in the gridded landscape of Europe and Switzerland. For each occurrence of each species, the elevation was extracted from digital elevation models. The vertical distance between the elevation of the potential regional climatic tree line and the uppermost species occurrences was calculated and used for comparisons between elevation and latitude.ResultsWe found a strong relationship between the thermal latitudinal and elevational distances of species’ cold limits to the potential tree line, with only marginally significantly different rank positions (P = 0.057) detected along elevational and latitudinal gradients. A first group of nine species showed very similar thermal distances to the potential tree lines along elevation and latitude. Among these species, eight showed a significant decrease in their elevational limit towards high latitudes across mountainous regions of Europe. A second group of seven species occupied a climatic niche closer to the tree line at the edge of their latitudinal range, and only two species did not fill their thermal niche.Main conclusionsOur study provides support for the common concept of a species range–environment equilibrium. Notably, we did not detect a stronger deviation for the filling of thermal niches at latitudinal limits compared with elevational limits, although the former involves a species covering a much greater geographic distance.