Susalps Conference: Montane and alpine grasslands under climate change – ways in a sustainable future
Venue
St.-Martin-Straße 4
82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen
The conference addresses diverse aspects of the challenges and changes in montane and alpine grasslands – looking into the soils and their microbiome, vegetation dynamics, the socio-economic dimension of their ecosystem services and the future of seasonal mountain pastures.
Pastures and natural grasslands are an important part of the montane and alpine landscape ranging from intensive grasslands in the lower regions to highly diverse seasonal mountain pastures and specialized natural ecosystems. These grasslands fulfill various ecosystem services like carbon and nitrogen storage, habitat for plant and animal species, feeding of domestic herbivores, and recreation. However, climate and land use changes affect montane and alpine grasslands and their capacity to provide the different ecosystem services.
During the conference innovative approaches to monitor grasslands through remote sensing and the potential of modelling to assess future development pathways are presented. Finally, the conference will present examples of knowledge transfer between science and practice to support a sustainable use of these ecosystems.
Keynote Speaker
- Christopher Pöplau (Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut)
- Mariapina Castelli (EURAC, Bozen)
- Marcel Van Oijen (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Edinburgh)
- Uta Schirpke (EURAC, Bozen)
- Susanne Aigner (Umweltbüro GmbH, Klagenfurt)
- Giovanni Peratoner (Research Centre Laimburg)
Organisers
- BonaRes
- Federal Ministry of Education and Research