Recent range expansions of invasive species in temperate regions have repeatedly been attributed to climate warming. However, other invasion drivers like increased rates of travel and transport or changes in land use patterns might also be responsible for these range dynamics. Isolation of the effects of different factors is hampered by the availability of appropriate analytical/modelling tools. In this project, we will design and implement such a tool as a spatially explicit generalized survival model with a modular structure to account for various potentially driving processes. The model will be embedded in a Bayesian framework with parameter estimation algorithms based on Markov-chain-Monte-Carlo-simulations. We will then use this framework to assess and quantify the role of climate warming for the range dynamics of the invasive allergenic weed Ambrosia artemisiifolia in central Europe since the mid of the 20th century.

The delimitation of the conservation zone was done in 2004, based on available data as well as on recommendations of a local advisory board, but without field work. With the proposed project, we want to address the following questions: (1) Are there significant differences in the biodiversity and conservation value of meadows inside and outside the conservation zone in the Biosphere Reserve Wienerwald? (2) Do areas inside and outside of the conservation zone differ in habitat diversity and composition? (3) Did changes in agricultural land use practices affect the biodiversity of meadows in the Biosphere Reserve Wienerwald, and what are the implications for management and conservation of grasslands? The results will lead to a decision guidance for the management of the biosphere reserve Wienerwald with regard to a possible re-evaluation of the delimitation of the conservation zone and with regard to management and conservation of meadows.

This is a collaborative project led by the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety with the Federal Environment Agency and the Department of Economics, University of Klagenfurt, as additional partners The objectives of the project are to model the future distribution of the allergy-inducing plant species Iva xanthiifolia, Artemisia annua and Ambrosia trifida in Austria and neighbouring European countries based on their current distribution and the reconstruction of their invasion history. A cost-benefit analysis of different containment and control options is used to provide recommendations for a proactive management strategy for relevant stakeholders and policy-makers.

The objective of the proposed project is to evaluate range shifts, and in particular range reductions, of endemic Austrian plants by means of a new, spatio-temporally explicit modelling approach, i.e. a migration model. We we will parameterize this model for a selected subset of ~ 30 endemic vascular plants and apply it to predict the spatio-temporal dynamics of the populations of these species within the Austrian Alps until the end of the 21st century under different climate change scenarios.

Editorial supervision of the “Critical Flora of Austria”.

The aim of the Austrian Vegetation Database is to gather computerized phytosociological information (vegetation relevés) from the territory of Austria.

The meadows and dry grasslands in the Biosphere Reserve Vienna Woods (Wienerwald) are among the richest in Eastern Austria. In this project, a new survey of the grassland types in the Biosphere Reserve will be elaborated. All existing relevés will be gathered in a TURBOVEG database, and more than 200 new relevés will be sampled in the field. Additional project aims are a mapping key, a cross-walk to EU habitat types, and the establishment of a grassland database. This is a pilot study for a future mapping of the grasslands within the Biosphere Reserve.

To grow wine on the easternmost border of the Alps, the so-called Thermenlinie, has a very long tradition. The cultural landscape is complex with thermophilious forests, dry grasslands and agriculture. The aim of the project is to foster sustainable land use with special regard to biodiversity values within this old cultural landscape.

The co-operation between Germany and Austria leads to a so called black list of the most harmful non-native species in both countries. Two groups – fish and higher plants – are in focus. The list includes species which are proofed to be a threat to native biodiversity and ecosystems by now as well as species which are expected to invade native habitats and thereby influence species communities negatively if allowed to spread. “Fact-sheets” are produced for this selected set of species. The major objective for work package 3 (VINCA-part of the project) is to model the potential habitats for all the plant species on the black list. Based on the current habitat preferences we predict endangered areas in Germany and Austria under various climate change scenarios to provide support for the development of prevention- and eradication programs.

There is increasing awareness that many plant species are not in equilibrium with their current environment. In the present study we want to examine (1) the extent to which plant species of alpine grasslands fill their potential range as predicted by habitat distribution models which are based on the assumption that species are in equilibrium with current environmental conditions, and (2) if differences in range filling can be explained by species functional traits. Distribution models will be derived by linking spatially explicit data of species presence and site environmental data on climate, geological bedrock, and topography. Quantification of range filling will be done by comparing the modelled distribution with data of the floristic inventory of Austria.

Lower Austria is the most biodiverse province of Austria, but many plants and animals are threatened. Funding is limited and there is an urgent need to focus on the subset of species for which Lower Austria has the greatest responsibility. A standardised analysis will create the basis for priorization up to 2020.

The main objective of BIOSTRAT is to support the further development of a European Biodiversity Research Strategy. Such Research Strategy brings together ideas on research priorities in fundamental and applied sciences to address critical gaps in knowledge on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

The study comprises the inventory and analysis of biodiversity in representative agricultural regions (fields, fallows and adjacent habitats) in Austria by means of appropriate indicator groups. These indicators include vegetation, butterflies, grasshoppers and landscape structures. These data should serve as a baseline (status quo) to recognize negative effects in an ecological risk assessement of potential future releases of genetically modified crops. They could be used as basic data for case specific investigations (evaluation of the specific crop, the trait, regional aspects, etc.) as well as for general surveillance. Altogether, 100 test areas distributed all over Austrian agrarian landscapes will be investigated for biodiversity with a special focus on cultivation areas of maize and oilseed rape.

Feasibility study for a LIFE project in the Feuchte Ebene (Lower Austria).

Development of a GIS environment and a database solution to calculate a spatial explicit model of the global Human Appropriation of Net Primary Production for the year 2000.

Since the 1920ies nature reserves were established in Lower Austria. Now, more than 60 reserves exist. Some reserves are well-managed, others are poorly known. The aim of the project is to recapitulate the knowledge about the nature reserves and to give recommendations for their future management.

About 700 hectares of meadows in the Biosphere Reserve Vienna woods (Wienerwald) belong to the company Austrian Federal Forests (Österreichische Bundesforste - ÖBf). During the course of the project these meadows were mapped according their floristics and vegetation types. The conservation value of every single meadow was assessed. Additionally, recommendations for their future management were developed.

This project has two main objectives: a) providing a regionalised assessment of black locust (R. pseudacacia) invasion risk in Austria under scenarios of forthcoming climate change by means of predictive habitat modelling. b) We experimentally evaluate the effects of interacting global change components (climate change and nitrogen deposition) on the colonisation of new habitats by individuals recruiting from seeds while taking into account competition with a native tree, the sessile oak (Quercus petrea).

In the framework of the Article 17 report of Austria VINCA is responsible for the vascular plants, amphibians and reptiles.

The case study aims in documenting and analysing the networking and communication processes within the EU- Network of Excellence by testing the network abilities to provide distinct long-term-ecological data on tree regeneration across Europe.

The project aims in an amelioration of knowledge in the quantification of biomass actual available, in the consequences of an increased biomass use for the nutrient cycle, in the sustainable management of dead wood and veteran trees for biodiversity and in an estimation of the potential of a sustainable biomass use.

Ragweed is an introduced annual plant species highly problematic with respect to human health due to ample production of allergen pollen This project aims at estimating the extent of range expansion of A. artemisiifolia in Austria under forecasted climate warming. Based on the climatic envelop of the current Ambrosia range we simulate range shifts driven by potential climate change. Across Austria, this approach will allow for assessing the regionally varied risk of Ambrosia under a warmer climate.

Spatial modelling of the impact assessment on the habitat of the Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus) due to a planned road construction (B17 by-pass, Lower Austria).
[short info]

Data acquisition and classification of vegetation samples for an expert system of the natural forest types in Carinthia (Southern alps & Klagenfurt basin).

Repetition of the first vegetation inventory at the UNECE Integrated Monitoring Site Zöbelboden.

Development of a database concept and a sample database to manage, organize and edit biophysical data sets at the Department Social Ecology / University Klagenfurt.

GIS work for the "WWF European Alpine Programme".

Unification and preparation of a reference table for five vegetation maps as well as processing of GIS data sets.

Biodiversity census and proposal of a catalogue of measures for four digging sites of the company Asamer & Hufnagel.

Data analysis and co-operation for scientific publications for the research project GLORIA (Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine Environments).

Census of vegetation and birds as well as development of a maintenance concept for the natural monument sites Galgenberg and Schleinitzbachniederung.