We have analyzed the loss of agricultural land in a case study of the community Eggelsberg in the Innviertel in Upper Austria. The trigger for the project was the attribution of Austria as Europe’s ...leader in soil sealing. We compared the results of the Austrian agricultural soil survey of the 1970s with the actual land use and quantified the land use change. Within half a century, 15% of the agricultural area was converted to settlement area or to other forms of infrastructure. According to the original soil assessment, 96 ha of high-quality cropland, 1,220 ha of medium-quality cropland, 121 ha of low-quality cropland, and 409 ha of grassland were converted. The forest cover remained stable. The highest share of soil sealing was owed to the expansion of the settlement area and the construction of a successful enterprise. Minor contributions were expansions of farm buildings. The loss of agricultural land was reasonable and reflected the needs of the local population. A special protection status because of the future relevance of the agricultural land was not communicated to land managers and is not reflected in the market prices of agricultural products. The relevance of the agricultural land beyond the regional level is not fully recognized.
Die Speicherung des Kohlenstoffs (C) in Grünlandökosystemen ist in Österreich unzureichend untersucht. An drei unterschiedlichen Dauergrünland-Standorten in der Steiermark wurden für sechs ...repräsentative Vegetationstypen die C-Gehalte in den verschiedenen Kompartimenten des Ökosystems ermittelt, um den gesamten C-Vorrat abschätzen zu können. Die C-Speicherung wird maßgeblich vom Vegetationstyp, von den Bodeneigenschaften (insbesondere Bodentemperatur, Wasser- und Nährstoffgehalt, amorphe Eisen- und Aluminium-Oxide) und von der Bewirtschaftungsintensität (Düngung, Nutzungshäufigkeit) determiniert. Der gesamte C-Vorrat beträgt in montanen und subalpinen Grünlandökosystemen 6-10 kg C m
. Durch Düngung kann der C-Vorrat erhöht und durch Überbeweidung oder Mahd ohne Düngung verringert werden. Die C-Speicherung im Grünlandökosystem ist bei mittlerer Bewirtschaftungsintensität am höchsten. Grünlandböden speichern deutlich mehr C als die Grünlandvegetation. Der C-Vorrat beträgt in montanen Dauergrünlandböden (0-50 cm) 5-10 kg C m
und in skelettreichen Almböden (0-30 cm) 5-7 kg C m
. In montanen Grünlandböden werden beträchtliche C-Mengen (>40 %) im Unterboden (10-50 cm) gespeichert. In Almböden ist die C-Speicherung stärker auf den Oberboden konzentriert. Für die C-Speicherung im Unterboden haben amorphe Fe- und Al-Oxide eine große Bedeutung. Die Wurzelmasse bestimmt maßgeblich die C-Konzentration im Oberboden. Wurzel- und Stoppelmasse sind vor allem in Magerwiesen und Almweiden bedeutende C-Speicher und relevante Humusbildner. Bewirtschaftungsbedingte C-Vorratsänderungen treten vor allem im Oberboden auf.
The Himalayas are predicted to experience more than 3 times the mean global rise in temperature, as well as erratic rainfall patterns and an increased likelihood of total monsoon failures. While many ...ecosystem manipulation experiments aiming at understanding the effects of altered precipitation, temperature, and carbon dioxide are conducted globally, such experiments are rare in Asia, particularly in the Himalayas. To fill this gap, we simulated late onset of monsoon precipitation, as well as total monsoon failure, in a multiyear drought stress experiment in Bhutan. Two treatments, 100% throughfall exclusion and ambient control plots, were applied to 725 m2 plots (25 m × 29 m), each with 2 replicates in a hemlock-dominated (Tsuga dumosa) and oak-dominated (Quercus lanata and Quercus griffithii) ecosystem at 3260 and 2460 m elevations, respectively. Roof application reduced the volumetric soil water content in the upper (0–20 cm) soil layer by ∼ 20% in coniferous and ∼ 31% in broadleaved forest; the deeper soil layers were less affected. We demonstrate that large-scale throughfall-exclusion experiments can be successfully conducted even in a remote Bhutan Himalayan setting. The experiences gathered could be utilized for future long-term ecological monitoring studies in the Himalayan region.
Mountain ecosystems are currently experiencing the strongest climatic warming and the largest changes in land-use during the last millennia. The impacts of these changes on soils and their roles in ...the cycling of carbon and nutrients are, however, largely unknown. Here, we define mountain soils as soils from mountainous areas with cool summers and cold winters and thus, soils from ecosystems that are influenced by snow and ice and where biogeochemical processes are limited by temperature. Because climatic conditions, soil properties, plant species and productivity vary at a small scale in mountains, they provide a unique natural but a seldom used laboratory to study soil processes. In this special issue, we compile different studies on soils from European mountains, reaching from the functioning of mountain soils along natural climatic gradients to responses of greenhouse gas fluxes from mountain soils to experimental warming, soil frost and changes in precipitation.
Key message
Climate change is posing a considerable challenge to foresters. The intensity of required adaptive measures and the relevance of old-growth forests as benchmark for managed forests are ...debated. Forest managers need to make decisions on stand treatment that are based on climatological and biological parameters with high uncertainties. We provided the conceptual basis for adaptive forest management and provide a number of case studies that reflect the options and limitations of ways of coping with climate change. The examples are derived from the experience of the authors. We conclude that only few forest types are either not strongly affected by climate change or do not require immediate adaptations of forest management. Many productive forests have stand properties that are decisively shaped by past management decisions, such as tree species composition, age distribution, rotation period, and stand structure. Maintaining these properties under the influence of climate change requires continuous and even increasing efforts of forest managers.
Die Klimakrise und Landnutzung sind eng miteinander verwoben und betrifft uns alle. Die Landnutzung bietet aber ein großes PotenTial zur Bewältigung der Klimakrise. Wie können diese PotenTiale im ...Sinne einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung genutzt werden, die ganzheitlich die gesellschaftlichen und natürlichen Dimensionen berücksichtigt? Dies ist ein Open-Access-Buch. Landökosysteme erbringen verschiedene unersetzbare Ökosystemleistungen für die Gesellschaft, wie etwa Nahrungsmittel oder Schutz vor Naturgefahren. Sie können eine hohe Artenvielfalt haben, sie absorbieren und speichern Kohlenstoff und bilden die Grundlage für wirtschaftliche Aktivitäten. Die Landnutzung erhöht die Erbringung mancher Ökosystemleistungen auf Kosten anderer und birgt daher Zielkonflikte. Die landbasierte Produktion, die Produktverarbeitung und der Konsum verursachen Treibhausgasemissionen und Biodiversitätsverluste. Der Klimawandel und die gewählten Anpassungsmaßnahmen verschärfen die Konfliktpotentiale. Es bedarf wissensbasierter und gesellschaftlich akzeptierter politischer Entscheidungen, um die vorhandenen Synergien verschiedener Landnutzungsformen zu nutzen und auszubauen, und gleichzeitig Zielkonflikte und unerwünschte Effekte zu minimieren. Der APCC Special Report: Landnutzung und Klimawandel in Österreich wurde im Bewusstsein der Verflechtungen der Klima- und der Biodiversitätskrise mit geopolitischen Änderungen verfasst. Er dient der Zusammenfassung und Bewertung des gegenwärtigen Wissens zum Thema Landnutzung und Klimawandel und deren Verflechtungen. Es werden die Handlungsoptionen der Anpassung und der Minderung des Klimawandels unter Berücksichtigung von Produktion, gesellschaftlichen Ansprüchen, rechtlichen Rahmenbedingungen und dem Konsumverhalten vorgestellt und bewertet. Der Bericht gliedert sich in acht thematische Kapitel und eine Synopsis. Eine technische Zusammenfassung enthält die Kernbotschaften der Kapitel, und die Zusammenfassung für politische Entscheidungsträger bringt die Aussagen des Berichtes in knapper Form zur Kenntnis. Im APCC Special Report kommen 130 Autoren aus vielen wissenschaftlichen Disziplinen zu Wort. Der Bericht wurde in einem offenen und transparenten Begutachtungsprozess von mehr als 50 Personen und Stakeholdern kommentiert.
We conducted a trenching experiment in a mountain forest in order to assess the contribution of the autotrophic respiration to total soil respiration and evaluate trenching as a technique to achieve ...it. We hypothesised that the trenching experiment would alter both microbial biomass and microbial community structure and that fine roots (less than 2 mm diameter) would be decomposed within one growing season. Soil CO₂ efflux was measured roughly biweekly over two growing seasons. Root presence and morphology parameters, as well as the soil microbial community were measured prior to trenching, 5 and 15 months after trenching. The trenched plots emitted about 20 and 30% less CO₂ than the control plots in the first and second growing season, respectively. Roots died in trenched plots, but root decay was slow. After 5 and 15 months, fine root biomass was decreased by 9% (not statistically different) and 30%, (statistically different) respectively. When we corrected for the additional trenched-plot CO₂ efflux due to fine root decomposition, the autotrophic soil respiration rose to ~26% of the total soil respiration for the first growing season, and to ~44% for the second growing season. Soil microbial biomass and community structure was not altered by the end of the second growing season. We conclude that trenching can give accurate estimates of the autotrophic and heterotrophic components of soil respiration, if methodological side effects are accounted for, only.
Climate change might alter annual snowfall patterns and modify the duration and magnitude of snow cover in temperate regions with resultant impacts on soil microclimate and soil CO2 efflux (Fsoil). ...We used a 5‐year time series of Fsoil measurements from a mid‐elevation forest to assess the effects of naturally changing snow cover. Snow cover varied considerably in duration (105–154 days) and depth (mean snow depth 19–59 cm). Periodically shallow snow cover (<10 cm) caused soil freezing or increased variation in soil temperature. This was mostly not reflected in Fsoil which tended to decrease gradually throughout winter. Progressively decreasing C substrate availability (identified by substrate induced respiration) likely over‐rid the effects of slowly changing soil temperatures and determined the overall course of Fsoil. Cumulative CO2 efflux from beneath snow cover varied between 0.46 and 0.95 t C ha−1 yr−1 and amounted to between 6 and 12% of the annual efflux. When compared over a fixed interval (the longest period of snow cover during the 5 years), the cumulative CO2 efflux ranged between 0.77 and 1.18 t C ha−1 or between 11 and 15% of the annual soil CO2 efflux. The relative contribution (15%) was highest during the year with the shortest winter. Variations in snow cover were not reflected in the annual CO2 efflux (7.44–8.41 t C ha−1) which did not differ significantly between years and did not correlate with any snow parameter. Regional climate at our site was characterized by relatively high amounts of precipitation. Therefore, snow did not play a role in terms of water supply during the warm season and primarily affected cold season processes. The role of changing snow cover therefore seems rather marginal when compared to potential climate change effects on Fsoil during the warm season.
When considering options for adapting forests under climate change, climate is treated as the dominant driver of forest growth, while soil properties are often ignored mainly due to shortage of ...accurate data. The effects of climate and soil on forest growth may vary due to local adaptation to both climate and soil, and these local adaptations might need to be considered when transferring seed provenances under climate change.
Data from 29 provenance trials of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) across a wide gradient of planting conditions in Austria was used to develop Structural Equation Models (SEMs) to quantified the role of climatic and soil drivers and their interactions on juvenile growth performance and to test if provenance origin affects the relative importance of these drivers.
Climate and soil of the planting site location were found to have similar direct effects on juvenile tree growth, however, climate was found to be more important because of additional indirect effects via interactions with soil parameters. Notably, the relative effects of climate and soil vary among different provenance groups. Climate constraints are dominant for seed sources originating from colder and/or high altitude locations, while test site climate and soil are equally important contributors of growth for provenances originating from warmer origin and lower elevation sites. Together with the better growth performance of the latter provenance group their plasticity allows them to utilize a wide range of soil conditions.
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•We disentangle the relative roles of climate and soil of planting locations and provenance origins on juvenile tree growth.•Climate and soil of the planting location are dominant drivers of growth wheras provenance origin play minor role.•The relative effects of climate and soil vary among different provenance groups•Climatic constraints are dominant, if materials from colder origin and higher altitude are planted.•Soil and climate conditions are equally important if provenances originating from warm sites planted.
The Ca concentration in the soil of many Central European forest ecosystems is declining. The evidence for the extent of Ca loss in Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) forests was investigated from ...changes in exchangeable Ca between 1985 and 2000 at Weilhartsforst/Upper Austria and from soil solution chemistry between 1992 and 1999 at Coulissenhieb/NE Bavaria. The temporal trend of exchangeable Ca in the soil and the Ca concentration in the soil solution were compared with the change in the Ca concentration in spruce needles. The decline of the pool of exchangeable Ca in the soil within 15 yr was not reflected by the Ca concentration of needles in Austria. Analysis of a large regional database revealed that soil exchangeable Ca was only loosely correlated with the Ca level in needles and entirely unrelated to the rate of forest growth. At the Bavarian site a decline in soil solution Ca concentration and Ca/Al and a decline in needle Ca concentrations were observed; however, changes in foliar Ca concentrations were not statistically correlated with soil solution chemistry. This would suggest that trees access Ca from sources that are not evident from soil chemical data. Despite ongoing Ca losses, we did not identify an immediate stress for the forest ecosystems.
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