coping with global and climate change in mountain-using biosphere reserves as observatory and...

8/2/2019 Coping with global and climate change in mountain-using Biosphere Reserves as observatory and monitoring sites

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JORNADAS DE INVESTIGACIN DELPARQUE NACIONAL Y EL PARQUE

NATURAL DE SIERRA NEVADA

Granada, 23 y 24 de febrero de 2012

Coping with global and climate change inmountains using biosphere reserves as

observatory and monitoring sites

Dr. Thomas Schaaf

UNESCO

Chief, Ecological Sciences and Biodiversit y Section

Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program me


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Dr. Thomas SchaafUNESCOChief, Ecological Sciences and Biodiversity SectionMan and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme

Coping with global and

climate change inmountains

using biosphere reserves

as observatory andmonitoring sites


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Mountains & global change-Vulnerable and sensitive ecosystems

-Diverse ecosystems and habitats at all latitudes- Important for livelihoods & ecosystem services

excellent sites to study and monitor globalchange and its impacts

Nival zone/cryosphere

Alpine zone

Forest zone

Agriculturally used lands

Temp. decrease

1993

2000


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Global Change in Mountain Regions

(GLOCHAMORE) Project(2003-2005)

Aims:- Establish a world-wide network of mountain

biosphere reserves to study global and

climate change- Bring together global change researchers

and biosphere reserve managers to develop a

research strategy


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Why mountain biosphere reserves as

study/monitoring sites for global change?

Biosphere reserves include: protected areas (natural or near-natural

environments)

areas inhabited by human beings and used

for economic activities with different land-uses

research infrastructure: e.g. long-term

climatic data, species lists, scientists


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core area

transition area

Sierra Nevada Biosphere Reserve (Spain)


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core area

transition area

Sierra Nevada Biosphere Reserve (Spain)


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580 Biosphere Reserves in 114 countries


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GLOCHAMORE Project

Objectives:

1) Understand the causes and impacts of

Global Change in mountains

On the biophysical environment

On human societies

2) Establish aresearch strategy for

mountain biosphere reserves

3) Implement theresearch strategy


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GLOCHAMORE

Results/Outputs:

5 international

workshops and

scientific conferences

GLOCHAMORE

Research Strategy(developed by > 300

scientists and biosphere

reserve managers)


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GLOCHAMORE

Research Strategy themes

(as of 2005):

Climate

Land use change

Cryosphere

Water systems

Ecosystem function & services

Biodiversity

Hazards Human and animal health

Mountain economies

Society and global change


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GLOCHAMOST Project

(since 2008): Implementation of

GLOCHAMOST Research Strategy themes Climate

Land use change

Cryosphere

Water systems

Ecosystem function & services

Biodiversity

Hazards Human and animal health

Mountain economies

Society and global change


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Biodiversity: Key fauna

and flora

Rationale:

Certain (rare/endangered) species

constitute a key reason for the creation

of a BR (conservation value). Their fateis often influenced by land use change and could be

threatened by climate change.

Research goal:

To predict the probability of local persistence of key

species under different climate change

scenarios.


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Actions:

Identify key species at risk

Collect presence, and if possible,

abundance data on key species

along with environmental data

Simulate future distribution and, if possible,

abundance under difference climate and land usescenarios


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Mountain Economies:

Employment and Income

Rationale: Global change will change the capacity of

landscapes to provide livelihoods for resident populations.

An understanding of these changes and local peoples

ability to respond is a prerequisite for successful adaptationto such impacts.

Research goal: To predict the impacts of global change

scenarios on the economies of mountain regions, and hence,

to asses the resilience of mountain societies toglobalchange.


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Actions:

Compile data on incomes

deriving from all economic

sectors

Simulate possible future economies under

different regional scenarios of climate, land use,

human demography, and external forces


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GLOCHAMOST Project (Global Change in Mountain

Sites Elaboration of Adaption Strategies for Mountain

Biosphere Reserves; since 2009) implements GLOCHAMORE Research Strategy, in: Mount Arrowsmith BR (Canada)

Changbaishan BR (China)

Berchtesgaden BR (Germany) Nanda Devi BR (India)

Huascaran BR (Peru)

Katunskiy BR & Teberdinskiy BR (Russian Fed.)

Sierra Nevada BR (Spain) Swiss National Park BR (Switzerland)


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Mount Arrowsmith BR (Canada)

Biodiversity: Trend for summer droughts,increasing risk of invasive alien species

(monitoring and eradication programmes implemented)

Water: Current patterns of water availability are

expected to change due to the combination of (a) drier

summers and more frequent drought events, (b) wetter

winters, and (c) severe flood events

Land use change: population growth with increasingdemand on farm and forest lands

Economy: regional economy is shifting from extraction

and processing of natural resources to sales and services.


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Changbaishan BR (China)

Biodiversity: decline of ungulates

(e.g. red deers, musk deers)

Water: Run-off of water decreasing.

Land use change: Mainly forests (Korean pine), but

increasing demand on space for tourist resorts and road

construction

Economy: Accelerating increase

of tourists (putting pressure onnatural resources and wildlife)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

years

means(

in/km)

y = 8E-93e0.1077x

R2

= 0.9313

020406080100120

1980198519901995200020052010Year

Tourists

ten

thousand


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Berchtesgaden Alps BR (Germany)

Biodiversity:

Upward shift of alpine

grassland vegetationnoted.

Water: Water

balance model

with different

gauges operational to study water run-off

Land use change: Forest cover: (a) purple: 1980-90; (b)

red: 1990-97 (subject to cutting/planting of trees, anddisasters like storms, avalanches, insects)

Economy: Mainly tourism (2 million overnight stays/year,

of which 75% in summer)


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Nanda Devi BR (India)

Biodiversity: Known for its Valley of

Flowers with >600 vascular plants andmany endangered species (snow leopard)

Water: Water stress based on farmers observations:

a) increase in frequency of abnormally high

precipitation events in elevations > 1500m

b) abnormally low precipitation events in 500-1500m

zone

Land use change: increase of forestry cover thanks tochipko movement (hugging trees) in 1970s

Economy: agriculture, forestry, sharp increase of

tourism since 1980s.


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Huascaran BR (Peru)

Biodiversity: loss of rare species (e.g. increased

frog mortality at altitudes > 3,500m due to

combined effect of climate change and increased UV radiation)

Water: 27% of glaciated surface area loss in the Cordillera

Blanca since 1970. Water run-off has decreased.

Land use change: provoked by fires,

mining, pastoral overexploitation and

habitat fragmentation

Economy: Agriculture suffering from

higher temperatures (evapotranspiration), pastoralism from

larger water needs.


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Katunskiy BR (Russian Fed.)

Biodiversity: 8 endangered plant species

with habitats limited to high-altitudinalzone will face extinction due to global warming

Water: glacial melt observed over last 100 years.

Land use change: so far, no significant land use

change noted.

Economy: agriculture, pastoralism (marals),

with growing tourism sector

Gebler glacier:

July 1897 & 2011

1985 2011


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Biodiversity: mountain

shrublands and pineplantations. Natural

forests (oaks, maples, etc.) are regenerating after

decades of overexploitation.

Water: Spring/summer snowmelt contributes greatly to

water flow, but decline of snow cover over last 10

years

Land use change: increase of tree cover expected due toabandonment of rural areas.

Economy: increasing tourism until ca. 2006/07, but then

a drop (amount of accommodation)

Sierra Nevada BR (Spain)


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BR Val Mustair Parc Nazuinal

(Switzerland)

Biodiversity: upward migration of plants and butterflies

Water: no significant trends on floods. Conflict resolution:

separation of rivers for (a) energy production, and (b)

natural flow

Land use change: study on-going using remote sensing

techniques

Economy: mostly tourism and farming. Increase of organic

farms until 2004, then slight drop


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GLOCHAMOST Network of

Mountain Biosphere Reserves


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Needed: long term observatories to

a) Establish a baseline of biophysical and socio-

economic parameters;

b) Monitor trends evoked by global and climate

change;

c) Define adaptive management measures;

d) Implement adaption schemes, in consultationwith local and national authorities and local

people;

e) Share information among similar

observatories world-wide


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Needed: long term observatories to

a) Establish a baseline of biophysical and socio-

economic factors and parameters;

b) Monitor trends evoked by global and climate

change;

c) Define adaptive management measures;

d) Implement adaption schemes, in consultationwith local and national authorities and local

people;

e) Share information among similar

observatories world-wide

Sierra Nevada Global Change Observatory


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Web-site:

www.unesco.org/mabThank you!

coping with global and climate change in mountain-using biosphere reserves as observatory and...

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