Landuse and Climate Change

Land-use and climate changes are key challenges to society in the future. Especially in mountain environments, many important ecosystem and landscape functions will be affected at different spatial and temporal scales. Therefore, a key strategic activity of the Institute is to build diagnostic infrastructures. Based on the knowledge gained from these infrastructures, to develop predictive models in order to, on the one hand, quantitatively disentangle the consequences of land-use and climate change and, on the other hand, obtain reliable predictions at the regional level. Our institute is currently intensifying the research by using innovative climate chambers and a heavily equipped open-air laboratory in the Matsch Valley to closely observe the impacts under natural conditions. In addition, we will continue to pursue the previous approach, through which the effects of landuse/landcover (LULC) changes on biodiversity, diverse geo-chemical cycles and the needs and demands of today's society on the cultural landscape are studied.