Transcript Presentation: Future Research Needs

Global Change in
Mountain Regions
(GLOCHAMORE)
Thomas Schaaf
UNESCO
Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences
Programme on Man and the Biosphere
(MAB)
Why mountains?
- Have a varied system of different ecosystems
and habitats (altitude, exposition, gradient);
- Fragile ecosystems (erosion, land degradation);
 excellent indicators for studying and
monitoring climate change
temp.
Alpine zone
Temperate zone
Sub-tropical zone
Tropical zone
Mountain biosphere reserves as
monitoring sites for global change:
• contain protected areas (natural or near-natural
environments);
• contain areas that are economically used;
• most BRs dispose of long-term climatic data and
species list;
• BRs contain also people  impact of global
change on human societies;
• Partnership of biosphere reserve managers and
scientists.
Global Change in
Mountain Regions (GLOCHAMORE)
- Setting up a world-wide network of mountain
biosphere reserves to study global change;
- Bringing together global change researchers
and protected area managers;
- sponsored by European Commission; MRI; and
UNESCO
Objectives:
To understand the causes and impacts of
Global Change in mountain regions;
 Focus on the consequences of global
change for the biophysical environment
and for human societies
Mountain biosphere reserves /
world heritage sites as study areas
North America:
• Canada: Mount Arrowsmith BR (1,817)
• USA: Glacier National Park BR (3,185m)
• USA: Niwot Ridge BR (3,780m)
• USA: Denali BR (6,194m)
Latin America:
• Chile: Araucarias BR (3,124m)
• Chile: Torres del Paine BR (3,050m)
• Colombia: Cinturón Andino BR (5,750m)
• Peru: Huascaran BR (6,768m)
Africa:
• Kenya: Mount Kenya BR (5,199m)
• Morocco: Oasis du Sud BR (4,071m)
• South Africa : Kruger to Canyons BR (2,050m)
Asia-Pacific:
• Australia: Kosciuszko BR (2,228m)
• China: Changbaishan BR (2,691m)
• India: Nanda Devi BR (7,800m).
• Kyrgyzstan: Issyk-Kul BR (7,439m)
• Mongolia: Uvs Nuur Basin BR (3,966m)
• Russian Federation: Katunsky BR (4,506m);
Sikhote-Alinsky BR (1,600m)
Europe:
• Austria: Gossenköller See (2,828m)
& Gurgler Kamm BRs (3,400m)
• Germany: Berchtesgaden Alps BR (2,713m)
• Spain: Sierra Nevada BR (3,482m)
• Sweden: Lake Torne BR (1,610m)
• Switzerland: Entlebuch BR (2,350m)
• Switzerland: Swiss National Park (3,174m)
European Commission
Result:
Research strategy
worked out for
application in
- the Americas
- Asia-Pacific
- Africa
- Europe