eLTER Biodiversity Monitoring

The European long-term ecological research infrastructure (eLTER RI) is a priority in the environmental area of the Austrian FTI strategy (Research, Technology and Innovation). In Austria, around 10 - 15 university sites and departments of the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management (BML) are expected to participate in the research infrastructure. One monitoring component of eLTER comprises biodiversity parameters, in particular vegetation, flying insects (metabarcoding), soil and water eDNA and acoustic monitoring of birds, grasshoppers and bats as well as fungi. The measurement, analysis and evaluation protocols are developed by international experts and then applied at eLTER sites across Europe. In Austria, biodiversity monitoring will initially be implemented at 11 research and monitoring sites for the years 2025 and 2026. In the frame of this project, Lehrforst Rosalia will implement the corresponding biodiversity measurements to comply with eLTER requirements