Vegetation on flood protection dams and climate change

Dam structures and their ecosystem services are exposed to the effects of climate change. Drought and dryness are often the dominant factors during low water phases. Large embankment slopes result in unfavourable radiation angles depending on the exposure. It can be assumed that heat and the associated drought effects will have an increased impact on the embankment areas. On the other hand, there is a predicted increase in heavy rainfall events, which on the one hand will affect embankment vegetation weakened by drought stress and may lead to erosion processes caused by precipitation falling directly on the embankment surface. On the other hand, the increase in heavy rainfall events may also lead to an increase in the frequency of flood events and the associated loads on the dam structures. The present project plan aims to continue the research work of the past 16 years and to expand it to include aspects of biodiversity and microclimate in order to generate a more holistic understanding of the process.