Soil biodiversity response to land management and climate change in the Austrian Alps and policy priorities from local to national scale

Climate change is expected to have a significant impact on the soil biodiversity of alpine regions and thus, ecosystem services and biodiversity hotspots are under increasing pressure. Protected areas (associated management practices) are a crucial management strategy for biodiversity conservation and provision of ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water regulation and food production. However, a comprehensive evaluation of protected areas conservation and climate change impact on soil biodiversity and ES, including future predictions, has rarely been addressed so far. The main goals of SoilBioMAP are (1) to provide comprehensive framework for integrated assessment of soil biodiversity indicators and ecosystem services (BES) in Alpine soils across pedoclimatic conditions. (2) Collation and harmonization of existing soil BES data to build the Austrian Alpine soil biodiversity database, for the first time, to identify drivers, threats and knowledge gaps for conservation measures. model future climate scenarios for biodiversity protection. (3) Assess consequences of climate change on soil BES to investigate the patterns and causes of biodiversity change in Austrian Alps and explore adaptation strategies. (4) Provide systematic database and assessment of policies covering soil biodiversity across regional and national level to support conservation measures. The project adopts a multi-stakeholder approach, involving interdisciplinary scientists, and policymakers, to deliver national-scale assessments and support policy measures (eg. Soil Monitoring Law, Austrian Biodiversity Strategy 2030+).