Wetlands, Environment, Society and Pressures: Effects of environmental changes on the ecological and social functions of riverine wetlands (WESPe)
Abstract
Riverine wetlands belong to the most threatened ecosystems of the world. The massive river regulation measures during the last 100 years, together with other human impacts, have led to dramatic changes in the water balance and in the ecologic situation. Global climate changes, increasing land use pressures and pollution present an additional stress for these rich and diverse ecosystems which threatens their basic ecological functions. The aim of the 2-year research project WESPe is to study the effects of environmental changes and increased stress levels on the ecological and social functions of riverine wetlands. Our study area is the floodplain Lobau in the Danube River Basin, an ecological valuable nature reserve immediately at the border of the city of Vienna. The global warming, the frequent changes between dry periods and catastrophic floods as well as the increasing number of visitors influence the structure, diversity and stability of the sensitive aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats and affect their attractiveness as recreation places. In our project, researchers from the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, and of the Interdisciplinary Water Research Institute WasserKluster Lunz work together with students of the schools HS Orth, GRG 10, BRG 18 and Francisco Josephinum Wieselburg to analyse the interactions between stress intensity by environmental and human factors, ecological functioning and attractiveness of floodplain habitats. Emphasis is given to the significance of riverine wetlands for the life quality of young people.
urban riverine wetland climate change ecological and social carrying capacity research - education - cooperation
Publikationen
Alluvial forests for adolescents? Adolescents’ preferences for river landscapes as places for recreation depending on the degree of naturalness.
Autoren: Arnberger, A., Eder, R. Jahr: 2012
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Adolescents’ preferred river landscapes for recreation depending on human impact and river dynamic
Autoren: Arnberger, A., Eder, R. Jahr: 2012
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Project staff
Thomas Hein
Univ.Prof. Dr. Thomas Hein
thomas.hein@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-81201, 81229
Project Leader
01.09.2009 - 31.12.2011
Renate Eder
Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Renate Eder
renate.eder@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-85326
Project Staff
01.09.2009 - 31.12.2011
Arne Arnberger
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Arne Arnberger
arne.arnberger@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-85311
Sub Projectleader
01.09.2009 - 31.12.2011
BOKU partners
External partners
Wassercluster Lunz - biologische Station GmbH
Dr. Gabriele Weigelhofer
partner