StartClim2011.B: Understanding intensifying disturbance regimes in Austrias forests as basis for developing climate change adaptation strategies
Abstract
Damage from wind and bark beetle disturbance have increased in Austrias forests recently. Due to the high climate sensitivity of disturbance processes the recent climatic changes are frequently hypothesized as drivers of the observed intensification of disturbance regimes. However, also forest extent, structure, and composition have changed considerably in Austria, with profound implications for susceptibility to disturbances. The question of what has driven the increase in disturbance damage – although crucially important in the context of climate change adaptation – remains thus mostly speculative to date. Here we analyze the drivers and causes of increasing disturbances in Austria based on data of the Austrian monitoring system of forest damage factors. We simultaneously consider climate, vegetation, and social indicators as possible explanatory factors, and explicitly address the effect of ecological and social heterogeneity in Austrias forests. Our analysis will focus on two spatio-temporal levels: First, we will analyze the causes of the long-term (~50 year) trend in wind and bark beetle disturbances for Austria. Second, we will study the effect of spatial variability on reported forest damages over the last years at the district level. Synthesizing our results with regard to adaptation options we will highlight drivers that have a strong effect on disturbance damage, and can also be influenced by measures of forest management. In contributing to an improved understanding of disturbance – vegetation – climate interactions the study will provide valuable information for the development of climate change adaptation options in forest management.
Disturbance in forest ecosystems Forest ecosystem management Climate change adaptation
Publikationen
Analyse des Störungsregimes in Österreichs Wäldern als Basis für die waldbauliche Prioritätensetzung im Klimawandel
Autoren: Thom, D., Seidl, R., Krehan, H., Steyrer, G. Jahr: 2012
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Analysing Austria's forest disturbance regime as basis for the development of climate change adaptation strategies
Autoren: Seidl, R., Thom, D., Krehan, H., Steyrer, G. Jahr: 2012
Forschungsbericht (extern. Auftraggeber)
The sensitivity of wind and bark beetle disturbance to slow and fast drivers in Central European forests
Autoren: Thom, D., Seidl, R., Steyrer, G., Krehan, H., Formayer, H. Jahr: 2013
Conference & Workshop proceedings, paper, abstract
Project staff
Rupert Seidl
Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Rupert Seidl
rupert.seidl@boku.ac.at
BOKU Project Leader
15.11.2011 - 31.01.2013
BOKU partners
External partners
Federal Forest Office (BFW)
none
partner