Project No: EVK2-CT-2001-00125

Program: EESD

Key action: 2: Global changes, climate and biodiversity ( 2.2.2 “Interaction between ecosystems and the carbon and nitrogen cycles” )

Type of project: RTD

Status: ongoing project

Project duration: 3 years

Co-ordinator: Univ.-Prof. Dr. A. Cernusca, Institute of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Austria

 Project description

In support of the Kyoto Protocol it is the overall aim of the proposed project to quantify sources, sinks and fluxes of carbon in non-forest European mountain ecosystems representing different land use patterns. In order to consider different ecological, socio-economic and political conditions CARBOMONT will be carried out in nine study sites along a European transect, including the Austrian, Bavarian, Swiss and Italian Alps, the Italian Apennine, the Spanish Pyrenees, the Scottish Highlands, the Swedish Scandes and the Finnish Fjeld Lappland. In each study site comparative ecosystem analyses focussed on carbon sequestration and flux partitioning in differently managed non-forest ecosystems (meadows, pastures, dwarf shrub communities and abandoned areas) will be carried out. At least two different land-use types will be investigated in each study site. It is assumed that land-use changes may affect carbon flux rates considerably by modifying nitrogen availability. Therefore, interactions with the nitrogen cycle will be considered as far as it affects carbon flux rates and source/sink relationships. In addition, the effects of major climate drivers (e.g. temperature and water limitations) on the above-mentioned processes will be investigated. Based on the ecosystem studies, the effects of land use and climate on carbon sequestration and flux partitioning will be analysed.

The general aims of CARBOMONT are:

• To quantify the annual carbon balance and its variability in the major European non-forest mountain ecosystems, and how it is affected by land use and different climatic conditions

• To determine and quantify the carbon pool components and their sources/sinks in mountain ecosystems under different land use and climatic conditions

• To identify and quantify interactions between the carbon and nitrogen cycle by assessing the effects of nitrogen availability, as mediated by land use, on carbon flux rates and source/sink relationships

• To develop and adapt SVAT models for the investigated ecosystems and to use them for further analyses

• To develop and adapt CO₂ exchange models for complex landscapes and to simulate how contrasting policy scenarios may alter carbon sequestration of selected study sites.

Interim and final results of work packages as well as data obtained from different campaigns will be useful for all partners for control, comparison and correlation assessment. In order to secure a well-functioning co-operation among the partners it is necessary to have an intensive exchange of information, data and results. The set up of a CARBOMONT server at the University of Innsbruck will support the required distribution of results among project partners and end-users. A specific WWW home page will be set up for CARBOMONT and linked with the EU FW 5 web-site. CO₂ flux data will be transferred from the study sites to the ftp-server from where the web-page of CARBOMONT will be updated every 10 min. The use of the internet will facilitate providing information and advice directly to the users.

 Technical perspective

Further progress is expected in the following areas:

• Testing and applying a new combined approach of Eddy covariance measurements and chamber techniques for assessing CO₂ exchange components in mountain areas

• Testing and applying a new remote sensing technique for assessing spatial distribution of land cover, LAI, phenology status and NPP in complex mountain landscapes

• Development and use of new tools for visualisation of carbon sequestration and CO₂ flux partitioning, as well as landscape scenarios on the internet.

 Applications

Project proposers anticipate a strong impact of the proposal on scientific and technical development. This will include not only different scientific topics ( i.e. work plans, innovations ) but will also have an interdisciplinary dimension, which can be regarded as the major challenge for future research. The development of a tangible interface between natural sciences and socio-economic world will permit to adapt the obtained results to environmental management programmes at different organizational levels. The scientific knowledge and know-how gained by the proposed project will be specifically related to the carbon sequestration and vulnerability of ecosystems in complex mountain landscapes. The obtained results will be helpful for the development of concepts of sustainable rural development, environmental impact assessment, integrated environmental assessment and environmental monitoring schemes in mountain areas.

Furthermore, the proposers anticipate a highly positive impact on the further development of major research and training topics on the “Ecology of the Mountain Area in Europe”. Project’s outcomes are expected to support the establishment of a network of excellence of a European dimension.

Polish partner will be engaged in all 6 workpakages of the project. The investigation will be carried out in Brenna ( Beskidy Mountains ). The IETU’s contribution will include:

• Continuous measurements of net ecosystem CO₂ exchange by the Eddy-Covariance method

• Estimation of the major ecosystem component contribution to the net ecosystem CO₂ exchange and their response to nitrogen contents and environmental driving forces in the field and laboratory using a variety of ecophysiological methods

• Assessment of ecosystem carbon and nitrogen pool sizes and their major components in differently managed, non-forest mountain ecosystems by harvesting periodically throughout the year

• Simulation of the annual net ecosystem CO₂ exchange of differently managed, non-forest mountain ecosystems by means of a process-oriented soil-vegetation-atmosphere-transfer (SVAT) model.

• Dissemination of information on the effects of different land-use scenarios on ecosystem and carbon sequestration and applying project results for training on sustainable rural development.