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Challenges and opportunities when implementing strategic foresight: lessons learned when engaging stakeholders in climate-ecological research
Although new insights about biodiversity patterns associated with mountains and elevation gradients have been achieved, the underpinning mechanistic causes of these biodiversity patterns are still open for debate. This is the underpinning motivation for this special issue on 'Elevational Gradients and Mountain Biodiversity'.
Mapping the páramo land-cover in the Northern Andes
Microdiversity characterizes prevalent phylogenetic clades in the glacier-fed stream microbiome
Soil protist function varies with elevation in the Swiss Alps
Research Square Preprint - The environmental niche of soil bacterial, archaeal, fungal and protist communities differ along edaphic and topoclimatic gradients in the Alps
Elevational range size patterns of vascular plants in Himalaya contradict Rapoport’s rule
The tempo of greening in the European Alps: Spatial variations on a common theme
BIOVERA-Tree: tree diversity, community composition, forest structure and functional traits along gradients of forest-use intensity and elevation in Veracruz, Mexico
Climate adaptation strategies and associated governance structures in mountain areas. The case of the Alpine regions
Lianas and trees exhibit divergent intrinsic water-use efficiency along elevational gradients in South American and African tropical forests
Strong links between plant traits and microbial activities but different abiotic drivers in mountain grasslands
Sampling biases shape our view of the natural world
High aboveground carbon stock of African tropical montane forests
Evolutionary origin of species diversity on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Searching for ecology in species distribution models in the Himalayas
Why is the alpine flora comparatively robust against climatic warming?
Mountain definitions and their consequences
Can functional genomic diversity provide novel insights into mechanisms of community assembly? A pilot study from an invaded alpine streambed
Inferring the factors for origin and diversifications of endemic Himalayan flora using phylogenetic models
Comparison of the distribution and phenology of Arctic Mountain plants between the early 20th and 21st centuries
Habitat conservation state and plant diversity respond to different drivers in semi-natural grasslands
Climate change drives mountain butterflies towards the summits
Anthropogenic factors overrule local abiotic variables in determining non-native plant invasions in mountains
Lichens as monitors of the atmospheric deposition of potentially toxic elements in high elevation Mediterranean ecosystems
Competition-free gaps are essential for the germination and recruitment of alpine species along an elevation gradient in the European Alps
A nationally coherent characterization and quantification of mountain systems in Canada
Railways redistribute plant species in mountain landscapes
Integrating multiple indices of geobiodiversity reveals a series of regional species-rich areas worthy of conservation in the region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Amphibian speciation rates support a general role of mountains as biodiversity pumps
The cold range limit of trees
Effects of past landscape changes on aesthetic landscape values in the European Alps
The presence of a foreign microbial community promotes plant growth and reduces filtering of root fungi in the arctic-alpine plant Silene acaulis
A herpetofauna with dramatic endemism signals an overlooked biodiversity hotspot
Comparative phylogeography of Acanthocalyx (Caprifoliaceae) reveals distinct genetic structures in the Himalaya–Hengduan Mountains
Linking macro- and microclimate in mountain landscapes: a conceptual and instrumental approach
Benchmarking plant diversity of Palaearctic grasslands and other open habitats
Predicting species and community responses to global change using structured expert judgement: An Australian mountain ecosystems case study
Impacts of climate change on aquatic insects in temperate alpine regions: Complementary modeling approaches applied to Swiss rivers
The long way back: Development of Central European mountain forests towards old-growth conditions after the cessation of management
Upward expansion and acceleration of forest clearance in the mountains of Southeast Asia
Unravelling climate change impacts from other anthropogenic influences in a subalpine lake: a multi-proxy sediment study from Oberer Soiernsee (Northern Alps, Germany)
Functional diversity and redundancy of tropical forests shift with elevation and forest‐use intensity
Biotic and abiotic factors determine species diversity-productivity relationships in mountain meadows
Contrasting patterns of phylogenetic diversity and alpine specialization across the alpine flora of the American mountain range system
The phytogeography of moist forests across Eastern Zimbabwe
Waterbird composition and changes with wetland park construction at Lake Dianchi, Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau
Climate change, perceptions, and adaptation responses among farmers and pastoralists in the Cameroon Highlands
Growing mining contribution to Colombian deforestation
State of the landscape and dynamics of loss and fragmentation of forest critically endangered in the tropical Andes hotspot: Implications for conservation planning
Altitudinal zonation of green algae biodiversity in the French Alps
Scenario archetypes reveal risks and opportunities for global mountain futures
Land abandonment in mountain areas of the EU: an inevitable side effect of farming modernization and neglected threat to sustainable land use
Forests, farms, and fallows: the dynamics of tree cover transition in the southern part of the Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania
Intraspecific convergence of floral size correlates with pollinator size on different mountains: a case study of a bumblebee-pollinated Lamium (Lamiaceae) flowers in Japan
Drivers and mechanisms of forest change in the Himalayas
Grade of Membership models reveal geographical and environmental correlates of floristic structure in a temperate biodiversity hotspot
Montane species track rising temperatures better in the tropics than in the temperate zone
Spatial phylogenomics of acrobat ants in Madagascar—Mountains function as cradles for recent diversity and endemism
Recent and subfossil diatom assemblages as indicators of environmental change (including fish introduction) in a high-mountain lake
The Call for Abstracts for the First Southern African Mountain Conference (SAMC2022) has been extended to 30 September. SAMC2022 is organised by the African Mountain Research Foundation (AMRF), in association with the Afromontane Research Unit (ARU – University of the Free State) and Global Mountain Safeguard Research (GLOMOS – United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security and Eurac Research), and will be held at the Champagne Sports Resort in the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains, from 14 to 17 March 2022. Read more...
The international training programme will examine mountain ecosystems in the context of sustainable development, natural resource management and conservation. Using case studies from mountain regions around the world, the field school will covers topics including freshwater ecosystems, watershed management, ecotourism, mountain livelihoods, climate change and more. The summer field school aims to equip researchers, students, practitioners and teachers interested in learning about mountain ecosystems with the practical approaches, knowledge and skills necessary to meet the challenges of global sustainable development and natural resource management. Read more...
A case study from China shows how bird photography tourism benefitted both biodiversity and livelihoods. Research from the Indian Himalaya examines links between urbanization, hazards, and vulnerability. A global analysis offers insights into challenges for sustainable governance of mountains, and a study on Canada’s mountain systems provides a nationally coherent basis for research and policy. Finally, another global assessment proposes ways of developing a network of mountain observatories. Read more...
The next International Mountain Conference is scheduled to take place September 11-15. 2022 in Innsbruck. Updated information is available online, including a call for focus sessions that will open soon. Stay tuned...
The Call for Abstracts for the First Southern African Mountain Conference (SAMC2022) has been extended to 30 September. SAMC2022 is organised by the African Mountain Research Foundation (AMRF), in association with the Afromontane Research Unit (ARU – University of the Free State) and Global Mountain Safeguard Research (GLOMOS – United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security and Eurac Research), and will be held at the Champagne Sports Resort in the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains, from 14 to 17 March 2022. Read more...
Through its Risk & Vulnerability Science Centre (RVSC), the ARU seeks to develop an Acoustic Wetland Health Index using passive bio-acoustic monitoring to monitor the quality of high-elevation wetlands in Maloti-a-Phofung Local Municipality (Free State Province). As the acoustic landscape of montane / high-elevation wetlands remain poorly documented and understood, this research will yield highly original biological data, while also creating a novel monitoring paradigm that has the potential to improve the conservation and management of our Strategic Water Source Areas. Read more and apply by 30 August...
Interested in working in the Maloti-Drakensberg? Post-doctoral fellowship opportunity to lead biodiversity studies in one of the least well-known portions of the Maloti-Drakensberg mountains together with top biodiversity scientists & post-doctoral fellowship opportunity in alpine pollination & plant reproductive ecology. Read more...
PhD position on the institutional regimes of water multifunctionality and Alpine reservoirs and post-doc position on the monitoring of mountain socio-ecological systems available at the University of Lausanne (Interdisciplinary Centre for Mountain Research CIRM). Deadline for application: 23 August. Read more...
In this open issue, two articles focus on the Indian Himalayas, assessing the risk of glacial lake outbursts and investigating risk knowledge among urban development actors. Another article describes indigenous-driven sustainability initiatives in the Ecuadorian Andes, and one examines how a wetland park in China affects waterbird diversity. A review article analyzes academic literature on climate change adaptation in European mountain systems. Read more...
June 2021, USGS releases the second version of the Global Mountain Explorer (GME) developed in partnership with GMBA, the Center for Development and Environment, the Mountain Research Initiative (MRI), and ESRI. This tool was developed to provide a detailed view of the world's mountains according to the three most commonly used definitions of mountains. Important: in this new version, two of the three original layers have been replaced following the discovery that data handling in preparing the first version increased their global coverage of mountains considerably. More information is available in the release note online. Access the GME....
A two-year postdoctoral position is available in the department of Geography at the University of the Free State, QwaQwa campus. The postdoc will work with an interdisciplinary team examining the links between migration, entrepreneurship and sustainable development in QwaQwa. Read more...
Registration is now open for the First Southern African Mountain Conference (SAMC2022). SAMC2022 is organised by the African Mountain Research Foundation (AMRF), in association with the Afromontane Research Unit (ARU – University of the Free State) and Global Mountain Safeguard Research (GLOMOS – United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security and Eurac Research), and will be held at the Champagne Sports Resort in the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains, from 14 to 17 March 2022. Read more...
Articles in this focus issue of Mountain Research and Development present examples and insights into education for sustainable mountain development around the world. Covering a wide range of formal and informal education at all levels, including practical training and lifelong learning opportunities, they provide a basis for future research, policy, and action. The issue was guest-edited by Jörg Balsiger and Martin Price. Read more...
Today, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), GRID-Arendal (GRIDA), Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (GMBA), and the Mountain Research Initiative (MRI) released a key policy input highlighting the indicators considered the most effective important for safeguarding mountain biodiversity and ecosystem integrity. The document provides also rationale for adoption of such indicators at multiple levels and suggests additional indicators for further considerations. Read more...
Articles in this open issue focus on the preservation of open spaces in the European Alps; knowledge and valuation of aquatic mountain ecosystems in the Pyrenees; links between elevation and child growth in Nepal; a traditional irrigation system in India; the anti-mini-hydro movement in Italy; glacial lakes and outburst floods in Kyrgyzstan; impacts of climate change on alpine vegetation in China; and solid waste management in and around Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal. Read more...
Fresh out of the press: the third edition of Christian Körner's seminal book "Alpine Plant Life - Functional Plant Ecology of High Mountain Ecosystems"! This 500 page volume has been largely rewritten and greatly expanded since the last version that appeared in 2003. This is a must read for students and professionals alike, freely accessible via University Springer links. Read more...
UNEP in collaboration with GMBA, the Mountain Research Initiative, and GRID-Arendal produced an information panel on the important role mountains play in the context of the Convention on Biological Diversity's Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The panel highlights the unique biodiversity that mountain regions are hosting, sheds light on threats to mountain biodiversity, and presents policy recommendations suggesting how to address the protection of mountain biodiversity in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The panel is part of a larger physical exhibition about the protection of endangered mountain species and increasing the resilience of wildlife and local communities towards climatic changes (Vanishing Treasures Programme). Check out the panel...
Mountain Research and Development is looking for trans- and interdisciplinary contributions that help understand the links between hazards, vulnerabilities, disaster management, and diverse dimensions of development, adaptation, and global change. Insights into integrative approaches to improving disaster management across the entire cycle from prevention to recovery are also highly welcome. Full papers are due by 1 September 2021. Read more...
The deadline for contributions to a Special Issue on "Insects in Mountain Ecosystems" has been extended to 31 December 2021. This Special Issue will broadly address studies on insects in mountain ecosystems across all relevant disciplines, and, in this context, submissions in the form of reviews and original basic or applied research are welcome. Accepted contributions will be published on an ongoing basis. Read more...
Our planet is undergoing major environmental change, which is causing many plants to experience conditions harsher than those they are adapted to. In response, they can modify their distribution ranges, adapt to the new environmental conditions, or go extinct locally. The goal of this special issue is to bring together observational, experimental and theoretical studies on the ecology and evolution of plants in extreme environments. Deadline for manuscript submission: 30 September 2021. Read more...
Two new issues of MRD are complete. Vol 40, No 2, guest-edited by GMBA, focuses on the role of mountain biodiversity for sustainable development. Papers from various world regions offer further evidence of mountain species’ importance for human livelihoods and wellbeing, and call for effective conservation and management approaches. Vol 40, No 1 also contains several biodiversity-related articles; further studies address tourism development in the South Caucasus and other topics
Remote sensing can invaluably contribute to the investigation of invasion processes by providing wide spatiotemporal data on both alien species occurrence and proxies of invasion drivers. This Special Issue, jointly organized between “Remote Sensing” and “Earth” journals, aims at gathering contributions focused on the use of remote sensing for tracking invasion dynamics in areas undergoing rapid environmental changes. Read more...
The new factsheet "Achieving the SDGs with Biodiversity" by the Swiss Biodiversity Forum (SCNAT) and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN Switzerland) shows the contribution biodiversity for each SDG. The authors, including GMBA, conclude, among other things, that biodiversity should be mainstreamed into all policy areas.
The objective of the Compendium of EO contributions to the SDG Targets and Indicators was to conduct an in-depth review of the relevance of satellite observations to the SDG Targets and Indicators, and more specifically to analyse how these observations can be embedded in the computational methods of the SDG indicators and be fitted into national statistical systems for monitoring progress on SDGs. It illustrates how satellite observations can directly or indirectly support SDG indicators, and how countries can set and plan their SDG targets using EO-based support tools.
The aim of this Research Topic is to bring together the current ecological and evolutionary research on biological diversity in African mountains across different taxa of plants and animals, biotope types, and geographical locations. A particular focus is placed on the role of environmental gradients in ecological differentiation of individuals and communities, the origination of species and shaping their geographical distributions. Further, research on inter-specific interactions, the importance of ecological adaptations, and the significance of evolutionary history for current patterns of biodiversity is encouraged. Abstract submission deadline is 26 February 2021. Read more...
For International Mountain Day we have published all the "Tales of Mountain Biodiversity" we collected together with the Mountain Partnership. Many thanks to everybody for your contributions!
This short editorial sets the stage for an ongoing Focus Issue on Mountain Biodiversity and Sustainable Development in Mountain Research and Development. Read more...
In this commentary, we first illustrate the importance and challenges of safeguarding healthy mountain ecosystems. We then outline how integrated strategies that enable transformative changes across socio-economic sectors and segments of society can place well-conserved mountain biodiversity at the core of a just, equitable, and sustainable world. Read more...
In this paper we applied the IPBES conceptual framework to assess and compare the contents of 631 abstracts on the interactions among biodiversity, ecosystem services, human wellbeing, and drivers of change and formulate a set of research recommendations. Read more...
In preparation of International Mountain Day we have collaborated with the Mountain Partnership to develop an infographic on why mountain biodiversity matters. This is for unrestricted use and we encourage you to disseminate it widely. Access and download...
Culture is fundamentally relevant for sustainable development. This focus issue shows how mountain communities draw on their cultural heritage and integrate new knowledge to shape their own innovative and locally-based development pathways. It also explores ways of integrating culture into development practice and policy. Studies focus on mountain communities in Chile, Italy, Russia, Ecuador, Georgia, Nepal, and China.
After ten years of work, the results of the second European Breeding Bird Atlas are compiled in a book with the most up-to-date source of information on distribution, abundance and change of bird populations in Europe. With around 120,000 fieldworkers contributing data this project is among the biggest citizen science projects on biodiversity ever. A total of 556 species are treated with a full species account including (abundance, distribution, change) maps, text and an illustration. Pre-publication discount available until 30 Novembre. Read more and order...
Guest editors C. Hobohm and N. Barker invite contributions for a special issue in Diversity on global patterns of endemic and threatened species in relation to environment and habitat. This Special Issue will focus on analyses of selected endemics or globally threatened species in relation to biogeography, landscape ecology, and genetics/taxonomy. The purpose is to generate scientific information on selected taxa as a fundament for political decisions related to ecosystems or special regions. Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2021. Read more...
With a series of short films, called "Mountains – a fragile source of life" GMBA network member Dirk Schmeller explains different aspects of mountains and why they are important for the human society. Check out the first episode "Research to protect our future"...
Endemism in island-like systems – Are true islands and sky islands alike? To answer this question, Suzette Flantua and co-authors reviewed the theoretical concept of isolation and asked themselves what it means to be isolated and what relevance it has for species in mountains and islands. Their conclusions are published today in Global Ecology and Biogeography. Read more...
Guest editors Carina Hoorn, Luis Palazzesi, and Daniele Silvestro are inviting papers that focus on the relationships among mountain building, sedimentary processes, and biotic evolution in South America at different stages of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic. Read more...
Guest editors Ieva Misiune, Daniel Depellegrin, and Lukas Egarter Vigl are inviting contributions for a Springer Nature book on Exploring the Multiple Values of Nature - Connecting Ecosystems and People across Landscapes. In a section on mountain systems they are looking for contributions that analyze and promote mountains as integrated systems and deal with the unique challenges of these landscapes to increase their resilience and sustainability. Read more...
We all appreciate the fundamental importance of our mountains' biological richness. But what is the functional significance of this diversity? Why does this diversity really matter? These questions have been standing at the cradle of GMBA for the last 20 years and are rightfully asked by politicians, stakeholders, and the broader public alike. Today we invite you to join our new effort to compile examples that help answer them. Read more and contribute...
Papers explore ways of supporting girls’ education in rural Nepal; forest fires on the slopes of Mount Kenya; how commercial medicinal plant collection improves high-altitude livelihoods and how forest use practices impact landscape hydrology, both in Nepal; and how snow affects landslide vegetation patterns in Japan. Two more propose a multiscale transdisciplinary framework for advancing sustainability in mountain agriculture and a strategy for integrated biodiversity monitoring in high mountain ecosystems.
Wildflowers of Mount Everest is the first-ever wildflower identification app for Nepal. The richly illustrated app includes 557 species of wildflowers, shrubs, and trees and is meant for anybody who wants to identify or learn about plants in the Mount Everest region. Read more...
Mountains host a spectacular diversity of species. Yet current species distribution is only a snapshot in time that bears the memory of past geomorphological and climatic changes. Understanding past changes is key to interpret current patterns and inform mountain biodiversity conservation and management in the future. Read more about it in a short GMBA co-authored contribution in the latest issue of the PAGES magazine. Read more...
Due to the current situation, the XVIII International Colloquium on Soil Zoology (ICSZ) and the XV International Colloquium on Apterygota (ICA) hosted by Eurac Research in Bolzano has been postponed to March/April 2021! Read more and stay tuned...
Today, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), GRID-Arendal (GRIDA), Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (GMBA), Mountain Research Initiative (MRI), Mountain Partnership, Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention, Secretariat of the Alpine Convention, Government of Austria, Government of Hungary, and Government of Poland are convening country delegates attending the Second meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework in Rome to an informal mountain gathering. This gathering will serve as the occasion to launch the second version of the Policy Brief "Elevating Mountains in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework 2.0" co-developed by UNEP, GRIDA, GMBA, and MRI. Read more...
GMBA working group on species distribution models & remote sensing publishes in Remote Sensing of Environment on Monitoring biodiversity in the Anthropocene using remote sensing in species distribution models. The paper first surveys the literature on remote sensing data products available to ecological modelers interested in improving predictions of species range dynamics under global change. Focus is on key biophysical processes underlying the distribution of species in the Anthropocene including climate variability, changes in land cover, and disturbances. The paper then discusses potential synergies between the ecological modeling and remote sensing communities. Specific attention is given to how synergies could lead to new opportunities to report on progress towards global agendas - such as the Agenda 2030 or the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, and help guide conservation and management strategies. Get free access to the paper for another until early March...
Papers focus on scenario planning in Iceland; risk awareness in Austria; alpine pasture assessment in France; the role of different knowledge sources in adaptation in Venezuela and Colombia, Ecuador, and the Indian Himalaya; local adaptations to water scarcity in the Hindu Kush–Himalaya; declining glacier water in the Mongolian Altai; national glacier monitoring worldwide; and adaptation initiatives in African mountains. Read more...
UNFCCC’s Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa officially receives “10 New Insights in Climate Science” as it is launched at COP25, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference in Madrid, Spain. These Insights are a collaborative product of Future Earth and the Earth League. Insight 3 "Climate change leaves no mountain summit behind" is co-authored by GMBA and MRI. Read more...
On October 31, 2019, 20 scientists and individual actors in charge of formulating and implementing environmental policies for Swiss mountains got together at the Swiss Graduate School of Public Administration to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with integrating research and long-term monitoring data into public policies for environmental management in Swiss mountains. Read more...
On October 02-04, 2019, 22 experts from science and policy got together in the botanical garden of Champex-Lac (Switzerland) to discuss the contribution of Long-Term Social Ecological Research (LTSER) in mountains to global agendas and conventions. The objective of the workshop was to deliver a synthetic overview of how mountain LTSER currently support global policy agendas and UN conventions and how their contribution could be improved and strengthened in the future. Read more...
It is now possible to upload occurrence as well as inventory data directly online! Map of Life’s online tool is designed to help you easily load your biodiversity data to the Map of Life and Mountain Portal database, map them, compare and integrate them with other datasets, set permissions to share them publicly for use in other platforms, and publish them with a minted DOI. Try the tool with your own data!
Future Earth posted a blog that we wrote about our PEGASuS Project entitled "Toward biodiversity-related opportunities for sustainable development: a global social-ecological mountain comparison". Enjoy the read...
An important role for GMBA is to connect mountain biodiversity scientists. For that purpose, we have developed an online tool for the query of our database of members. The beta version is now online! Check it out!
During the past months, the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) in close collaboration with GMBA has developed an interactive webportal for the query and visualization of information about indigenous mountain communities worldwide. Read more...
On 24.10.2017 USGS releases the Global Mountain Explorer developed in partnership with GMBA, the Center for Development and Environment, the Mountain Research Initiative (MRI), and ESRI. This tool was developed to provide a detailed view of the world's mountains according to the three most commonly used definitions of mountains. With this product, MRI, who led the effort, achieves the first objective of the Group on Earth Observations - Global Network for Observation and Information in Mountain Environments (GEO-GNOME) work program. Read the full press release...
The Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (GMBA) and Map of Life (MOL) launch the Mountain Portal V2.0, now with more data and an improved user experience to the mountain biodiversity science community.
Alpandino (https://www.alpandino.org) is an e-learning course on alpine ecology developed by the University of Basel. The course contains lectures on various aspects of alpine ecology, including climate, microclimate, water issues, and soils, and also offers a photo-excursion to alpine habitats and treeline locations around the globe.
This course is a great entry point for a diverse audience, ranging from alpine zoologists and microbiologists to conservation experts and nature reserve managers. It serves also as an ideal preparation for field excursions or field weeks with students.
The course is available in English and Spanish.
Altenbergrain 21
3013 Bern