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Gunung Nyiut Penrissen, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
Photo credits: Phytotaxa
Northern Mountains, Madagascar
Picture credits: Calvo and Callmander (2023)
Bali Ngemba, North West Region, Cameroon
Picture credits: Cheek et al. (2023)
Kashmir Himalaya, India
Picture credits: Hurrah et al. (2023)
Omalos Plateau, Lefka Ori Mountains, western Crete, Greece
Photo credits: Jopek et al. (2023)
Northeastern Anatolia, Turkey
Photo credits: Phytotaxa
Chocó Biogeographic region, Colombia
Photo credits: Phytotaxa
Tibetan Plateau, China
Picture credits: Phytotaxa
Cerrado domain, Central Brazil
Photo credits: Cardoso et al. (2023)
Western Andes, Ecuador and southern Colombia
Picture credits: Clark and Keene (2023)
Central Apennines, Italy
Picture credits: Condi et al. (2023)
Pico Caratuva, Brazil
Photo credits: de Souza et al. (2023)
Bahia, Brazil
Photo credits: Phytotaxa
Kriti Island, Greece
Picture credits: Goula and Constantinidis (2023).
Andean forests, Colombia
Photo credits: Phytotaxa
Andes, Peru
Picture credits: Phytotaxa
Mpumalanga province, northeastern South Africa
Picture credits: Phytotaxa
East Andes, Colombia
Photo credits: Phytotaxa
Baja California, Gulf of California, northwestern Mexico
Photo credits: Hernández et al. (2023)
Eastern Andes
Photo credits: Poveda-Cuellar et al. (2023)
Orinoco River basin, Venezuela & Colombia
Photo credits: Cortés-Hernández et al. (2023)
Central Highlands,Vietnam
Photo credits: Phung et al. (2023)
Central Yunnan, China
Photo credits: Tang et al. (2023)
Cordillera del Yanachaga, Andes, central Peru,
Photo credits: Venegas et al. (2023)
Serra do Tabuleiro, Southern Brazil
Picture credits: Mangia et al. (2023)
Guangdong, China
Photo credits: Qi et al. (2023)
Sumatra Barat, Indonesia
Photo credits: Nugrahat et al. (2023)
West-central Highlands, Angola
Photo credits: Bates et al. (2023)
Sierra de Quila, Piedra Blanca, West Mexico
Picture credits: Contreras-Félix et al. (2023)
Daming Mountain, Nanning, Guangxi, China
Photo credits: Zootaxa
Western Ghats, India
Photo credits: Zootaxa
Montane rainforests, eastern Madagascar.
Photo credits: Zootaxa
Cyprus
Picture credits: Dimitriou et al. (2023)
Minshan Mountains and Shennongjia Mountains
Picture credits: Hua et al. (2023)
Middle Atlas region, Morocco
Picture credits: Mabrouki et al. (2023)
Taiwan
Picture credits: Starkevitch and Young
Altai Mountains
Photo credits: Zootaxa
Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia
Photo credits: Zoosymposia
Tian Shan, Kyrgyzstan & Alay Range,Uzbekistan
Picture Credits: Zootaxa
Georgian caves, Caucasus
Photo credits: Parimuchová et al. (2023)
Uttarakhand, India & Taplejung, Eastern Nepal
Picture credits: Zootaxa
Sierra Madre Occidental and Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, Mexico
Picture credits: Arriaga-Jiménez et al. (2023)
Zhejiang, China Zhejiang
Photo credits: Zootaxa
Grasberg, West Papua
Picture credits: Zootaxa
Yasuni Biosphere Reserve, Ecuador
Photo credits: Peñaherrera‐R. et al. (2023)
Yunnan, China
Picture credits: Shu et al. (2023)
Isla del Coco National Park, Costa Rica
Photo credits: Breedy et al. (2023)
Serra dos Carajás, Brazil
Photo credits: Zootaxa
Central Highlands, New Guinea
Picture credits: Kaltenbach et al. (2023)
Tamil Nadu, India
Photo credits: Zoosymposia
European Alps, Switzerland
Photo credits: Peszek et al. (2023)
Anhui Province, China
Photo credits: Phytotaxa
Western Ghats, India
Photo credits: Phytotaxa
Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalayas, India
Photo credits: Phytotaxa
Black forest, Germany
Photo credits: von Brackel and Wirth (2023)
Jinyun Mountains, Chongqing, China
Picture credits: Chen et al. (2023)
Western Himalayan, India
Picture credits: Sharma et al (2023)
Serra de Baturité, Ceará, Brazil
Photo credits: Percequillo and Weksler (2023)
Beishan area, Gansu Province, Northwest China
Picture Credits: Li et al. (2023)
Pieniny Klippen Belt, Western Carpathians
Picture credits: Lathuilière et al. (2023)
Biofilm community composition is changing in remote mountain lakes with a relative increase in potentially toxigenic algae
Roadside disturbance promotes arbuscular mycorrhizal communities in mountain regions worldwide
Phytodiversity is associated with habitat heterogeneity from Eurasia to the Hengduan Mountains
Going up the Andes: patterns and drivers of non-native plant invasions across latitudinal and elevational gradients
Snow cover persistence as a useful predictor of alpine plant distributions
A decision-support tool to augment global mountain protection and conservation, including a case study from
Western Himalaya
Biodiversity and elevation gradients: Insights on sampling biases across worldwide mountains
Spatial gradients and grazing effects of a transhumant herd on plants and insect herbivores in Pyrenean subalpine grasslands
A phylogenetic approach identifies patterns of beta diversity and floristic subregions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Positive and negative plant-plant interactions influence seedling establishment at both high and low elevations
Concepts in alpine plant ecology
Song complexity is associated with habitat quality in an upland passerine
Mountain soil food webs shaped by the interplay between habitat and pedoclimatic conditions
Anthropocene trajectories of high alpine vegetation on Mont-Blanc nunataks
Global warming is promoting the rapid invasion of the mountain hare range by the european hare in the Alps
High-mountain phylogeography in the Balkan Peninsula: isolation pattern in a species of alpine siliceous grasslands and its possible background
Habitat heterogeneity promotes bird diversity in agricultural landscapes: Insights from remote sensing data
Half century in biodiversity and conservation research in Nepal: a review
Biogeographic implications of plant stature and microclimate in cold regions
A model of mountain socio-ecological systems to catalyze multi-actor collaborations towards sustainability
The mountain top flora and vegetation of the remote Ovahimba Highlands in the Kaokoveld Centre of Endemism: a reconnaissance
The impact of climate change and wildfire on decadal alpine vegetation dynamics
Ground-dwelling invertebrates of the high alpine: Changes in diversity and community composition along elevation (1500–3000 m)
High mountain trees: altitudinal records recently broken for eleven different tree species in Britain
Spatial phylogenetics of the flora in the Sierra Madre del Sur, Mexico: Evolutionary puzzles in tropical mountains
Environmental DNA (eDNA) based fish biodiversity assessment of two Himalayan rivers of Nepal reveals diversity differences and highlights new species distribution records
Spatial variation in the community structure and response of benthic macroinvertebrates to multiple environmental factors in mountain rivers
Long-term trends and drivers of biological invasion in Central European streams
Functional diversity patterns reveal different elevations shaping Himalayan amphibian assemblages, highlighting the importance of morphologically extreme individuals
Uncovering the hidden biodiversity of streams at the upper distribution limit of fish
Review: mountain lakes as freshwater resources at risk from chemical pollution
Towards the identification of hotspots of freshwater biodiversity in North-Western Africa: A case study using species distribution models for water beetles in Morocco
Bio Anorí, the biological expedition that documented fish diversity after the post-conflict in Antioquia, Colombia
Old-growth forests with long continuity are essential for preserving rare wood-inhabiting fungi
Changes in oribatid mite community structure along two altitudinal gradients in Asia and Europe as related to environmental factors
Soil biological quality as affected by vegetation types in shrublands of a semi-arid montane environment
Land conversion impacts on soil macroaggregation, carbon sequestration and preservation in tree orchards located in Mediterranean environment (Spain)
Molecular analyses of pseudoscorpions in a subterranean biodiversity hotspot reveal cryptic diversity and microendemism
Patterns and driving factors of ecological stoichiometry in system of deadwood and soil in mountains forest ecosystem
Exploring soil bacterial diversity in different micro-vegetational habitats of Dachigam National Park in North-western Himalaya
Shifts of understory vegetation induced by thinning drive the expansion of soil rare fungi
Alien flora causes biotic homogenization in the biodiversity hotspot regions of India
Leveraging species richness and ecological condition indices to guide systematic conservation planning
Tree dieback, woody plant diversity, and ecosystem driven by topography in semi-arid mountain forests: Implication for ecosystem management
Adjusting the protected areas on the Tibetan Plateau under changing climate
Mesophytic and less-disturbed mountainous habitats are important for in situ conservation of rare and endangered plants
The combined effects of temperature and fragment area on the demographic rates of an Afrotropical bird community over 34 years
Relationship among vegetation structure and mixed-species flocks composition along the latitudinal gradient of the subtropical montane forest of the Yungas, Argentina
Environmental factors determining the forest–grassland variation in the Espinhaço Range Biosphere Reserve—Brazil
Demography-environment relationships improve mechanistic understanding of range dynamics under climate change
The exposure of the world’s mountains to global change drivers
Resilient Mountain Solutions: Ten local solutions for global impact
Risk of plant invasions and management planning in the Tibetan Plateau, China
Seasonal snow cover patterns explain alpine treeline elevation better than temperature at regional scale
Synchronised disturbances in spruce- and beech-dominated forests across the largest primary mountain forest landscape in temperate Europe
Herbivore rewilding does not promote biodiversity in Argentine Andean peatlands
An updated floristic map of the world
Estimating the response of Himalayan old-growth mountain forests to decreased monsoon precipitation
Divergence in responses of juniper tree rings to climate conditions along a high-mountain transect in the semi-arid Fann Mountains, Pamir-Alay, western Tajikistan
Long-Term environmental and social monitoring in the Andes: state of the art, knowledge gaps, and priorities for an integrated agenda
Under the theme From Science to Action, the third World Biodiversity Forum WBF brings together researchers across all disciplines of biodiversity science with practitioners and societal actors to explore how to move from science to actions and solutions to conserve biodiversity and set us on a path towards transformation for sustainability. The call for abstract is now open until November 19. Read more and submit an abstract...
Podcast on soils in mountain systems by GMBA mountain soil biodiversity working group leader Julia Seeber. Listen...
Urgent action is needed to protect the unique natural and cultural heritage and promote sustainable livelihoods in the Caucasus Mountains. Mountain Research and Development invites systematic assessments of development and policy experiences, empirical studies on topics emphasized in the Caucasus Regional Research Agenda, and review papers that conclude on priorities for research, policy, or action. Notices of intent are due by 9 July 2023, full papers by 15 October 2023. Read more...
The third Caucasus Mountain Forum under the title “Transdisciplinarity for Sustainable Tourism Development: Role of Caucasus Scientists” will be held in Kutaisi, Georgia, 04-06 July 2023. It will be devoted to tourism development perspectives and challenges in the region, identified as one of the hottest issues by the Caucasus Regional Research Agenda (C-RRA) adopted by the second CMF in Ankara. Read more and register until 03 July...
Articles focus on an interactive mudflow database for risk reduction in Kazakhstan, economic benefits of a social innovation in a Swiss Alpine valley, the need to find a common language about empty houses in Bhutan, the effects of land use on local climate in Ecuador, an agenda for a people-centered energy transition in mountains, ICIMOD’s new strategy, the appropriateness of the word “alpine,” and the life of Pauline Ives, editor of MRD from 1981 to 1999. Read more...
One year after COP15 of the UN CBD and the landmark agreement of a Global Biodiversity Framework, the GEO BON global conference will focus on the grand challenge of ‘Monitoring Biodiversity for Action’. A central theme will be the development of best practices and new technologies for biodiversity observations and monitoring to support transformative policy and conservation action. The conference will be held in Montreal (Canada) from 11-15 October 2023. Read more and submit an abstract...
Mountain Research and Development (MRD) invites submissions focusing on transformation knowledge and target knowledge. How can we solve problems and tap opportunities for greater sustainability? Articles in the MountainDevelopment section should offer validated insights from development interventions, local practices, and policy efforts. And: What sustainable development do we want? Articles in the MountainAgenda section should systematically review—and conclude with agendas for—research, development, or policy. Submissions are welcome anytime. Read more...
Under the theme From Science to Action, the third World Biodiversity Forum WBF brings together researchers across all disciplines of biodiversity science with practitioners and societal actors to explore how to move from science to actions and solutions to conserve biodiversity and set us on a path towards transformation for sustainability. The third World Biodiversity Forum WBF will be held as an in-person event, from 17-20 June 2024 at the Congress Centre in Davos, Switzerland. Read more and submit a session proposal...
Within the lecture series "Understanding the Dynamics of the Natural Hazards in the Himalayas" GMBA will be talking about "Why mountain biodiversity matters" on Friday 12 May 10:30 CEST. Online registration...
The 7th Forum Carpaticum conference Carpathian Futures – Critical Transitions brings together scientists, practitioners and stakeholders to share recent research and discuss the challenges and possible modes of adaptation to ongoing environmental, economic and socio-political crises in the Carpathian region. The conference will take place in Krakow, Poland, 25-28 September, 2023. Read more...
The Mountain Innovation Fair is planned to offer a buzzing, interactive and collaborative workspace to exchange on challenges and successes of innovative approaches, with lively discussions and practical demonstrations. Out-of-the box thinking, novel approaches and facilitating wider access to innovations are at the core of the Fair. Meet your peers, learn about and co-create mountain innovations with a potential for replication in various regions and contexts.
The Universities of Bern and Zurich are organising the fourth SISA workshop (2023) in Adelboden and Engstligenalp in the Bernese Alps. The SISA will focus on the Alps as a communication and interaction zone, alpine landscapes, alpine agri- culture, prospecting and excavation methods, and social and economic systems in the Alps through time. It comprises invited keynote speakers on specific topics and the teaching of practical field- work. The lectures and fieldwork will take place in an archaeologically under-researched but highly promising region in the Bernese Alps at up to 2400 m.a.s.l. Read more and express your interest by April 30...
Social innovations can help revive mountain economies, including through alternative economic pathways. The panelists will share and discuss findings on a regional initiative in the Swiss Alps and experiences from civil society initiatives in the Hindu Kush Himalaya, Georgia, and Ecuador. The event is an opportunity to jointly reflect on how social innovations can be fostered for the benefit of mountain economies. 25 April 2023, 15:00 CEST/UTC+2, on Zoom. Read more and register...
Save the date for the 16th International Conference on Ecology and Management of Alien Plant Invasions, that will take place in Pucón (Chile), 23-25 October 2023, with a focus on promoting diversity in the science and management of biological invasions. Read more...
Born from a fruitful partnership with the Canadian Mountain Network, this issue showcases knowledge collaborations between mountain researchers and Indigenous Peoples from across the globe. Topics include Aymara soil knowledge in Bolivia, community-based tourism in Italy, rangeland management modeling in Bhutan, archeological research in Canada, the role of indigenous knowledge in protected area management in Canada and New Zealand/Aotearoa, and more. Read more...
This graduate course is offered at the Alpfor Alpine Research and Education Station Furka Pass by the University of Basel and the Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center (PSC). It is designed for advanced biology students with basic plant science training. The course covers microclimatology, ecophysiology, biodiversity, reproductive biology, soil science, vegetation and ecosystem ecology. The course will include lectures, field excursions and project work. Participation is limited to 24 students.
The Conference will take place in Kunming, China, April 16-18, 2023. The theme of this year’s conference is “Mountain Communities in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework”. The conference will bring together leading researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from around the world to discuss the most pressing issues facing mountain regions today. Read more...
Mountain Research and Development is looking for papers that systematically assess restoration experiences, including enabling and hindering factors for greater resilience of mountain ecosystems and people. Empirical research and meta-analyses of degradation and restoration processes and their links to resilience are also welcome, as are review-based agendas for research, policies, or interventions. Papers are due by 30 March 2023. Read more...
This International Plant Functional Traits Course offers hands-on training in different applications of plant functional traits ecology within a real-life field research project setting. Students plan a trait-based research project and field campaign; collect and document plant functional trait data in the field; and explore these data using trait-based approaches within climate change research and ecosystem ecology. This course will provide students with essential background knowledge and the practical field, lab, and computational skills needed for conducting their own research within trait-based ecology. Read more and sign up by 28th February...
For a special issue on mountains and island biogeography, the Journal of Systematics and Evolution welcomes submissions in all aspects related to the biogeography, evolution, and conservation of mountain and island systems. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to): (1) pylogenomics and phylogenetics of large or complex groups occurring in mountains and/or islands; (2) Newly explored biogeographic and evolutionary aspects of major clades and mountain/island biomes. Manuscript submission deadline: 30 June 2023. Read more...
In this International Conference, the efforts will be on bringing together the distinguished groups of researchers who have been working on various aspects of mountain biodiversity across disciplinary and geographical boundaries. The conference will focus on the presentations on biodiversity (animals, plants, microbes) with particular reference to their cope up mechanisms in low temperature environment of mountain ecosystems in general and Himalaya and Antarctica in particular.
The International LTER Network (ILTER) provides small research grants for compact projects, for instance as seed grants for larger undertakings, or for supporting thesis or post-doctoral work by young scientists. The deadline for applications is February 01, 2023. Read more and apply...
Working with Indigenous and local knowledge holders is crucial to conserving mountain landscapes. It provides much-needed systemic approaches, and it is fundamental to creating just conservation initiatives. In this MRD Talk, researchers, Indigenous representatives, practitioners, and the audience discussed promising new practices as well as challenges. Access the recording of the event and a summary of key insights online...
Four studies from Italy, France, and Cyprus examine how production of Mediterranean mountain food specialties—cheese, beef, and wine—can support sustainable development in the producing regions. Insights for better visitor management in protected areas are offered in an article from Nepal, using geolocated social media images, and in one from the French Alps, based on an analysis of visitors’ attitudes. A study from South Africa’s Drakensberg Mountains analyzes urbanization and land cover change. Read more...
Healthy social–ecological systems in mountains are essential for reducing disaster risk and achieving sustainable development globally. This focus issue illuminates the complex interconnections between hazards, vulnerabilities, disaster risk management, and resulting impacts in mountains. Based on insights from the Himalayas, the Andes, Iceland, Japan, and Saint Vincent, its articles chart ways of reducing disaster risk and fostering partnerships among stakeholders. Read more...
On September 16th the Alpine and Carpathian Conventions and the Mountain Partnership are co-organizing an event to contribute in implementing the UN resolution on International Mountain Year, raising awareness of the importance of the protection of mountain ecosystem, with a focus on mountain biodiversity and climate change issues, providing an overview of the main achievements of the past years at global and regional level, and discussing the main challenges and the way forward. Interested in joining? Registration is open until 13 September. Click to register...
The 2022 Workshop on Earth Observation for Ecosystem Accounting (28.11-01.12.2022, online) will bring together experts in EO and in Ecosystem Accounting to discuss the key challenges to be addressed to use EO in compiling national ecosystem accounts to support national policies. The Workshop will introduce the SEEA Ecosystem Accounting framework , present on-going efforts to harness the potential of EO in ecosystem accounting, showcase practical examples of EO applications for Ecosystem Accounting, and review the main challenges for an effective use of EO in compiling national ecosystem accounts. The workshop will address the use of EO for ecosystem accounts in all realms. Abstract deadline: 12th September 2022. Read more and register...
Participants at the World Biodiversity Forum 2022 in Davos have adopted the final conference resolution by acclamation. Amongst a number of other recommendations towards the safeguard of biodiversity worldwide, this resolution recognizes the importance of mountain biodiversity and its conservation. Read more...
The Grassroots Institute is co-organizing the hyrbid Summer Field School on Mountain Ecosystems & Resource Management at Igman Mountain in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 10-19 September 2023. This international training programme examines mountain ecosystems in the contexts of sustainable development and natural resource management. The course aims to equip researchers, students, practitioners and young teachers with the necessary approaches, knowledge and skills to meet the challenges of sustainable mountain development globally. The programme is conducted in partnership with various academic and practice-oriented organizations from around the world. Click here for information on how to become an institutional partner.
Mountain Research and Development is looking for papers that systematically assess restoration experiences, including enabling and hindering factors for greater resilience of mountain ecosystems and people. Empirical research and meta-analyses of degradation and restoration processes and their links to resilience are also welcome, as are review-based agendas for research, policies, or interventions. Papers are due by 1 November 2022. Read more...
Articles in this issue examine the workings of the “smart village” concept in the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland; the role of local food products in fostering mountain tourism in the Italian Alps; the benefits of wild plants’ ecosystem services for local livelihoods in the Polish Pieniny Mountains; rural residents’ sense of place in an ecological restoration area in Guizhou, China; and outcomes of the International Mountain Conference 2019 in Innsbruck. Read more...
The new GMBA inventory of the world’s mountains for global comparative mountain science is now released and available for unrestricted download and use. This new release introduces a hierarchical classification of the >8600 inventoried mountain ranges of the world, which allows for the partitioning of mountain systems into smaller ranges and subranges and enables spatially explicit and comparative mountain research across scales. The clearly defined, globally consistent and hierarchical nature of this new inventory offers a standardized resource for referencing and addressing mountains across science, policy, communication, and education. Read more...
Mountain Research and Development is looking for papers that systematically assess experiences of how digitalization supports transformative change in mountains. Analyses of how digitalization changes mountain societies, affects spatial and socioeconomic interrelations, or helps address gaps in knowledge about mountain societies and environments are also welcome, as are reviews of existing knowledge, practices, or policies related to digitalization. Full papers are due by 1 July 2022
Registration for the World Biodiversity Forum is now open! Special rates apply for graduate (PhD) students as well as participants from low and lower middle income countries. Early bird discounts until 31 January 2022. Read more...
Two articles in this open issue focus on ski resorts in the USA: one presents a voluntary environmental program for large resorts, the other analyzes climate change impacts and adaptation action. A global review of literature on adaptation action in mountains calls for closing the adaptation gap. Further articles focus on irrigation systems in the Upper Indus Basin; environmental attitudes of ultramarathoners in Iceland; and the shear strength of purple topsoil under different land uses in China. Read more...
Mountain Research and Development invites contributions for a focus issue on knowledge collaborations between academic and local knowledge holders. Papers should explore how mountain researchers and Indigenous Peoples or other holders of place-based knowledge can collaborate to guide knowledge creation and application. Contributions by scientists and Indigenous or other local knowledge holders are equally welcome. Notices of intent are due by 10 December 2021, full papers by 15 February 2022.
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...
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....
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...
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...
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