Ebook: Global Change and Protected Areas

High mountains can be considered as particularly appropriate environments to detect effects ofclimate change on natural biocoenoses in a global scale for the following reasons: Firstly, ecosystems at the l- temperature limits of plant life are generally thought to be especially sensitive to climate change [1][2][3]. An already ongoing upward shift of vascular plants at high summits in the Alps, determined by the Austrian IGBP-research [4][5][6][7][8], is most likely a response to the atmospheric warming since the 19th century. Secondly, high mountains still comprise the most natural ecosystems in many countries, being largely untouched by human settlements and agricultural influences, Therefore, climatic effects on ecosystems can be studied without masking effects from human land use. Thirdly, high mountain ranges are present in virtually every major zonobiome of the earth. The research initiative GLORIA aims to establish an urgently needed global monitoring network, by using high mountain ecosystems as sensitive indicators, as required in the “IGBP-Mountain Workplan” [9]. Moreover, a deeper understanding of assemblagemechanisms andassemblage processes in vegetation patterns as a contribution to ecological theory can be expected. This paper gives a short general overview about GLORIA and a first outline about the concept, method, and some few results of the “Multi Summit-Approach”, one of the basic intentions within the proposed network. It aims to encourage the involvement of high mountain researchers and research co-ordinators in a detailed discussion of the proposed research activities and in a co-operation within the planned global monitoring network.

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The scope of this book is to show that protected areas may be the regions where early signs of the impact of global change can be observed. These signs are not limited to physical parameters like temperature, precipitation, etc. but could include changes in the biosphere and in social behavior. The book is a collection of papers presented at the meeting `Global Change and Protected Areas' held in L'Aquila, Italy, in September 1998. It is divided into four sections dealing with the physical evidence for climatic and environmental changes, the impact on the biosphere and hydrology and the socio-economic implications. The last section is a case study on the Abruzzo Region which has the peculiarity among the Italian regions of having dedicated a third of its territory to natural parks. Most of the contributions have been prepared for this book and each section is opened by a general review that may also be very useful as a teaching tool. The book will be useful for both the researcher and the student. This rather interdisciplinary subject is totally new, with very few books in print.

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The scope of this book is to show that protected areas may be the regions where early signs of the impact of global change can be observed. These signs are not limited to physical parameters like temperature, precipitation, etc. but could include changes in the biosphere and in social behavior. The book is a collection of papers presented at the meeting `Global Change and Protected Areas' held in L'Aquila, Italy, in September 1998. It is divided into four sections dealing with the physical evidence for climatic and environmental changes, the impact on the biosphere and hydrology and the socio-economic implications. The last section is a case study on the Abruzzo Region which has the peculiarity among the Italian regions of having dedicated a third of its territory to natural parks. Most of the contributions have been prepared for this book and each section is opened by a general review that may also be very useful as a teaching tool. The book will be useful for both the researcher and the student. This rather interdisciplinary subject is totally new, with very few books in print.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xvi
Global Change and Mountain Regions — an IGBP Initiative for Collaborative Research....Pages 3-9
Climate Variations in Italy in the Last 130 Years....Pages 11-17
Dendroclimatic Information on Silver Fir (Abies Alba Mill.) in the Northern Apennines....Pages 19-27
Trends in High Frequency Precipitation Variability in Some Northern Italy Secular Stations....Pages 29-36
Climate Change Experiments on a Glacier Foreland in the Central Alps....Pages 37-44
High Mountain Summits as Sensitive Indicators of Climate Change Effects on Vegetation Patterns: The “Multi Summit-Approach” of GLORIA (Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine Environments)....Pages 45-51
Temperature and Precipitation Trends in Italy During the Last Century....Pages 53-60
Climate and other Sources of Change in the St. Elias Region....Pages 61-69
Permafrost and Climate in Europe. Climate Change, Mountain Permafrost Degradation and Geotechnical Hazard....Pages 71-82
Thermal Variations of Mountain Permafrost: an Example of Measurements Since 1987 in the Swiss Alps....Pages 83-95
Climate Change and Air Quality Assessment in Canadian National Parks....Pages 97-107
Regional Clean Air Partnerships and the ETEAM....Pages 109-117
Land-Atmosphere Interactions....Pages 119-126
Uncertainties in the Prediction of Regional Climate Change....Pages 127-139
Gamma-Ray Spectrometer for “In Situ” Measurements on Glaciers and Snowfields....Pages 141-146
Cs-137 Gamma Peak Detection in Snow Layers on Calderone Glacier....Pages 147-152
The Effects of Global Warming on Mountain Regions: a Summary of the 1995 Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change....Pages 155-185
Global Change in Respect to Tendency to Acidification of Subarctic Mountain Lakes....Pages 187-194
Influence of Climate, Species Immigration, Fire, and Men on Forest Dynamics In Northern Italy, from 6000 Cal. BP To Today....Pages 195-208
Koenigia Islandica (Iceland Purslane) — A Case Study of a Potential Indicator of Climate Change in the UK....Pages 209-217
Semi-Objective Sampling Strategies as One Basis for a Vegetation Survey....Pages 219-228
Simulating the Impact of Climate Change on Drought in Swiss Forest Stands....Pages 229-243
Forecasted Stability of Mediterranean Evergreen Species Considering Global Changes....Pages 245-252
Birds as Bio-Indicators of Long-Transported Lead in the Alpine Environment....Pages 253-259
Annual Estimations of Ecophysiological Parameters and Biogenic Volatile Compounds (BVOCs) Emissions in Citrus Sinensis (L.) Osbeck....Pages 261-270
A Multiscale Study to Analyse the Response of Vegetation to Climatic Conditions....Pages 271-279
Phytotoxic Ozone Effect on Selected Plant Species in a Standardized Experimental Design....Pages 281-288
Plant Invasions in Central European Middle-Mountains: A Result of Global Change?....Pages 289-299
Can Testate Amoebae (Protozoa) and Other Micro-Organisms Help to Overcome Biogeographic Bias in Large Scale Global Change Research?....Pages 301-310
Effects of Elevated Atmospheric CO2 and Mineral Nitrogen Deposition on Litter Quality, Bioleaching and Decomposition in A Sphagnum Peat Bog....Pages 311-321
Analysis of the Environmental Impact Caused by Introduced Animals in the Clarion Island, Archipelago of Revillagigedo, Colima, Mexico....Pages 323-329
High Mountain Environment as Indicator of Global Change....Pages 331-345
Effects of Elevated CO2 and Nitrogen Deposition on Natural Regeneration Processes of Cut-Over Ombrotrophic Peat Bogs in the Swiss Jura Mountains....Pages 347-356
Economic Evaluation of Italian Parks and Natural Areas....Pages 359-372
Environmental and Human Impacts on Coastal and Marine Protected Areas in India....Pages 373-392
Past Climate Change and the Generation and Persistence of Species Richness in a Biodiversity Hotspot, the Cape Flora of South Africa....Pages 393-402
The World Network of Biosphere Reserves: a Flexible Structure for Understanding and Responding to Global Change....Pages 403-411
The Role of a Global Protected Areas System in Conserving Biodiversity in the Face of Climate Change....Pages 413-422
The Strong Reduction Phase of the Calderone Glacier During the Last Two Centuries: Reconstruction of the Variation and of the Possible Scenarios With GIS Technologies....Pages 425-433
Digital Geomorphologic Cartography of the Top Area of the Gran Sasso D’Italia Mountain Group (Central Apennine, Italy)....Pages 435-444
The Late Pleistocene and Holocene Temporary Lakes in the Abruzzo Parks and the Central Apennines....Pages 445-458
The Travertine Deposits of the Upper Pescara Valley (Central Abruzzi, Italy): A Clue for the Reconstruction of the Late Quaternary Palaeoenvironmental Evolution of the Area....Pages 459-464
The Protected Areas System for the Conservation and for an Eco-Compatible Development of the Territory: The Maiella National Park....Pages 465-473
Environmental Protection and Social Protection: The Sirente-Velino Regional Park....Pages 475-487
Protected Areas Management: an Example of Application in the Gran Sasso Park....Pages 489-493
The Main Invasive Alien Plants in the Protected Areas in Central Italy (Abruzzo)....Pages 495-504
The Historical and Iconographic Research in the Reconstruction of the Variation of the Calderone Glacier: State of the Art and Perspective....Pages 505-512
Numerical Experiments to Study the Possible Meteorological Changes Induced by the Presence of a Lake....Pages 513-521
Back Matter....Pages 522-522

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The scope of this book is to show that protected areas may be the regions where early signs of the impact of global change can be observed. These signs are not limited to physical parameters like temperature, precipitation, etc. but could include changes in the biosphere and in social behavior. The book is a collection of papers presented at the meeting `Global Change and Protected Areas' held in L'Aquila, Italy, in September 1998. It is divided into four sections dealing with the physical evidence for climatic and environmental changes, the impact on the biosphere and hydrology and the socio-economic implications. The last section is a case study on the Abruzzo Region which has the peculiarity among the Italian regions of having dedicated a third of its territory to natural parks. Most of the contributions have been prepared for this book and each section is opened by a general review that may also be very useful as a teaching tool. The book will be useful for both the researcher and the student. This rather interdisciplinary subject is totally new, with very few books in print.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xvi
Global Change and Mountain Regions — an IGBP Initiative for Collaborative Research....Pages 3-9
Climate Variations in Italy in the Last 130 Years....Pages 11-17
Dendroclimatic Information on Silver Fir (Abies Alba Mill.) in the Northern Apennines....Pages 19-27
Trends in High Frequency Precipitation Variability in Some Northern Italy Secular Stations....Pages 29-36
Climate Change Experiments on a Glacier Foreland in the Central Alps....Pages 37-44
High Mountain Summits as Sensitive Indicators of Climate Change Effects on Vegetation Patterns: The “Multi Summit-Approach” of GLORIA (Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine Environments)....Pages 45-51
Temperature and Precipitation Trends in Italy During the Last Century....Pages 53-60
Climate and other Sources of Change in the St. Elias Region....Pages 61-69
Permafrost and Climate in Europe. Climate Change, Mountain Permafrost Degradation and Geotechnical Hazard....Pages 71-82
Thermal Variations of Mountain Permafrost: an Example of Measurements Since 1987 in the Swiss Alps....Pages 83-95
Climate Change and Air Quality Assessment in Canadian National Parks....Pages 97-107
Regional Clean Air Partnerships and the ETEAM....Pages 109-117
Land-Atmosphere Interactions....Pages 119-126
Uncertainties in the Prediction of Regional Climate Change....Pages 127-139
Gamma-Ray Spectrometer for “In Situ” Measurements on Glaciers and Snowfields....Pages 141-146
Cs-137 Gamma Peak Detection in Snow Layers on Calderone Glacier....Pages 147-152
The Effects of Global Warming on Mountain Regions: a Summary of the 1995 Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change....Pages 155-185
Global Change in Respect to Tendency to Acidification of Subarctic Mountain Lakes....Pages 187-194
Influence of Climate, Species Immigration, Fire, and Men on Forest Dynamics In Northern Italy, from 6000 Cal. BP To Today....Pages 195-208
Koenigia Islandica (Iceland Purslane) — A Case Study of a Potential Indicator of Climate Change in the UK....Pages 209-217
Semi-Objective Sampling Strategies as One Basis for a Vegetation Survey....Pages 219-228
Simulating the Impact of Climate Change on Drought in Swiss Forest Stands....Pages 229-243
Forecasted Stability of Mediterranean Evergreen Species Considering Global Changes....Pages 245-252
Birds as Bio-Indicators of Long-Transported Lead in the Alpine Environment....Pages 253-259
Annual Estimations of Ecophysiological Parameters and Biogenic Volatile Compounds (BVOCs) Emissions in Citrus Sinensis (L.) Osbeck....Pages 261-270
A Multiscale Study to Analyse the Response of Vegetation to Climatic Conditions....Pages 271-279
Phytotoxic Ozone Effect on Selected Plant Species in a Standardized Experimental Design....Pages 281-288
Plant Invasions in Central European Middle-Mountains: A Result of Global Change?....Pages 289-299
Can Testate Amoebae (Protozoa) and Other Micro-Organisms Help to Overcome Biogeographic Bias in Large Scale Global Change Research?....Pages 301-310
Effects of Elevated Atmospheric CO2 and Mineral Nitrogen Deposition on Litter Quality, Bioleaching and Decomposition in A Sphagnum Peat Bog....Pages 311-321
Analysis of the Environmental Impact Caused by Introduced Animals in the Clarion Island, Archipelago of Revillagigedo, Colima, Mexico....Pages 323-329
High Mountain Environment as Indicator of Global Change....Pages 331-345
Effects of Elevated CO2 and Nitrogen Deposition on Natural Regeneration Processes of Cut-Over Ombrotrophic Peat Bogs in the Swiss Jura Mountains....Pages 347-356
Economic Evaluation of Italian Parks and Natural Areas....Pages 359-372
Environmental and Human Impacts on Coastal and Marine Protected Areas in India....Pages 373-392
Past Climate Change and the Generation and Persistence of Species Richness in a Biodiversity Hotspot, the Cape Flora of South Africa....Pages 393-402
The World Network of Biosphere Reserves: a Flexible Structure for Understanding and Responding to Global Change....Pages 403-411
The Role of a Global Protected Areas System in Conserving Biodiversity in the Face of Climate Change....Pages 413-422
The Strong Reduction Phase of the Calderone Glacier During the Last Two Centuries: Reconstruction of the Variation and of the Possible Scenarios With GIS Technologies....Pages 425-433
Digital Geomorphologic Cartography of the Top Area of the Gran Sasso D’Italia Mountain Group (Central Apennine, Italy)....Pages 435-444
The Late Pleistocene and Holocene Temporary Lakes in the Abruzzo Parks and the Central Apennines....Pages 445-458
The Travertine Deposits of the Upper Pescara Valley (Central Abruzzi, Italy): A Clue for the Reconstruction of the Late Quaternary Palaeoenvironmental Evolution of the Area....Pages 459-464
The Protected Areas System for the Conservation and for an Eco-Compatible Development of the Territory: The Maiella National Park....Pages 465-473
Environmental Protection and Social Protection: The Sirente-Velino Regional Park....Pages 475-487
Protected Areas Management: an Example of Application in the Gran Sasso Park....Pages 489-493
The Main Invasive Alien Plants in the Protected Areas in Central Italy (Abruzzo)....Pages 495-504
The Historical and Iconographic Research in the Reconstruction of the Variation of the Calderone Glacier: State of the Art and Perspective....Pages 505-512
Numerical Experiments to Study the Possible Meteorological Changes Induced by the Presence of a Lake....Pages 513-521
Back Matter....Pages 522-522
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