Research
What limits altitudinal distribution of animal species in the Alps? The study of plasticity in bird and mammal species in their life histories according to altitudinal climate schemes is the focus of this long-term study. The knowledge on the mechanisms of altitudinal distribution and the adaptability of animal species to different temperatures is crucial to model potential effects of global/climate change on the distribution patterns of vertebrates and their food webs in the Alps.
The study area covers in Austria the altitudinal range between 500 and 2000m and covers three forest plots in the Eastern Alps at the Ötscher mountain, in the Vienna forest and in the South near Turrach.
Questions?
What adaptations do birds and small mammals exhibit to different altitudes in the Alps?
What are the distribution patterns oft the different species/taxa along the altitudinal gradients?
How much does phenotypic plasticity make the animal species flexible to temperature changes?
What changes in life history and in distribution patterns can be expected according to global/climate change?
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10.2.2010
