Ecological Continuum in the Alps: from 50 questions to a few concerted actions

May 27, 2013
How will demographic change affect the future of the ecological continuum? And which indicators of species and habitats can be used to assess an ecological network? These are just two of the 50 questions put together by scientists, politicians and environmentalists from all the Alpine lands.
Wolves

How does the return of bears, wolves and lynx affect the ecosystems in the Alpine ecological network? This is just one of 50 urgent questions which remain to be answered.
© *Michelle*(xena2542) / www.flickr.com

This list should in future make it easier to set priorities for the protection and re-establishment of the connectivity of habitats in the Alps. In addition, it is a wish list for researchers and sponsors to address these questions, some of them pressing and very difficult to answer.
The Ecological Continuum Initiative, the Ecological Network of the Alpine Convention Platform and the project partners of Econnect have initiated the drawing up of the 50 questions. The answering process will be started in the framework of a workshop later in 2013. Practitioners and scientists will meet to discuss priorities and project ideas.

Sources and further information: www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10, www.cipra.org/en/alpmedia/news-en/4799 (en, de, fr, it, sl), www.vetmeduni.ac.at/en/infoservice