Biodiversity crisis in Salzburg: “The blossoms are drying up in the Alps”
The “biodiversity crisis” is already making itself felt in Salzburg’s flora, says botanist Andreas Tribsch from the Department of Environment and Biodiversity at the University of Salzburg. “It makes a very big difference for us humans whether it’s 37 or 40 degrees, it’s similar for plants,” says the researcher with concern.
SALZBURG. Andreas Tribsch is a researcher at the Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences in Salzburg (NLW). In his research area, plant evolution, he is concerned with how historical environmental changes such as ice ages and interglacial periods have affected the distribution and composition of biodiversity in the Alpine region. In the “Salzburg Botanical Garden” MeinBezirk.at talks to the researcher about the consequences of the current biodiversity crisis in Salzburg.
Have you heard a lot about a biodiversity crisis lately? How would you define the term?
ANDREAS TRIBSCH: I actually really like the term, because alternatively you could say species extinction. But not many species are going extinct. What happens with waste is that of many species there are only isolated populations left. That is, if you imagine: Up ahead you can see a nutrient-poor grassland with heaps of flowering plants that used to be extremely common around Salzburg. On 50 percent of the meadows there were daisies or other typical meadow plants. But many of them have become very rare. Due to the agricultural changes, only 3 percent of the original 50 percent of the areas are still available where the species still occur. There is a risk that the population will die out if the habitats are so small. But there are many more aspects to the biodiversity crisis, as insects, other animals and plants are interdependent.
What are the impacts of the biodiversity crisis on people when looking at the next few years?
ANDREAS TRIBSCH: Ultimately, you’re relying on growing something right now, breeding something that’s going to work in this climate right now. We know that there will be climate variability in the future. Because the meadow plants are becoming much rarer, but there is also a lot of genetic variation, I would expect that a lot of genetic resources would also be lost.
Can you give an example?
ANDREAS TRIBSCH: If I have a natural meadow with 50 species that has maybe 20 percent less yield than if I only saw grass species, then I probably have a stable yield in the natural meadow in different climate conditions. In species-rich meadows, I notice that the grasses do better when there is a lot of precipitation. When it’s very dry, the deep-rooted herbs come out better. The yield is there. In addition, those species that are better able to withstand wet, dry or frost would assert themselves better in microevolution. We have treated the environment in this natural way for thousands of years. That has been stopped for the last 50 years. You rely on technology and breeding. I think you have to find the balance there. I would expect that there would be a lot of negative effects, including economic ones, if you bet too much on the wrong horse. Relying too much on how things work now is probably the wrong horse.
Where is the biodiversity crisis noticeable in Salzburg?
ANDREAS TRIBSCH: In the agricultural sector with very frequent mowing, heavy over-fertilization and fewer structures, there are hardly any typical meadow butterflies and the like. We believe that we are in a good situation, but it has already been proven, for example, especially with butterflies, that many species are retreating to the mountains and migrating higher and higher. Probably due to the combination of: It’s just getting warmer and the habitats and structures are better than in the lowlands. But it is quite difficult to prove the biodiversity crisis in plants. We have relatively little observation data from twenty or thirty years ago, when the exact development of plant species on a meadow area was observed.
But what can you say about plants in terms of the biodiversity crisis?
ANDREAS TRIBSCH: A good example is the decline of bogs. A lot has been drained for a while. The moors come under pressure with the warmer summers, simply because a certain amount of precipitation is needed. Conversely, this is an area where nature conservation works quite well, where there are also renaturation plans. Another change in plants is that both animal and plant species are immigrating. Thermophilic species, including species that like warmth, which are more familiar from the Vienna area, are now also found in the Salzach Valley. The compass lettuce would be an example. An art that used to be very rare, but is now spreading everywhere. Although this has hardly any ecological or economic effect, there are already indications that something is changing.
Is the heat of the last few weeks already affecting the vegetation?
ANDREAS TRIBSCH: There have always been periods of heat. But you can see it in urban areas in particular, once a certain temperature has been exceeded, the ornamental lawn and other plants simply burn down. I’ve been out and about in the Alps a lot in the last two weeks. You notice immediately that the flowers dry up when it is unusually hot. Of course, that has always been the case. The question is, of course, does it have an impact if this happens more often? I mean, we have the data that even at higher altitudes, the temperatures are unusually warm for an unusually long time.
What does exceptional heat mean for plants?
ANDREAS TRIBSCH: It makes a very big difference to us if it’s 37 or 40 degrees. It’s the same with plants. Above a certain temperature, the physiology no longer works. An unadapted plant could die. Like this year, it’s a very warm year, so the vegetation is very far ahead. You can already see that some species that are more sensitive get yellow leaves very early.
As a botanist, your research dealt a lot with the evolution of plants. Are there already plants that have genetically adapted due to the biodiversity crisis?
ANDREAS TRIBSCH: Yes, you can tell from plant populations how fast evolution can be. To give an example: the race between sprays and plant species that become resistant to them is also an evolutionary step. This is relatively normal in nature, also that it can happen relatively quickly. But that can only happen quickly if there is a certain genetic variation. You can see this, for example, in field weeds or partly in the meadows. There is a lot of mowing, but the dandelion can still adapt very well. The plant also adapts to survive. Adaptation is not an active process in evolution, but an often very slow, selective process and often coincidental. We are not all the same either. Some say: “I don’t care if it’s hot”. They are also better adapted than dying at 30 degrees already falling over. What I can no longer hear is the argument “Nature decides anyway”. That’s not true. This is possible with slow environmental changes, but not with the rapid changes in agriculture and the climate in recent decades.
What can you do as an individual to leave the plants as unscathed as possible?
ANDREAS TRIBSCH: A tip would be, I would say that as someone who likes to be outside and would also like to know which butterflies and which plants are around me: just observe. I don’t think there’s much you can do in the sense of “If you don’t climb into the lawn as much, then you’re doing something good.” To observe: “What is actually happening there? Which species are growing when, which species are becoming rarer?” I find it useful. The main responsibility of those who can contain and stop the biodiversity crisis lies with the political level. However, all landowners can also decide whether they absolutely want to have a concrete parking lot or leave the meadow as is. Everyone can make a small contribution, but biodiversity takes place in the area. I’m not going to compensate for the fact that a huge bog complex is drying up with an insect hotel on my balcony.
What would you ask of Salzburg’s state politicians to counter the biodiversity crisis?
ANDREAS TRIBSCH: The important point: politicians should recognize that the biodiversity crisis is a problem. It’s not something that only takes place in Brazil, but also really here in Salzburg.
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