Nationalpark Hohe Tauern

Biodiversity research


Species diversity


 

The biodiversity across all corners of the protected area is one of the focal points of our research. Knowledge about the region, scope of protection and diversity of the living beings is constantly and systematically being expanded with our perseverance. For us, biodiversity research serves to closely scrutinize the distribution of conservation-relevant species (Red List, Fauna-Flora-Habitat Directive, Protected Birds Directive) and their current threat situation (comparison of previous/current data). As a result, it is possible to keep a running inventory and balance sheet on the diversity of species as the natural capital of the Hohe Tauern National Park.


Biodiversity database

A long-standing cooperation agreement between the Hohe Tauern National Park and the museum Haus der Natur Salzburg has already been ensuring comprehensive documentation on all available information relating to biodiversity since 2001. In the national park's biodiversity database, data relating to the occurrence, distribution, ecology and endangerment of the animal, plant and fungi species in Hohe Tauern is collated, standardised, centrally managed, evaluated and made available. And just like the accounts of a company, the management of a biodiversity inventory of the protected resources can never be completed. It is ongoing, necessary work for the implementation of the core tasks for the protected area. In the last 15 years, we have succeeded in creating a knowledge database with more than 350,000 data records.

By being used as a basis, this database has made numerous conservation-relevant activities (realisation of specific research projects, identification of particularly valuable focal points in nature conservation, preparation of expert reports, monitoring) considerably easier. An essential part of this success is the continuous updating and corresponding support for the database, meaning topicality and quality can be guaranteed.

 

Related links:


Project reports/information
Hohe Tauern National Park biodiversity database (only available in German)

Brochure
Vielfältiges Leben - Biodiversität in den Hohen Tauern  (only available in German)


Day of Biodiversity

Since 2007, the Day of Biodiversity has been held in the Hohe Tauern National Park. Each year it highlights one aspect of the research landscape of biodiversity. During two days of tracking in midsummer, around 70 to 90 experts from different disciplines set out to record the animal and plant world found in the Hohe Tauern National Park on a voluntary basis. On average, 4,200 records covering 1,500 species are reported during a single Day of Biodiversity. The reports confirm the important role of the Hohe Tauern National Park as a refuge for rare and sometimes extremely endangered species.

The Day of Biodiversity is a good way to monitor biodiversity systematically as temporal and spatial research focal point, especially in a large protected area. The interdisciplinary nature of this event makes it possible to consider not only traditionally well-studied groups of organisms but also less obvious groups. There is hardly an event of the like where the joy of discovery can be combined so well with the useful collection of conservation-relevant data. So far, around 43,000 data records have been collated during the various Days of Biodiversity.