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“What we need now is political courage, social commitment and the practical implementation of conservation measures. Biodiversity is not just a natural asset – it is the very foundation of our lives.” With these clear words, Professor Ulrike Tappeiner, ecosystem expert and head of the Biodiversity Monitoring South Tyrol (BMS) project, presented the first five-year report.

South Tyrol’s nature is strikingly rich in species and diverse: from the Mediterranean-like slopes in the south to the high alpine areas at almost 4,000 meters, a mosaic of highly varied habitats stretches across the landscape. Each one hosts its own unique flora and fauna. Anyone walking attentively through the region can see this richness first-hand.

Yet impressions are one thing, and scientifically grounded facts are another. To obtain accurate data on the actual situation across different habitats, Eurac Research launched the “Biodiversity Monitoring” (BMS) in 2019 – one of the most ambitious research projects of its kind in the entire Alpine region. In this long-term study, an interdisciplinary team – including botanists, entomologists, zoologists, and ornithologists – examined the diversity of species and habitats in detail. The focus was on so-called indicator species, organisms particularly sensitive to environmental change. The first study phase lasted five years and covered 400 sites across the province. The results of this initial monitoring phase have now been published.

The findings are both encouraging and alarming. At first glance, South Tyrol seems like a natural paradise, and indeed it is a biodiversity hotspot in Central Europe, thanks to its geography, topography and transitional climate zone. However, this remarkable rich biodiversity is under increasing pressure. Climate change, urban expansion, and the intensification of agriculture are just some of the factors disrupting fragile ecological dynamics and degrading habitats – in some cases irreversibly.

“The results of the monitoring make it clear: at present we are failing to preserve this wealth of biodiversity to its full extent,” explains biologist and BMS project coordinator Andreas Hilpold.

The situation is particularly critical in the valleys of the Adige, Isarco, and Rienza rivers. These areas are the most densely populated and intensively used and have undergone the most significant changes over the last few centuries. In most agricultural areas, monocultures (e.g. apple orchards, corn fields...), frequent mowing and the use of fertilisers and pesticides have displaced many species. This mainly affects species that need extensive dry meadows, such as ground-nesting birds like the endangered skylark.

In inhabited areas, additional challenges arise for flora and fauna. On the one hand, settlement expansion leads to soil sealing; on the other hand, urban environments are being enriched by many new species. Within the BMS project, numerous non-native species were identified, many of them highly tolerant of heat and pollutants. Among them were also invasive species – such as tree of heaven, Canadian goldenrod, and narrow-leaved ragwort – which often spread into natural areas, disrupting the original species community there.

The current state of wetlands and aquatic habitats is particularly alarming, as the monitoring report highlights. Compared to past centuries, many peat bogs and riparian forests have been drained or reduced to small, isolated areas. Rivers and streams have been straightened and altered by engineering works, stripping them of their natural structure. All this, together with the use of water bodies for energy production, has a negative impact on biodiversity and the natural richness of these habitats.

The five-year report also makes it clear how strongly climate change is already affecting high-altitude ecosystems. Habitats near glaciers are disappearing, heat-loving species are migrating in, and highly specialized alpine species are facing increasingly poor survival conditions.

There is more positive news from the forests: with the decline of intensive logging compared to the past, near-natural forests have partly re-established themselves at higher elevations. The mix of old-growth and young trees provides an excellent habitat for many species. However, monitoring has also shown that forests at lower altitudes are not nearly as diverse as they could be due to invasive species and degradation.

The significance of Eurac Research’s work lies not only in providing policymakers with scientifically sound data for their decisions. The five-year report also includes clear recommendations for action aimed at the general public. “Some localized improvements are visible, but a genuine trend reversal towards recovery is not yet in sight,” says Hilpold. The wealth of biodiversity will not sustain itself: without targeted measures, broad social alliances and collective commitment, the loss of biodiversity cannot be stopped.

Cover: Latemar, Daniel Plan, Unsplash