Mountain ecosystems in EC-01-C2 PoC Antonello Provenzale (Presented by Yubao Qiu, GEO Secretariat) ISRSE35 (Beijing International Convention Center) 23 April, 2013

Issues: changes in the mountain environment changes in population dynamics of key species changes in ecosystem structure: species distribution phenology

Ev-K2-CNR Projects Stations at High Altitude for Research on Environment

Mt. Cimone (2165m, Italy) NCO-P (5079m, Nepal) Mt. Rwenzori (4700 m, Uganda) Urdukas Pakistan m SHARE With its stations in Europe, Asia and Africa, today SHARE represents Italy’s expert contribution to international integrated scientific projects on the climate and environment, such as: UNEP-ABC, WMO- GAW, GEO, NASA-AERONET, ILTER, ACTRIS. Chacaltaya (Andes)Bolivia S.America Chacaltaja GAW- WMO Station Ozone monitoring3,280

Pyramid (5,050 m) Namche (3,560 m) Lukla (2,660 m) Periche (3,560 m) South Col (7,986 m) NCOP-P (5,079 m) Kala Patthar (5,550 m) Changri Nup (5,750 m) Syanboche (3,900 m) Khumbu valley: 8 stations

PILOT Projects Nepal Climate Observatory - Pyramid Atmospheric Brown Clouds Project (ABC) of UNEP AERONET network and WMO-GAWNCO-P is a global GAW station The Nepal Climate Observatory - Pyramid (Nepal, 27.95N, 86.82E, 5079 m a.s.l.) has been installed in February 2006 in the high Khumbu Valley, above the timber line in a rocky and mossy environment not far from the base camp area of Mt. Everest. The Observatory is running in the framework of the Atmospheric Brown Clouds Project (ABC) of UNEP, and is part of AERONET network and WMO-GAW program. Since 2010 NCO-P is a global GAW station. The instrument set-up was defined in accordance with “ABC” Project standards (Ramanathan et al., 2006) da da PILOT Projects The power needed to carry out the experimental activity (~ 3 kW) is provided by 96 photovoltaic panels with 120 electric storage cells Lat. N 27°57' Lon. E 86°48’ Altitude: 5079 m asl

PILOT Projects The NCO-Pyramid performs in-situ the following continuous measurements: Aerosol Number Concentration and Size Distribution (from 10nm to 32µm) Absorption coefficient (Black Carbon Concentration) Total and Back Scattering Coefficient Aerosol Optical Depth Surface Ozone Concentrations Meteorological Parameters (Air temperature, Atmospheric pressure, Relative humidity, Wind speed and direction, Precipitation) Greenhouses Gas Concentration (CFC, HFC, HCFC,...; in flask) Chemical Characterization (organic and inorganic) of Aerosol Particles (high volume sampling on quartz filters) PILOT Projects

SHARE - PAPRIKA project “Cryospheric responses to anthropogenic pressures in the Hindu Kush – Karakoram – Himalaya: impacts on water resources and availability.” focus on the Baltoro region, Pakistan.

Precipitation and snow data from gridded datasets, reanalyses and climate models E. Palazzi, J. von Hardenberg, A. Provenzale, JGR Atmospheres 2013

Importance of snow cover for mountain ecosystems: examples from the Italian Alps

Population dynamics of Alpine ibex in the Gran Paradiso National Park

A term density*snow explains about 44% of the variance Adult survival and average snow depth Nov-May

Before 1985, a term density*snow explains up to 80% of the variance Kid survival behaves differently

Foto: Archivio PNGP Snow and Rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) in the Veglia-Devero natural park

Ptarmigan counts ( )

Dependence on snowmelt and snow cover start dates

Effects of climate change (snow cover reduction) on rock ptarmigan

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