|
Program Management
The GTOS "mountains" program has been developed as a cooperative effort between GTOS and three other European programs:
- The Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine Environments project (GLORIA) is an observation network for detecting the effects of globally occurring climate change on mountain biota. In 2000, GLORIA was presented to an international auditorium at the First International Conference on Mountain Biodiversity in Rigi/Kaltbad, Switzerland, designed to promote a Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (GMBA). A co-operation started between GLORIA and the GMBA, an initiative of DIVERSITAS (supported by the Swiss Academy of Sciences).
In January 2001, GLORIA-EUROPE, a 5th RTD-framework project of the European Community for Research Technological development and demonstration activities, started with 18 target regions in mountain areas of 13 European nations. This project was a contribution to the Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS) as a pilot study towards the world-wide implementation of GLORIA. GLORIA-Europe ended on July 31, 2003. By 2006, GLORIA consisted of 47 target regions and more than 50 research teams, distributed over 5 continents. In North America, where observation sites were established in 8 regions, so far, the network was fostered through CIRMOUNT - a climate change network for U.S. and Canadian mountain researchers.
- The Mountain Research Initiative (MRI) was officially launced in 7/2001. It is supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF), Swiss Federal Office for Education and Science (BBW), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ), Swiss Academy of Sciences (SANW), and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL). The MRI is being developed in collaboration with the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), the International Human Dimensions Programme (IHDP), and the Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS). The initiative has been formally endorsed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's programme on Man and the Biosphere (UNESCO MAB) the six IGBP completed projects: BAHC, GCTE, LUCC, DIS, GAIM, and JGOFS; and the nine IGBP ongoing projects: AIMES, GLOBEC, GLP, IGAC, ILEAPS, IMBER, LOICZ, PAGES, and SOLAS.
- GTOS and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) developed an online Terrestrial Ecosystem Monitoring Sites (TEMS) ("the Yellow pages of terrestrial monitoring sites") database. TEMS is an international directory of sites (named T.Sites) and networks that carry out long-term terrestrial monitoring and research activities. Networks of cooperating T.Sites that have similar research interests are called a module. There are six current TEMS modules: Biodiversity, Coastal, Forest, Hydrology, Mountain, and Satellite. In 2002, the TEMS Mountain Module was completed. The TEMS database provides information on the "who, what and where" that can be useful to both the scientific community and policy-makers. To be registered with TEMS, sites must have a history of making a suite of systematic observations, willingness to share their data with others and a commitment to international collaboration.
|
Other Information
The mountain network shares data and information with the Glacier and Permafrost networks and the Hydrology network. Biodiversity and ecosystem changes are also of concern and are included in the GTOS mountain program.
Users
Mountain ecosystems are susceptible to soil erosion and landslides, and loss of habitat, species, and biodiversity. These effects can be intensified by the gradients involved and the impacts transmitted to lowlands. Thus users include both the scientific community and policy-makers.
Contact Information
For GLORIA:
Prof. Dr. Georg Grabherr
Department of Conservation Biology, Vegetation and Landscape Ecology
University of Vienna
Althanstr. 14
A-1090 Vienna
AUSTRIA
Tel.: +43-1-4277-54383
Fax: +43-1-4277-9542
Email: office.gloria@univie.ac.at
For MRI:
Dr. Gregory Greenwood
Executive Director
The Mountain Research Initiative (MRI) - ETH office
c/o Forest Ecology
Department of Environmental Sciences
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
ETH-Zentrum CHN G71
CH-8092 Zurich
Switzerland
+41 (0) 44 632 54 62 or +41 (0) 44 632 55 62
For TEMS:
GTOS Secretariat
Environment Assessment and Management Unit (NRCE)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Roma, Italy
phone: (+39) 06 57056804
fax: (+39) 06 57053369
Email: gtos@fao.org
|
