The research platform consist of 3 cluster including altogether 9 LTER sites:
The individual clusters correspond to an ecologically uniform (both topical and by altitude levels) classification of individual sites within the research platform. Among the sites are two lakes, grasslands at different altitudes, a treeline site, a glacier foreland, and several glaciers. These sites span a vast range in altitude (1,000 – 3,450 m) and climate. (Mean annual temperature and precipitation of the terrestrial sites covering a range of more than 5.5°C and 900 mm, respectively, and for the similarly structured grassland ecosystems of 3.6° and 570 mm, respectively.)
The LTSER research platform “Tyrolean Alps” (TA) reaches south to the border of the federal provinces of Tyrol, extending in the east from Innsbruck to the Wipp valley, while its northern and western boundaries are formed by the valley of the river Inn and the municipal borders around Mount Patscherkofel. The total area is 3.7 million hectares covering more than 90 municipalities, with a 3,200 m altitudinal span from 550 m in the Inn valley at Innsbruck to 3,750 m at the Wildspitze summit. Due to the intricate structure and the feature of extreme living conditions of mountain habitats the Tyrolean Alps show up highly diverse landscapes and biology, providing various ecosystem services to people, such as water, fresh air, timber, carbon storage, protection from natural hazards, energy, and recreation. However, the region also suffers from severe impacts of direct socioeconomic activities, such as winter and summer tourism, hydropower generation, agriculture and changes in land use, transport, settlement etc.
LTER has a long tradition within this region, whereas socio-ecological and socioeconomic studies have been much less undertaken. An example of an LTSER approach has been undertaken in the Stubai valley with the intention to analyse the interaction of society with nature, their cumulative effects, and to assess ecosystem and landscape services for the whole valley.
The research platform LTSER "Tyrolean Alps" is a division of LTER Austria, as well as a formal part of the European LTER network (LTER Europe). Insights gained through research within this region are key preconditions to implement concrete measures and adaptation strategies for a sustainable development.
