National Parks as outdoor laboratories for climate change impact

Berchtesgaden National Park 

National Parks as outdoor laboratories 

a 

for climate change impact 

Bonn, 26.6.2013 

Helmut Franz & Michael Vogel

a 

International Conference: Climate Change and Nature Conservation in Europa 

26.6.2013 Helmut Franz & Michael Vogel

Objectives of National Park 

cf. Regulation of Bavarian Parliament 

Research 

Preservation of 

Historical 

Monuments 

Nature 

conservation a 

Natural 

experience 

Environmental 

Education 



Core zone (67 %) 

Natural development dynamics 

Long term monitoring 1 

a 

1 

cf. National park management plan Kap. 11 

(www.nationalparkplan.de) 



Buffer zone (33%) 

maintenance of cultural landscape 

activ management measures 

Research and long term monitoring 1 

a 

»Normal« running 

Guidance of visitors 

Traditional land use 

Reconstruction to natural forests 

Game controlling in both buffer zone categories 

Permanent buffer zone (yellow): 23 % 

Temporary buffer zone (braun): 10 % 

1 

Vgl. Nationalparkplan, Kap. 11 

(www.nationalparkplan.de) 



Research and long term monitoring in 

Berchtesgaden National Park 

a 

1. Monitoring and evalutation of long term 

environmenal changes 

2. Support of National park management by 

plausibility checks usw. 

(Nationalparkplan, Kap. 11)

Core business: Climate change research 

• meteorological network 

• Water balance model 

• Alpine Vegetation 

• GLORIA 

• Phenological observations 

• Sources 

• Bark beetles 

a 

• Vegetations fences 

• Change of land cover

Backbone of Climate Research: Meteorological stations 

including Stations of the Bavarian Avalance Service center 

a 



Hinterseeau (lower valley) 

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Altitude: 833 m asl 

Mean temperature: 7,2 o C 

International Conference: Climate Change and Nature 

Conservation in Europa 26.6.2013 

Helmut Franz & Michael Vogel 

10

Kühroint (represents medium altitude) (LWD) 

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Mean temperature: 4,5 o C 




11

Watzmaaslgrat (Summit) 

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Mean temperature: Conservation -3,0 in Europa o C 26.6.2013 


1,5 years, 2 * winter 

12

°C pro 100m 

01.01 

16.01 

31.01 

15.02 

02.03 

17.03 

01.04 

16.04 

01.05 

16.05 

31.05 

15.06 

30.06 

15.07 

30.07 

14.08 

29.08 

13.09 

28.09 

13.10 

28.10 

12.11 

27.11 

12.12 

27.12 

Daily temperature gradient per year 

Temperatur-Höhengradient (alle Stationen) im Jahresverlauf 

0,10 

0,00 

-0,10 

-0,20 

-0,30 

-0,40 

-0,50 

a 

-0,60 

-0,70 

Day.month 

Tag Monat 

Stand: November 2011 

Helmut Franz, Nationalpark Berchtesgaden 5.3.2012 

Klimafolgenforschung des Bayerischen Umweltministeriums

°C 

01.01 

16.01 

31.01 

15.02 

02.03 

17.03 

01.04 

16.04 

01.05 

16.05 

31.05 

15.06 

30.06 

15.07 

30.07 

14.08 

29.08 

13.09 

28.09 

13.10 

28.10 

12.11 

27.11 

12.12 

27.12 

Daily temperature profile per year per 200 m 

Jahresgang der Tagestemperaturen. Quelle: mechanische und 

automatische Stationen 

20 

15 

10 

5 

0 

-5 

-10 

a 

t600 

t800 

t1000 

t1200 

t1400 

t1600 

t1800 

t2000 

t2200 

t2400 

t2600 

Tag Monat 

Day.month 

Stand: November 2011 

Symposium ‚Klimaforschung Bayern‘ München, 24.6.2013 

Helmut Franz, Annette Lotz, Michael Vogel

Conclusion: Change of vegetation period 

But: Surface is reduced 

2400 m: + 4 o C: + 9 weeks 

+ 4 o C: + 11 weeks 

1400 m asl: Today: vegetation period of 10 weeks (10 o C) 

a 

Rise in temperature of 4 o C: Prolongation of Veg.-Period of 5 weeks 

600 m asl: Today: Vegetation period of 5 month (10 o C) 

The Questions: How will change precipitation, humidity, solar radiation? And, above all, 

snow cover? And other climatic parameter? Have been answered by the water balance 

model. 

The question: ‚Will plant species shift upward?‘ (keyword soil genesis) is not at all anwered

a 

Water balance model Berchtesgaden 

elaborated from 

Dr. Gabriele Kraller 

Michael Warscher 

with intensive support by 

Prof. Dr. Harald Kunstmann, Garmisch 

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Strasser, Innsbruck

Water balance model: snow cover 

• Modelling of Scenario of water balance model (Kraller 2012) 

• Trend of medium average Temperature 

• + 1° Celsius for the time periods of 1970-2000 and 2021-2050 

a 



Modelling of duration of snow cover 

(Warscher 2012) 

Decrease of duration of snow cover: 

19 days / year 

Period of scenario: 2021 – 2050 

Period of control: 1971 - 2000 

Mean monthly change of snow cover 

11/2001 – 10/2010 

white = a lot of snow 

light blue = less snow 

dark blue = no snow 

Forschungstreffen StMUG – LfU – ANL – NP 10.04.13 

Aaslette Lotz & Helmut Franz

Mean plant species number per area 

Impact of Nitrogen input 

on alpine plant societies possible 

Alpine plants 

Increase or decrease of plant species 

60 

50 

50,4 

1988 

2003 

40 

39,6 

36,4 

30 

20 

a 

25,7 

10 

0 

Horstseggenrasen 

Hortseggenrasen 

Polsterseggenrasen 

Increase: 27 % 42 % 

Kudernatsch 2005 



Phenological observations 

a 

30 study areas from 700 – 1400 m asl 



Responses of events to altitude 

and temperature 

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Data source: 

Phenological observations 

Wimbachbrücke - Schapbach - 

Kühroint in response to 

temperature und altitude 

LU: Beginning of leaf unfolding 

LE: Leaves fully expanded 

BF: Beginning of flowering 

FF: Full flowering 

EF: End of flowering 

CORNELIUS et. al 2013 



Sources 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About 300 Sources in Berchtesgaden National Park 

Water temperature variation per year between 2 – 3 o C 

More than 700 animal species in about 60 explored sources 

About 250 Arten only in sources 

At least nine Arten new to science 

Change of species community indicates drying out of sources 

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GLORIA 

GLOBAL OBSERVATION RESEARCH INITIATIVE IN ALPINE ENVIRONMENT 

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GLORIA 

GLOBAL OBSERVATION RESEARCH INITIATIVE IN ALPINE ENVIRONMENT 

a 

Graskopf 2005 

2520 m asl 

40 Plant species 

Hochscheibe 2004 


60 plant species 

Schlunghorn 2003 


120 plant species 



Monitoring of bark beetle 

a 

KAUTZ et al. (2011) 



Vegetation fences 

Vegetation fence No. 21 (Altitude 1560 m asl, Exposition: SSW) 

Temerature indicator according to Landolt / Ellenberg 

a 



Vegetationszäune 

Vegetation fence No. 21 (Altitude 1560 m asl, Exposition: SSW) 

Temerature indicator according to Landolt / Ellenberg 

a 

STORCH (2006) 



Change of landscape 

derived from Color Infrared Aerial photos 

 

Change between two aerial photo flight generations 

BLACK = Change 1980-1990 

BLUE = Change 1990-1997 

RED = Change 1997-2003 

 

Highlights 

 

 

 

Majority of changes in forest 

Last changes could be documentated in regions 

above timberline (digital photos!) 

Complementary methods to climate change 

detection 



National Park as a Outdoor laboratory for 

climate change dokumentation 

 

 

 

 

Analytical instruments for documentation and analysis of 

climate change are available 

Analytical instruments for documentation and analysis of 

land cover changes are available 

With these instruments, we are able to analyse and 

evaluate the impacts of climate change on National Park 

plant and animal species in the context of nature balance 

(Naturhaushalt) 

On the basis of these instruments we are able to 

document, which scenario of climate change will occur 



Helmut Franz & Michael Vogel

What will we do with this instrumentarium? 

1. Work out habitat suitability models for 

plant and animal species on an 

adequate scale (older models exist) 

2. Validate these models with field data 

3. Determine (lateral or vertical) shift of 

species on the basis of IPCC scenarios 

4. Compare the results with field data 

5. (Integrate this work in a larger spatial 

connection)

Thank you… 

…for your interest! 

a

Literature 

CORNELIUS, C., ESTRELLA, N., FRANZ, H. & A. MENZEL (2013): Linking altitudinal gradients and temperature responses of phenology in the Berchtesgaden 

National Park (Germany). - Biology 15, 57-69. 

GRABHERR, G., GOTTFRIED, M. & H. PAULI (2012): Das GLORIA-Monitoring-Netzwerk zum Klima- und Vegetationswandel in den Hochgebirgen. - Ber. D. 

Reinhold-Tüxen-Ges. 24, 77 - 97. Vgl. auch http://www.gloria.ac.at 

KAUTZ, M., LEHMBERG, L., SCHOPF, R., LINDAUER, M., SCHMIDT, H.P., WOLPERT, B., MAUDER, M. & R. STEINBERCHER (2011): Borkenkäferbefall auf 

Windwurfflächen: Prozessanalyse für Handlungsoptionen. Tätigkeitsbericht zum Oktober 2011. - Im Auftrag des Bayerischen Staatsministeriums für Umwelt und 

Gesundheit. 

KONNERT, V. (2011): Statistic analysis of the temperatures of the weather stations of the National Park Berchtesgaden based on the Climate Information System. - 

Manuscript based on the climate information system of the National Park. 

KRALLER, G. (2012): Zusammenfassung und Auswertung der karsthydrologischen Markierungen und Modellierung des Wasserhaushaltes im Nationalpark 

Berchtesgaden. - Endbericht. Im Auftrag der Nationalparkverwaltung Berchtesgaden. 

KUDERNATSCH, T. (2006): Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf alpine Pflanzengemeinschaften im Nationalpark Berchtesgaden. - Nationalpark Berchtesgaden. 

Forschungsbericht 52. 

a 

Nationalparkplan: StMLU (Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Landesentwicklung und Umweltfragen) (Hrsg) (2001): Nationalparkplan. Nationalpark Berchtesgaden. 

202 S. + Karten (cf. http://www.nationalparkplan.de (2011 – 12 – 06)). 

STORCH, M. (2006): Wiederholungsaufnahme der Vegetationszäune im Nationalpark Berchtesgaden. - Im Auftrag der Nationalparkverwaltung, unveröffentlicht. 

WARSCHER, M. & H. KUNSTMANN (2012): Wasserhaushaltsmodellierung im Nationalpark Berchtesgaden – Abschlussbericht Projekt AZ MO 10/1. Entwurf, 

unveröffentlicht.

National Parks as outdoor laboratories for climate change impact

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