Knowledge of the demography allows an evaluation of the most sensitive life cycle stages of a plant species. In the glacier foreland of the Rotmoosferner (Obergurgl, Ötztal, Tyrol, Austria) the first colonizer, Saxifraga aizoides (= pioneer species) was analyzed at three different moraines, i.e., on a recently deglaciated moraine (moraine 2001), a pioneer site (moraine 1971) and on an early successional site (moraine 1923). By means of matrix models the life history of Saxifraga aizoides was highlighted and population development was modelled.
Research Questions
How do demographic processes vary along the successional stages?
How do demographic processes vary between years?
Population growth rates on the different successional stages
Which immigration processes enable population development at the recently deglaciated stage?
Funding Alpine Research Centre Obergurgl (University Centre Obergurgl, 2007-2008)
Cooperation Eckart Winkler, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
Personnel involved Silvia Marcante Kay Cichini Barbara Viehweider Brigitta Erschbamer
