Stressed soil: How drought is changing grassland
How will the future of our soils - and thus also water availability - be shaped by the effects of impending climate change? An international study led by Jesse Radolinski and Michael Bahn from the Department of Ecology at the University of Innsbruck shows how drought, warming and increased atmospheric CO₂ concentrations are changing existing hydrological processes in soils and challenging the resilience of ecosystems. The findings were published in the journal Science.
Climate Action Workshop 2025
On 28 May, the 3rd edition of the Climate Action Workshop took place at the University of Innsbruck engaging over 50 participants for a half day of thought-provoking discussions and cutting-edge research on human responses to the climate crisis.
Major Weather Research Initiative in the Alps
From 16 June to 25 July, an international team led by meteorologists from the University of Innsbruck is conducting extensive measurements in the Inn and Adige valleys, the Sarntal Alps, and the Bavarian Alpine foothills. The data will help deepen our understanding of air exchange processes over mountainous terrain and the links between local, regional, and global weather processes. As part of a year-long observational campaign data are also collected using research aircraft.
One Whale in Ten Liters of Water
Effective and non-invasive whale and biodiversity monitoring is now possible with the help of citizen scientists, opening up new opportunities for marine conservation. Water samples collected during whale-watching tours contain enough whale DNA to yield detailed information about the animals sighted using molecular methods. However, as two independently published papers show, samples must be collected promptly and following specific protocols.
Climate Change Threatens Restoration Successes in Lake Piburg
Lake Piburg, a popular alpine lake in the Ötztal region of Tyrol, Austria, has been under scientific observation for fifty years. A newly published study led by Innsbruck ecologist Ruben Sommaruga shows that while the lake initially recovered from earlier anthropogenic impacts, its ecological state has been deteriorating again since the mid-1990s. The primary drivers of this decline are climate-induced changes in internal lake dynamics. The findings highlight the critical importance of long-term ecological monitoring for the protection of sensitive aquatic ecosystems.
“FutureForests” explores forest responses to change
The Horizon Europe project “FutureForests” connects nine major forest experiments across Europe to study how forests respond to global environmental change. Led by the University of Birmingham, it trains 15 PhD researchers – two of them at the University of Innsbruck – to strengthen forest resilience for a sustainable future.
Repeated extreme droughts slow ecosystem recovery
When dry periods last for several years and are particularly severe, many ecosystems lose some of their ability to stay productive. A new international study published in Science, in which Innsbruck ecologist Michael Bahn participated, shows that repeated extreme droughts significantly slow the recovery of grassland and shrubland ecosystems
Arctic in Transition: Greenland’s Caves Preserve Ancient Climate Archive
In a remote cave in northern Greenland, a research team led by geologists Gina Moseley, Gabriella Koltai, and Jonathan Baker has discovered evidence of a significantly warmer Arctic. The cave deposits show that the region was free of permafrost millions of years ago and responded sensitively to rising temperatures. The findings, published in Nature Geoscience, provide new insights into past climate conditions and their relevance for today’s climate protection efforts.