Study sites
Study sites:
The CLAIMES study sites used for ES evaluation are located in four geographical regions (see maps below):
1) Steirischer Bodensee, Aich (Styria), Austria with the following lakes
a) Obersee, 1672 m a SL
b) Hüttensee, 1503 m a SL
c) Pfannsee, 1970 m a SL
2) Klafferkessel, Untertal Valley Schladming (Styria), Austria with the following lakes
a) Oberer Klaffersee, 2311 m a SL
b) Unterer Klaffersee, 2103 m a SL
c) Kapuzinersee, 2146 m a SL
d) Rauhenbergsee, 2270 m a SL
3) Local authority Tweng, Obertauern (Salzburg), Austria with the following lakes
a) Tiefenbachsee, 1846 m a SL
b) Unterer Wirpitschsee, 1700 m a SL
c) Twenger Almsee, 2120 m a SL
d) Oberer Schönalmsee, 2110 m a SL
4) Southern Alps, Southern Tyrol (Italy) with the following lakes
a) Saldurseen (Fischersee), 2747 m a SL
b) Antholzer See - Lago di Anterselva, 1640 m a SL
c) Pragser Wildsee-Lago di Braies, 1489 m a SL
d) Langsee (Texelgruppe), 2377 m a SL
From the lakes and the most recent limnological data provided lake-types have been selected which are relevant to the sustainable developmental goals (UN 2030 agenda). In particular subgoal 6.5 (water resources management) and 6.6 (protection and restoration of water related ecosystems) seem relevant for Ecosystem services (ES) assessment in this context. As an example, lakes have been selected based on the following criteria resulting in three lake-types:
1) Remote lakes with low nutrient content:
Lakes in higher and lower elevations which are in remote position and therefore considered least human influenced by humans. They are ultra oligotrophic and situated in an alpine catchment. Potential Ecosystem services are their aesthetic value, their use for outdoor recreation (hiking) with low extent.
Oberer Klaffersee, Unterer Klaffersee, Kapuzinersee, Rauhenbergsee, Saldurseen (Fischersee)
2) Accessible lakes with low nutrient content:
Lakes are used intensively for touristic issues (fishing, recreation) and are partially accessible by car or public transport. They are oligotrophic and situated in an alpine catchment. Potential Ecosystem services are their aesthetic value, their intensive use for outdoor recreation (hiking, swimming, mountain biking, etc.) and their suitability for livestock farming, hunting and fishing. Due to the partly lower elevation the area will also be important for biodiversity regarding the overlapping climatic zones.
Tiefenbachsee, Unterer Wirpitschsee, Lago di Anterselva (Antholzer See), Lago di Braies (Pragser Wildsee)
3) Lakes potentially sensitive to climate change:
The water of the lakes is used for livestock farming, fishery for recreation and irrigation. The lakes trophic states is oligo- to mesotrophic. Because of their lower water temperature they are considered sensitive to raising temperatures. Therefore, the climatic stress on the biodiversity of these lakes and their surrounding is potentially high.
Obersee, Hüttensee, Pfannsee, Langsee (Texelgruppe)
Fig. a) Geographical position of the two model regions, b) Lakes in the Northern Alps (Niedere Tauern) and c) Lakes in the Southern Alps, which are investigated for ES.