Tag Archives: Mountains
Beyond the trailside
It is a question not too often asked: what is the impact of hiking trails on the vegetation they cross? In a series of observational studies in mountain regions across the globe with the Mountain Invasion Research Network, we are … Continue reading
To save our world’s biodiversity
Today I will be presenting our SoilTemp project at the World Biodiversity Forum in Davos, Switzerland. That place might ring a bell from many a global convention, and the conference name even sounds familiar to the World Economic Forum hosted … Continue reading
Trampling to save mountain plant diversity?
By Ronja Wedegärtner and Jonas Lembrechts What do you think about when you follow a hiking path up to the nearest mountain peak? When not thinking about the next chocolate break or the view, I spend my time thinking about … Continue reading
What we know about snow
We’re going to have to talk about snow. Snow is fabulous, it is unique, it is beautiful. But it also turns ecological processes and principles on their head: snow accumulation determines ground temperature, light conditions and moisture availability during winter. … Continue reading
One protocol to track them all
It was the year 2005. A group of mountain ecologists gathered in Vienna, Austria, for what would turn out to be an appointment with history. Their topic? Plant invasions in mountains! A consensus was soon reached that there was an … Continue reading
Bacteria: a thermometer for the past
It was at a lunchtime seminar of our research group that Cindy De Jonge introduced a new concept to me: using variation in cell membrane lipids (affectionately called brGDGT lipids by those who love them) as a thermometer for the … Continue reading









