Objective ECOMONT aims at a high degree of integration: 1) to investigate which changes in the canopy structure occur due to land-use changes in agricultural and forestal Alpine ecosystems and how these changes affect the exchange processes with the atmosphere; 2) to clear up how the changes in canopy structure are connected with species composition, performance,competition and interaction; 3) to understand the influence of land-use changes on soil organic matter (SOM) status and turnover, on biogeochemical (C02, N) and hydrological processes at the ecosystem level, and on the exchange processes between the ecosystems and the the atmosphere; 4) to extend this understanding to the landscape level by means of multimedia modelling activities; 5) to compare the results from the Alps with those of other European mountains (Spanish Pyrenees, Scottish Highlands). Six composite experimental sites are planned in the subalpine belt along European transects. Three sites will be situated along a South/North-transect from the Italian to the Austrian Alps. The other three sites will be located in the Swiss Alps, the Spanish Pyrenees and the Scottish Highlands. In each site comparative and complementary multi-disciplinary ecosystem studies will be conducted on differently managed ecosystems (meadows, pastures, abandoned areas, forests). The following research topics will be included: Spatial distribution of vegetation and soil; SOM status and turnover; canopy structure, energy budget, water relations and gas exchange of single plants, ecosystems and catchments; exchange processes between the investigated landscapes and the atmosphere. Population and plant biological studies and potential risk analyses will also be conducted. All the results will be treated with the help of Environmental Information Systems, including numerical data-bases, GIS and remote sensing. ECOMONT will be coordinated by the University of Innsbruck. Six partner teams from the Community Member States Austria, Italy, Germany, Great Britain, and Spain and two from the non-Member State Switzerland will contribute. Fields of science natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdatabasesengineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringremote sensingnatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems Programme(s) FP4-ENV 2C - Specific programme of research and technological development in the field of environment and climate, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 01020201 - The functioning of ecosystems Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator LEOPOLD-FRANZENS-UNIVERSITAET INNSBRUCK EU contribution No data Address 15,Sternwartestrasse 15 6020 INNSBRUCK Austria See on map Total cost No data Participants (7) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all CENTRO DI ECOLOGIA ALPINA Italy EU contribution No data Address Viote del Monte Bondone 38040 BOSENTINO See on map Total cost No data CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS Spain EU contribution No data Address S/N,AVDA. MONTANANA 177 50080 ZARAGOZA See on map Total cost No data Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Agrikulturchemie und Umwelthygiene Switzerland EU contribution No data Address 155,Schwarzenburgstrasse 3097 Liebefeld-Bern See on map Total cost No data Europäische Akademie für Angewandte Forschung und Fortbildung Italy EU contribution No data Address Domplatz 3 39100 Bozen Bolzano See on map Total cost No data Natural Environment Research Council United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Hill of Brathens AB31 4BY Aberdeen See on map Total cost No data PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUT Switzerland EU contribution No data Address 5232 Villigen See on map Total cost No data Universität Bayreuth Germany EU contribution No data Address 95440 Bayreuth See on map Total cost No data