Alpine dynamics under climate change and what it means for ecological restoration (December 2022)
Channel: CEM ERTG
Date: 11/01/2023

IUCN CEM Ecosystem Restoration Thematic Group Webinar Series 

Alpine dynamics under climate change and what it means for ecological restoration 

Speaker: Gwendolyn Peyre, Associate Professor at the University of the Andes

You can find the complete Series Playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLy4Yp_6qh0uEz_oq53_UhEDLHUZNPljRU


Abstract: Alpine dynamics under climate change and what it means for ecological restoration.

Alpine areas are highly sensitive to climate change, yet, little research reflects the ecological changes currently underway. Assessing observable climate change impacts on ecosystem structures and functions is urgent to promote better conservation and restoration practices. It is also crucial to establish future biodiversity scenarios, accounting for individualistic species responses, community re-composition and functional variation to ensure the effectiveness of our management practices over time and under changing conditions. Such scenarios should be integrative of the different biodiversity levels and consider the lags and feedbacks between responses in an integrative and dynamic manner. In this talk, I will discuss future scenarios for alpine biodiversity and show how they affect decision-making for ecological restoration in vulnerable mountain environments.

Speaker Bio: Gwendolyn Peyre is an Associate Professor at the University of the Andes (Colombia). Her research focuses on plant ecology and biogeography in tropical mountains, principally in the Andes. Her work includes assessing and predicting climate change impacts on alpine species and ecosystems to promote efficient adaptation and mitigation strategies. She is the manager of the Uniandes - Los Nevados field-station, an attractive facility located in the Nevados National Park in Colombia that provides excellent premises for biodiversity research and conservation in tropical mountains.