The High Mountain Conservation in a Changing World

Abstract

The high mountains have retained a noticeable degree of wilderness even in the most populated regions of the planet. This is the reason why many nature reserves have been established in these landscapes. Currently, climate change and long-range transport of contaminants are affecting those protected areas, and thus conservation priorities may be challenged by these new pressures. In fact, many high mountains hold a legacy of on-site past human activities (e.g., pasturing, forestry, mining), which in some areas may partially persist, even increase, whereas in others are substituted by new uses (e.g., tourism, mountain sport). Therefore, high mountain nature reserves face a challenging future. The conservation goals have to be revised. Former alternative paradigms respectively based on the preservation of wilderness or a traditional cultural landscape will be insufficient. Indeed, global change provides new goals for the high mountain conservation areas as suitable places where to study the nature's response in the absence of, or combined with, other local pressures. Different branches of sciences may contribute to inform about the changes; however, conservation is ultimately a societal endeavour and thus their goals must be linked to the social demand for a fair society in a sustainable planet. As an added-value to this task, the high mountains hold a large amount of symbolism.

Rediscovery of Brassicogethes salvan (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae, Meligethinae) in the southwestern Alps

“…Most of the several small Alpine lakes in W Alps where the species could potentially be present at least in the past, have been and continue to be exposed to severe anthropogenic pressures including: livestock grazing, touristic disturbance, introgression of exotic invasive plant species, aerial and aquatic pollution, destructive activities associated with hydroelectric power construction, urban development, etc. (Catalan et al ., ). This species therefore matches most criteria necessary for being considered, at a minimum, in the IUCN risk Category EN [Endangered; IUCN criteria B2 ( a,b,c ); see IUCN, ].…”

Circannual variation in habitat use of the White‐winged SnowfinchMontifringilla nivalis nivalis

“…However, a strict correlation exists between temperature and elevation, so that the preference for high elevations exhibited by Snowfinches throughout the year suggests that they select areas with lower temperatures. Given the important role that climatic variables play in mountain ecosystems (Catalan et al 2017), reproductive phenology (Martin & Wiebe 2004), ecotypic responses (Delgado et al 2019) and range size (Scridel et al 2017) of cold‐adapted species, it would be interesting to investigate their role in habitat use more thouroughly, especially during the non‐breeding season.…”

Contaminación en el Lago de Tota, Colombia: toxicidad aguda en Daphnia magna (Cladocera: Daphniidae) e Hydra attenuata (Hydroida: Hydridae)

“…El área de estudio tiene una amplia tradición agrícola, antes de la expansión del monocultivo de cebolla larga, puesto que se producía también papa (Solanum tuberosum; 600 ha en áreas de ladera y quebradas), arveja (Pisum sativum; 90 ha en Tota y Cuítiva), trigo (Triticum spp; 75 ha), cebada (Hordeum vulgare; 38 ha), zanahoria (Daucus carota; 10 ha) y haba (Vicia faba; 22 ha en Tota) (CONPES 3801, 2014). La agricultura tradicional supone presión por el uso intensivo de plaguicidas en la cuenca, lo cual explicaría los hallazgos en sedimentos y/o implicaría que han sido depositados desde otras regiones, ya que actualmente se acepta que las altas montañas son zonas de deposición de compuestos orgánicos que se movilizan por corrientes de aire (Catalan, Ninot, & Aniz, 2017) fenómeno poco explorado en los sistemas acuáticos colombianos.…”