Description:

The area of Berchtesgaden National Park covers 210 km2 and enfolds an altitude range of 603 to 2713 m (AMSL). The climate and the hydrologic processes are therefore, like in general in high alpine regions, very heterogeneous. Furthermore, the rocks in this region consist mainly of soluble limestone, which leads to unknown subsoil pathways (karst).

One research objective listed in the management plan of the Berchtesgaden National Park is long-term investigation of global climate change impacts on alpine ecosystems. Priority measures concerning this objective are long-term climate monitoring and analysis of climate change impacts on the hydrological balance in this area. The underlying reason is to ensure the water supply for pastures and cottages and the surrounding communities. Since the foundation of the Nationalpark, a network of 39 automatic and mechanical weather stations was established.

Furthermore seven gauges measure the water level of all important discharge systems. To analyse the collected data and finally to implement the objective of the management plan, the Administration of the Nationalpark started two projects in cooperation with the Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research - Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK - IFU, Garmisch-Partenkirchen/Germany) and the Departement of Geography and Regional Science, Karl Franzens University of Graz.

The two projects started in close collaboration.

Analysis of karst water systems in the Berchtesgaden National Park

Dept. of Geography and Regional Science, Karl Franzens University of Graz

Adviser:

Prof.Dr.Ulrich Strasser
ulrich.strasser@uni-graz.at

Person in charge:

M.Sc. Gabi Kraller
gabriele.kraller@uni-graz.at

In the framework of this project, the water balance will be applied for the watersheds in the area of Berchtesgaden Nationalpark. The aim is to find the impacts of karst characteristics. The water balance will be applied in different time (months, weeks, occurrence) and space scales (different sizes of watersheds). The overall aim is to improve the groundwater component of a water and matter fluxes model which is developed in close- close cooperation with the Institute for Meteoroloy and Climate Research - Atmospheric Environmental Research,
IMK - IFU, Garmisch-Partenkirchen/ Germany
and the Berchtesgaden National Park Administration (Berchtesgaden/Germany, http://www.nationalpark-berchtesgaden.de ). The model will be specifically adapted to the local requirements of the region and applied for both historical and climate change simulation runs. The new project, called "KarstNPB", has started on February 1st and is scheduled to run for three years.

Analysis of the hydrological cycle and the dynamic of the snowcover in the Berchtesgaden National Park

Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung (IMK-IFU) des Forschungszentrums Karlsruhe

Adviser:

Dr. Harald Kunstmann
harald.kunstmann@imk.fzk.de

Person in charge:

Dipl. – Geogr. Michael Warscher
michael.warscher@imk.fzk.de

This project is intended to analyze the hydrological cycle in the area of the Berchtesgaden National Park with specific emphasis on the snow cover dynamics. A distributed hydrological model will be applied. The integration of a new high alpine specific snow module is supposed to improve the modelling of water fluxes. The new model system will be validated with station measurements and remote sensing data and is supposed to allow a precise numerical analysis of the regional water balance as well as an estimation of expected climate change impacts. The project is realized in close cooperation with the

Dept. of Geography and Regional Science, University of Graz

since October 2008 and is scheduled to run for three years.