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Habitat degradation and fragmentation are two of the main drivers for biodiversity loss. To mitigate the negative impact of fragmentation in forests, conservation targets are increasingly addressing connectivity to facilitate the independent movement of species between habitat fragments to ensure genetic diversity and adaptation to climate change. In this article, we present a novel approach to identifying and prioritizing stepping stones for preserving connectivity based on national and regional biodiversity data for Austrian forest ecosystems. Our study identified forest areas where conservation measures should be taken to ensure future habitat connectivity by combining four indicator values with different requirements of a stepping stone habitat into a prioritization value. The four compounded indicators are: (i) the Protect Value, which includes distances to patches of protected areas with restricted management for the undisturbed development of retention areas, (ii) the Connect Value, which combines datasets of designated habitat corridors and connectivity areas in Austria based on landscape models and expert validation, (iii) the Species Value identifying species‐rich areas, and (iv) the Habitat Value identifying biotopes of high ecological value, key biodiversity areas, and sites of favorable protection status. Nonparametric tests revealed significant differences in prioritization value among the ecoregions of Austria and therefore encourage the consideration of stepping stone prioritization at local and regional context. Building upon the insights from this case study on Austrian forest ecosystems, we developed a robust framework derived from our methodology. This framework is designed to facilitate future implementations in diverse study regions, accounting for factors beyond connectivity crucial for identifying high value stepping stone habitats. We encourage adaptation of this framework to local data availability, species requirements, and local conditions. The compiled framework provides decision support for managers and conservationists for prioritizing areas to conserve and improve connectivity of forest habitats. However, it does not substitute on‐the‐ground field assessments of habitat quality and measures of functional connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a grid section is re-energized after an interruption, the load behaviour can be significantly different from normal operation. In this manuscript, the impact of the phenomenon—known as cold load pickup—is investigated by evaluating 31 time series measured after network outages in Austria and Germany. Its impact on power system restoration and the adequacy of the most common type of simplified model for such investigations is assessed by the time domain simulation of a restoration setting involving the parallel operation of conventional and renewable generation. Parameter distributions are provided for the exponential decay and the delayed exponential decay model with the aim of facilitating meaningful consideration of the phenomenon in time domain simulations of power system restoration. The benefits and limitations of these models are assessed by comparison of time domain simulation results using either the normalized raw data, an exponential decay model or a step-wise active power chance to reflect load behaviour. It is shown that using an exponential decay model leads to higher fidelity of simulation results with respect to the resulting steady-state active power sharing among generators than just applying a step-wise power change in the simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We tested a rapid assessment for saproxylic insects based on feeding galleries and boreholes. • 3641 standing and lying dead objects were examined in 1,444 NFI plots for insect traces. • We found 2,770 insect traces of the orders Coleoptera (n = 2,624), Hymenoptera (n = 143) and Lepidoptera (n = 3) • All insect abundances increased on trees taller than 18 m and above a living stand volume of 41 m3ha−1. • We recommend a tree species-specific dead wood management already considering living wood. Knowledge of habitat requirements of saproxylic insects and their response to habitat changes is critical for assessing the ecological impacts of forest management. Several studies have demonstrated a positive relationship of tree-species richness, deadwood volume, or structural diversity with saproxylic species diversity, while the relationship with the abundance of potential pest species have often been negative. A better understanding of which factors drive saproxylic insects' occurrence is therefore essential for deriving urgently needed thresholds for key habitat conditions. We tested a rapid assessment method applicable at large scale based on recorded feeding galleries and boreholes assessed during the Austrian National Forest Inventory to investigate the drivers and habitat thresholds of different saproxylic insect families; i.e. Buprestidae, Cerambycidae, Curculionidae, Siricidae, at multiple spatial scales; i.e. at the object, forest stand and landscape level. We modelled the relative abundance of all insects and these families considering nineteen explanatory variables using ordinal logistic regression models. Key habitat characteristics were identified using recursive partitioning. Our results revealed complex interactions among influencing factors at different spatial scales. We showed that deadwood volume was of surprisingly little importance. Instead, individual tree characteristics were of major importance, demonstrating the value of resource quality and variability. The abundance of all saproxylic insect families increased with advancing decomposition, on trees taller than 18 m, and above a living stand volume of 41 m3ha−1. Aiming to guide forest management, not only forest type-specific, but tree species-specific deadwood management is needed, taking into account site-specific conditions, including temperature and precipitation. For assessing temporal trends in insect colonization and habitat dynamics as well as the effects of forest management, we propose a continuous monitoring of insect traces, including living but weakened trees. This will allow for further thresholds that are urgently needed for maintaining biological diversity in forest ecosystems in the face of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers preceding technical research on wood-biorefineries when assessing the potential socio-economic impacts caused by a practical implementation of the developed technologies and products. Four different scenarios were simulated by using a system dynamics-model called FOHOW covering the entire forest based sector in Austria. At first a base scenario (business as usual) was calculated and then three different biorefinery-scenarios were assessed. By boosting the gross production value the biorefinery-technologies are capable of securing the competitiveness of the European pulp and paper industry. Sawmills profit from biorefineries as they are able to increase their returns from selling sawmill residues, which is securing their entire competitiveness, at the same time sawnwood prices can be held stable or even a little lower. The use of wood for energy would not be negatively impacted by biorefineries in the scenarios, but the average cost of wood for energy can even decrease. Introducing biorefineries may have positive effects on employment, as there are new jobs established, current jobs in pulp, paper and sawmilling business are secured and new jobs in the downstream processing of the biorefinery products are created. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current state of research shows that there is big potential for the use of wood, particularly harvested wood products (HWP) to mitigate climate change and increase carbon stocks. Despite of discussions on different accounting approaches, the forest-based sector can contribute with the production of long-lasting wood products to reach international climate goals. This leads to high demands on forests and on what they can deliver both at EU and the national levels. In Austria it has been bemoaned by the Environmental Agency in its recent –eleventh- control report, that a comprehensive concept for the use of wood is missing. The report asks for consideration of increasing future needs for raw wood and energy under considerations of sustainability and under inclusion of all actors involved. Apparently there are some disparities within the different policy instruments. In order to successfully concertise the national policy framework it is of paramount importance to gather the policy actors involved and examine their suggestions for solving the issue. The article is enquiring amongst a number of high level Austrian experts and stakeholders about their perspectives and solutions for enhancing the contribution of the forest based sector to combat climate change. We examine the nature of the suggested instruments and outline the perceived options for action within the capacities of the forest based sector. This is done by way of a triangulation of face-to-face qualitative interviews, moderated focus group discussions and one survey. For the increase in carbon efficiency, all the participants notably emphasise long lasting material use and increase in use. Yet the opinions are contradicting when it comes to energetic use. Our findings indicate that the expert views reflect diverging perspectives on the use of wood for energy consumption. Some opt for policies that support energy consumption of wooden biomass to replace fossil fuels, others want any energy use of wood to become restricted drastically. As a final result, the article derives 16 principle policy measures and instruments that were brought up and assessed by the stakeholders in several rounds of interaction. We conclude that small improvements to existing measures could have ample impacts. • Material use of long-lasting wood products is first priority policy option. • Forest based industry needs to adapt to changes in tree species due to climate change. • Material use versus energetic use is the most debated issue by stakeholders. • The term "cascadic use" is interpreted differently by stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest plantations provide various ecosystem services. Forest seedling production in nurseries in particular plays an important role in ecosystem service management to support sustainable forest management and facilitate adaption to and mitigate the effects of climate change in the forest-based sector. Climate change will considerably affect environmental conditions that heavily affect tree species in alpine regions, such as temperature and precipitation patterns and thereby generating risks for forests and thus timber supply for the sector. To address these risks for ecosystem services, planting of different tree species and provenances better adapted to the expected future environmental condition must be considered.Historical data on mast seeding and seed harvest from 1960 to 2016 were collected and analysed for seven native tree species. In order to estimate the demand for forest plantations of key tree species, the most important climatic factors affecting variable seed production were investigated for four forest adaptation strategies (1) a business-as-usual scenario, (2) natural regeneration, (3) assisted migration, and (4) assisted gene flow. The goal was to determine the effects of these strategies of the seven studied tree species as well as the loss or gain of forest area for each single species. In addition, an econometric model including relevant forestry data (logging activity, deadwood, lumber prices of wood assortments) as well as data on economic development and forest nurseries was formulated to explain historical seedling demand and estimate the future demand for forest seedlings in Austria.Present and future distribution ranges were estimated on basis of species distribution models from previous projects for the native tree species as well as for the non-native Douglas fir. Our approach aims to determine the annual regeneration requirement and seedling demand considering the average age-class distribution of Austrian forests under changing climatic conditions within the country. In combination with the econometric model, predictions for future seed yield can be made and new suitable plantation areas for each species determined. Since producers of tree seedlings currently face a high degree of uncertainty owing to the 1-year to 4-year lag between the beginning of the production process and marketing of the seedlings, our results will help to minimize production risks and provide a sufficient supply to cover future market demand for seedlings. The results will also help to develop transnational climate change adaptation strategies to ensure future forest ecosystem services in Austria and Central Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental and socio-economic developments induce land-use changes with potentially negative impacts on human well-being. To counteract undesired developments, a profound understanding of the complex relationships between drivers, land use, and ecosystem services is needed. Yet, national studies examining extended time periods are still rare. Based on the Special Report on land use, land management and climate change by the Austrian Panel on Climate Change (APCC), we use the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework to (1) identify the main drivers of land-use change, (2) describe past and future land-use changes in Austria between 1950 and 2100, (3) report related impacts on ecosystem services, and (4) discuss management responses. Our findings indicate that socio-economic drivers (e.g., economic growth, political systems, and technological developments) have influenced past land-use changes the most. The intensification of agricultural land use and urban sprawl have primarily led to declining ecosystem services in the lowlands. In mountain regions, the abandonment of mountain grassland has prompted a shift from provisioning to regulating services. However, simulations indicate that accelerating climate change will surpass socio-economic drivers in significance towards the end of this century, particularly in intensively used agricultural areas. Although climate change-induced impacts on ecosystem services remain uncertain, it can be expected that the range of land-use management options will be restricted in the future. Consequently, policymaking should prioritize the development of integrated land-use planning to safeguard ecosystem services, accounting for future environmental and socio-economic uncertainties. [Display omitted] • We synthesize changes in agriculture, forestry, and urban areas in Austria. • Past land-use changes were driven mainly by socio-economic factors. • Land-use changes generally led to a decline in ecosystem services (ES). • Climate change is expected to become a dominant driver after the mid-century. • Land-use strategies need to account for future uncertainties to safeguard ES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]