Climatic effects on pollen production - winners and loosers? : Poster presented at: 27. Tagung der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Forstgenetik und Forstpflanzenzüchtung (Walddialog), "Forstgenetik - eine ökologische und ökonomische Zukunft gestalten", Wien, 10. - 13. Oktober 2007
Due to climate change ecological changes in phenology and distribution of plants and animals are occurring in marine, freshwater and terrestrial groups (Parmesan 2006). The Earth's climate has already warmed by 0.5°C over the past century (McCarty 2001). In Austria during the same time period the temperature increased by approximately 1.8 °C (Figure 1) and this temperature increase was found in all altitudes (Böhm et. al. 1998). In general. climatic changes in the alpine region are more strongly pronounced. Therefore, the alpine area ranks among the most sensitive areas which the climatic changes concems (Kromp-Kolb 2001). One expected effect of climate change is the growing season with an earlier start of spring and a Iater start of fall. In the forest ecosystem climate change plays a decisive role. Trees have to produce pollen and seeds to disseminate genes to the next generation and to maintain regeneration and reproduction. Hence, pollen and seed dispersion are important for natural reproduction.
