Stephan Hoerbinger

Introduction: Railway corridors, as linear landscape structures, are highly exposed to natural hazards. In alpine regions intact protective forests form a key basis for safeguarding the route network by complementing technical protection measures through forest-related ecosystem services. From a long-term perspective, these benefits are only generated by resilient and vital forest stands. To maintain sustainable services and benefits under climate change, an understanding of the biological system and its future developments is essential. Difficulties lie in long reaction times of forest stands to management actions and a broad range of species, that need to be considered. Methods: The method used in this study focuses on the extrapolation of potential natural stands based on basic climate parameters by developing a two-dimensional climatic space, describing natural stands for 46 species in all 26 operational units of the Austrian railway corridor. First, we analyzed the current distribution of woody plant species using a climate-envelope modeling approach. Secondly climatic conditions of the Austrian railway network were evaluated and modelled for future climate change scenarios. In the synthesis of steps one and two, potential natural stands were detected, quantified, contextualized and compared to the reference period 1961–2020. Results: Several promising species were detected for future climate scenarios and European wide trends were confirmed on the regional scale. Especially Castanea sativa , Ulmus minor , and Sorbus torminalis can help generating vital stands that can deliver the protective functions we are aiming for. Discussion: The results mark an initial step toward climate-change-adapted protective forest management by detecting changes in natural site conditions and predicting vulnerable areas along the Austrian railway corridor, offering a management tool for infrastructure operators to guide future species selection and assess risks to protective forest functions.

Hydromorphology is a major component of riverine ecosystems. Therefore, proper assessments of the status quo, as well as the detection of pressures in river basins, are of high relevance. Process-based morphological methods have been developed, relying on a broad data basis and resulting in suitable instruments, such as the Morphological Quality Index (MQI). In this study, the hydromorphological status of the Nanxi river system in Eastern China was assessed by an adapted application of the MQI. Adaptations and amendments in the methodical approach were developed in cycles and carried out to transfer the well-approved method for European river systems to another geographical setting. The strengths of the tested approach are the few data requirements, the applicability for modified river basins, and the decoupling of historical information. The assessment of 161 river kilometers resulted in a hydromorphological status quo with the focus being a relative comparison of different sections ranging from “moderate” to “bad”, with an average classification of a “poor” state. On the one hand, the results build the basis for future restoration and river management planning, specifically, and on the other hand, they create a foundation for the development of an assessment method fitted for modified river systems conditions.

In recent times, a trend towards more climate-friendly and sustainable strategies and techniques in the field of civil engineering has arisen. For this reason, there is a high demand for engineering solutions which take into consideration not only technical issues but also ecological and aesthetic values. In this context, soil bioengineering constructions are gaining importance because the utilisation of living plants as construction material for conventional protective structures represents a preferred alternative. Different soil bioengineering techniques are used as stand-alone solutions or as complementary to conventional hydraulic and civil engineering solutions. Although the field of soil bioengineering has a long historical tradition, there is no assessment scheme that analyses energy consumption nor carbon footprint throughout the entire life cycle of soil bioengineering constructions. The following paper focuses on assessing three different soil bioengineering construction types. Through the use of an environmental life cycle assessment model, we show the possibilities and deficiencies of this method in the field of soil bioengineering. The analysis concentrates on the product stage and the construction phase. The results reveal that the hotspots of energy consumption for soil bioengineering constructions are the operating machines.