8.2.2 Exposure
In HABIT-CHANGE exposure of a habitat is equivalent to the pressure “climate
change”. The changes can be represented as long-term changes in climate conditions, changes in the climate variability or changes in the magnitude and frequency
of extreme events.
The exposure was assessed (Fig. 8.4) by comparing climatic conditions of today
with information from meteorological observations from the past (period between the
years 1971–2000) and climate change projections for the future (period between
Table 8.3 Sensitivity
categories (after Petermann
et al. 2007)
Sum
Value
Category
>14
3
High
14–16
2
Medium
<16
1
Low
Table 8.4 Indicator schemes per biogeographical region
Region
Indicator scheme
Ordinal scale
New scale
Alpine
Landolt et al.(2010)
1–5 (temperature, moisture)
1–3
Continental
Ellenberg (1992)
1–9 (temp.); 1–12 (moist.)
1–3
Pannonian
Borhidi (1995)
1–9 (temp.); 1–12 (moist.)
1–3
Table 8.5 Categories for the indicator temperature
Scale Category Description
1
Low
Species from high elevations, sustainable of low air temperature during the
growth period
2
Medium
Species from the midlands, need average air temperature during the growth
period
3
High
Species from low elevations, need higher air temperature during the growth
period
Table 8.6 Categories for the indicator moisture
Scale
Category
Description
1
Dry
Species sustain low soil moisture during growth period
2
Moist
Species need average soil moisture during growth period
3
Wet
Species need high soil moisture during growth period
Table 8.7 Example sensitivity assessment of the indicator values for three habitat types
Habitat
Dry
Moist
Wet
Present
Sensitivity
Freshwater habitats
1
15
58
Moist/Wet
>Dry
Grassland formations
72
196
24
Dry/Moist
>Wet
Forests
14
174
43
Moist
Indifferent
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