Test plots in the Kaunertal Valley

The PHUSICOS Concept Case at the Kaunertal Valley in Austria is testing altitude-adapted and microbe assisted seed mixtures to stabilize alpine slopes and reduce erosion that is intensified by rapid glacier retreat and extreme precipitation events. A short video showcases a visual explanation of this research and the field work being conducted in Kaunertal Valley. It also highlights a portion of the yearly work being conducted on site.

The goal is to develop a local seed mixture that will thrive at these elevations and mitigate erosion and mass movements on steep slopes in high mountain terrain.

See the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OinquHXN3WE&t=116s.

This video has sparked interest nationally for the Concept Case to be featured in two documentaries. The first is part of the prime time one-hour ALPENWEGE sharing stories on different Alpine regions and their specialities. The Kaunertal Valley has been selected as it has an old smuggler’s path to Italy with stories of secret baptisms in former time.

The current plans will highlight these old paths and their history and then will share the new developments and PHUSICOS research being conducted in the valley. The film crew will accompany the research team from the University of Vienna and the University of Salzburg 3-4 days in the field this summer.

The second documentary feature will be for TIROL HEUTE (Tyrol today) which is more a local format introducing news from the state to be shared on their Austrian national television program which airs weekly. We look forward to follow these activities and will share the links to these documentaries as they become available.

By Sabine Kraushaar, sabine.kraushaar@univie.ac.at