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20 Years of Our Changing Mountains
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Dear MRI Community,
Mountains impress by their physical characteristics; slope, elevation, intense slope processes, harsh climatic conditions, and the great diversity of their ecological habitats are all natural characteristics that differentiate mountains from other environmental contexts. From the 18 th century onwards, mountain nature attracted botanists and geologists, later foresters and hydrologists. These scientists gradually deciphered the complex book that is mountain nature, and while some classical concepts – such as vegetation layering – were quickly developed, others, particularly in geology, remained enigmas for a long time. It was not until the very end of the 19 th century that the concept of thrust made it possible to bring order to the chaos of Alpine geological observations, and it was not until a few years later that Emile Argand made the link between Alpine geology and continental drift, now known as global tectonics.
But mountains are also a matter of human societies. The 18 th century’s naturalists were not limited to natural sciences. During his journey to the Andes, Alexander von Humboldt described not only the facts of nature but also the organisation of human societies. Later, the French school of geography and Anglo-Saxon ethnologists in particular studied the lifestyles of mountain societies in detail at a time when the Alps were entering modernity, industrialisation, and the opening up of tourism.
When the MRI was founded at the turn of this century, it was part of this tradition of interdisciplinary research on the mountains and their inhabitants. But what certainly best qualifies mountain research today, and what distinguishes it from the various scientific traditions that existed until the 1980s, is the desire for transformative research. Today's mountain researchers are no longer satisfied with simply understanding and analysing mountain social-ecological systems and their evolution; they also want to participate in the transformation of mountain societies towards greater sustainability. This is one of the MRI’s stated objectives for the period 2019-2023, with a focus on the global scale. It is also one of the intentions of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Mountain Research (CIRM) of the University of Lausanne, whose working scale is more local. In both cases, the implementation of transformative research can only be achieved through the intense promotion of transdisciplinary work with mountain populations.
I am looking forward to continuing the joint effort of the MRI and other research centres and networks at various scales and in different geographical regions to promote transformative research for mountain sustainability.
Kind regards, |
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Prof. Emmanuel Reynard
Director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Mountain Research CIRM
MRI Principal Investigator 2007-2010
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Coming Up on the MRI's Agenda
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MRI 20th Anniversary Lecture
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Interested researchers, policymakers, and practitioners are invited to apply to participate in this workshop exploring key synthesis questions around the water-energy-food nexus. This workshop is jointly sponsored by ICIMOD’s Himalayan University Consortium and the Mountain Research Initiative, and coordinated by the University of Arizona’s Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy. Please note that in order to encourage participants from Latin America and Europe, the deadline has been extended to 10 March for applicants from these two regions only.
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With new mountain events added regularly, don't forget to check out our online calendar.
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The MRI Expert Database has served as a useful tool for connection and collaboration for the mountain research community for many years. The new MRI Expert Database builds on the strong foundations that were already in place, while offering updated features such as improved search functionality and data privacy. Don't forget, if you are already a member we need your consent to continue to store your profile in our new database. We hope you'll continue to be a part of it – or, if you haven't yet joined, sign up now to make connections for our changing mountains!
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The Mountain Research Initiative Coordination Office was extremely saddened to hear news of the flood/debris flow disaster that occurred in the mountainous Chamoli district of Uttarakhand State, India, on the morning of 7 February 2021. Several members of the MRI network, in conjunction with Indian scientists, are contributing to develop an understanding of the event and its impacts.
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Learning and teaching about mountains has a long history. But to what extent, if at all, can mountain studies contribute to sustainable mountain development? A recent article published in Mountain Research and Development outlines the results of a study of education programs for sustainable mountain development, carried out in the context of the MRI’s ESMD Working Group.
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Despite the challenges of 2020, and 2021 so far, the five MRI Working Groups have exciting updates to share! These Working Groups are community-led activities aligned with the MRI’s objectives, and provide platforms for discussion, exchange, and research. They welcome the participation of MRI network members – especially early career researchers! Why not get involved?
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The Association of Polar Early Career Scientists, the Mountain Research Initiative, and partners successfully organized a group review for early career scientists of the Second Order Draft of the Working Group II contribution to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. 2420 comments were submitted to the IPCC by a total of 186 reviewers.
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The Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) recently invited all interested parties to review the draft of its 2021 Status Report. This review process provides an excellent opportunity for mountain researchers and practitioners (including but not limited to members of the MRI and participants in GEO Mountains) to help ensure that the critical observational needs for climate-related variables in mountainous terrain specifically is emphasised.
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The 2021 SNIS Award aims to reward and recognize the best PhD thesis in the field of International Studies received from a Swiss University. Submission deadline is 15 March 2021.
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The Biosphere Futures database, a global collection of social-ecological scenarios "creating a commons to strengthen the practice," is seeking scenario and case study contributions from the mountain research community.
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The Prix de Quervain for Polar and High Altitude Research is attributed to young scientists for outstanding achievements in their MA or PhD thesis or other research projects. Deadline 31 May 2021.
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This conference aims to provide a platform for engagement, discussion, and action that links transdisciplinary research, (un)learning, and practice. Submissions are possible until 18 April 2021.
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The Elinor Ostrom Award for Collective Governance of the Commons aims to acknowledge and promote the work of practitioners and young and senior scholars involved in the field of the commons. Hurry! Nomination deadline is 28 February.
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Are you working on climate change adaptation solutions for mountain environments? Complete the Adaptation at Altitude survey and share them with practitioners and policymakers to help increase resilience in mountain communities.
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In this blog post, Emmanuel Salim, PhD student at Savoie Mont-Blanc University, and Raphaël Lachello, University Grenoble-Alps, share the impetus for forming a collective of young researchers to promote inter- and transdisciplinary research in mountain regions.
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As the MRI Coordination Office turns 20, Professor Harald Bugmann, MRI Chair 2001-2007, reflects on its achievements to date and the importance of its work in the face of an uncertain future for our changing mountains. This blog post was initially shared with the MRI community as the MRI January Global Newsletter editorial.
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Have an idea for a blog post or mountain news to share?
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A focus issue of the journal Mountain Research and Development explores mountain biodiversity’s role for sustainable development, while an open issue looks at tourism development in the South Caucasus – among other topics!
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The latest issue of eco.mont explores topics ranging from the impact of coronavirus restrictions on alpine field work to tensions between traditional herding practices and conservation policies in the Southern Central Andes.
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This list, updated each week, contains articles relevant to mountain research that you won't want to miss this month.
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Frontiers Research Topic: Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for Natural Hazards and Climate Change
Focus is open to NBS in relation to climate hazards and perils, including wildfires, floods, erosion, and drought, and may include different environments such as forests and terrestrial ecosystems, urban areas, freshwater habitats, and coastal zones, including small island states.
Submission deadline is 10 March 2021.
Call for Papers: MRD Focus Issue on Pastoralism and Rangelands in Mountains
With this focus issue, MRD aims to contribute to a better understanding of pastoralism and rangelands in mountains, the factors affecting pastoral social–ecological systems, responses from society, and how innovative solutions can effectively help respond to environmental, socioeconomic, and political changes.
Full papers should be submitted by 19 March 2021.
Call for Papers: Climate System Uncertainty and Biodiversity Conservation
Manuscripts from the mountain research community are welcomed for a Special Issue of the open-access journal Climate on 'Climate System Uncertainty and Biodiversity Conservation.'
Deadline to submit is 30 April 2021.
Call for Papers on Stakeholder Engagement and Co-Production in Transdisciplinary Research
We encourage the MRI community to contribute a mountains perspective to this Special Issue of the journal Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, which aims to showcase the concepts and practice of knowledge co-production while increasing peer-reviewed evidence. Focus is on documenting methodological advances.
Submission deadline 31 May 2021.
Call for Papers: The Transformative Potential of Transdisciplinary Research in Land Systems Science
This Special Issue of the journal Land probes the ability of transdisciplinary research in land systems science to achieve equitable problem-solving in complex multi-stakeholder, multi- and cross-scale, as well as tele-coupled contexts.
Deadline for manuscript submission is 1 September 2021.
Plant Ecology & Diversity Special Issue: The Ecology and Evolution of Plants in Extreme Environments
This Special Issue of the journal Plant Ecology & Diversity welcomes observational, experimental, and theoretical studies on the ecology and evolution of plants in extreme environments.
Submission deadline is 30 September 2021.
Call for Papers: Insects in Mountain Ecosystems
This Special Issue of the journal Insects will broadly address studies on insects in mountain ecosystems across all relevant disciplines, and, in this context, submissions in the form of reviews and original basic or applied research are welcome.
Submission deadline is 31 December 2021.
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Check out the MRI website for more open calls and publication opportunities.
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The Cluster of Cooperation – Knowledge to Action (CLOC K2A) is calling for proposals for activities that support the promotion of SDGs in South Asia in the fields of ecological sustainability and social well-being.
Deadline to apply is 15 March 2021.
With its project funding scheme, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) enables researchers to independently conduct research projects with topics and goals of their own choice.
Submission dates: 1 April and 1 October.
As part of the Swiss federal government's Environment Research Concept 2021-2024, the FOEN is launching a call for research projects. Further information available in German and French.
Deadline for submissions is 9 April 2021.
SPI Flagship Initiatives will be multi-annual programmes combining science and technology projects from different disciplines and different groups / institutions in Switzerland around a polar focus region. The funding will be focused on field campaigns (logistics, safety, etc.), data management, outreach, and programme coordination, thus providing temporary infrastructure for a Swiss-led polar research programme.
Deadline for submission of pre-proposals is 23 April 2021.
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For a full list of open funding opportunities, please see our website.
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Afromontane Research Unit, University of the Free State, Phuthaditjhaba, South Africa.
The Afromontane Research Unit is inviting applications for a post-doctoral fellowship in biodiversity that will include leading and managing a remote, high-elevation experiment site on the summit of the Maloti-Drakensberg; widespread interaction with local managers and policy-makers on mountainous range-expanding species (native and non-native); and leading/participating in associated workshops and events.
Apply by 15 March 2021.
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A regularly updated compilation of mountain job opportunities can be found on our website.
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