Selected impacts of climate change on birds in European mountains: shifts in altitudinal distribution, population changes and changes in phenology

Many studies focused on the impact of the climate change on organisms including mountain birds. Mountain birds are particularly threatened by the impact of climatic change because they occur in an extreme environment. Climate change impacts mountain birds through increasing temperature, which affects their altitudinal shifts and abundances. These two variables depend also on species-specific traits, distribution area and habitat change. This thesis aims to sort knowledge about impacts of climate change on mountain birds and to explain the variability of altitudinal shifts of these species. Species occupying lower altitudes, open habitat species and short-lived species showed the biggest upward shifts. Downward shifts occurred when the impact of habitat change outweighed the impact of climate change. No significant shifts were recorded in species that respond to climate change by changes in phenology which likely compensate the adverse climate change impacts without the need of translocation. Population trends were usually negative with the steepest declines in high- alpine species, ecological specialists, long-distance migrants and short-lived species. In order to reduce decline in numbers, it is important to set up effective local vegetation management and globally stick to climate targets. Key..