Nature protection and biodiversity - State and impacts (Austria)

Austria has an impressive species diversity: there are around 45,000 animal species (Zulka 2005) and 2,950 ferns and flowering plants. Of these, 581 animal species and 167 plant species are found only in Austria (Rabitsch & Essl 2009). Many species are at risk, however. Their often close connection with particular biotope types is the key to explaining the extent and causes of the threat.  

Updated Red Lists of Austria's endangered animals are available for 19 groups of animals (see Table 2).

Austria has a list of 488 biotope types, the vast majority of which involve forests, waterbodies or grassland. 383 have been assessed for their threat level. Biotope types heavily influenced by manmade factors, such as roads and reservoirs, were not assessed (Essl & Egger 2010).

Conservation status of species and habitats of European importance

The conservation status of around 18% of the 66 habitat types and 11% of the 172 species found in Austria is favourable. For 70% of the habitat types and 85% of the species it is unfavourable. The remaining habitats and species could not be assessed due to lack of data.

Bird species as indicators of habitat quality

To determine the status of habitats, an Ecosystems project, commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (Ministry of Life), proposed that groups of bird species should be used as an indicator of habitat quality (Holzner et al. 2006). Birds are suitable for mapping the biodiversity of other groups of organisms and respond quickly to environmental changes.

The common buzzard population appears to fluctuate around an average value and may be considered as stable. The skylark population has slightly declined since 1998. The numbers of winter wren and coal tit are also declining.

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