Altitudinal shifts of Alpine grouses in the Veglia-Devero Natural Park, western Italian Alps
Radames Bionda, Aree protette dell'Ossola, Varzo (IT)
Alpine grouses are particularly vulnerable to climate and land-use changes. Average elevation of rock ptarmigan, dwelling the open areas above the treeline in the Alpe Devero, increased by 7 m/yr from 1996, while the population decreased by 46%. In the same period, the forest dwelling black grouse population in Veglia-Devero did not show such a marked decrease, and it increased its average elevation only in Devero, while in the Alpe Veglia it contracted the altitudinal range by 12 m/yr. Spatial patterns of studied populations will be discussed in relation to climate and treeline upward shift.