Margreth Keiler

© Klaus Pichler

Prof. Dr. Margreth Keiler

Director
Working Group Leader

T +43 512 50749401
margreth.keiler(at)oeaw.ac.at

Key research areas

Margreth Keiler’s research focuses on the dynamics of natural hazards in mountain regions under global change, particularly the impacts of climate and land-use change on hazard processes and mountain communities. A central interest is understanding how risk and resilience evolve through the interactions of biogeophysical systems and human systems how the these interactions can be captured and analysed by models of coupled human-landscape systems. Her work combines innovative methods and interdisciplinary approaches – including machine learning, spatial modelling, and transdisciplinary knowledge co-production – to advance hazard and risk research and support sustainable and adaptive risk governance in mountain environments.

Experience

Margreth Keiler studied Geography and Earth Sciences at the Universities of Innsbruck and Aberdeen. After receiving her doctorate from the University of Innsbruck in September 2004, she went on to research and teach at the Institute of Geography and Regional Research at the University of Vienna. Research stays have taken her to the University of Exeter (UK), the Santa Fe Institute (USA) and, as a Fulbright visiting professor, to Duke University (USA). In August 2011, she took over as head of the Geomorphology, Natural Hazards and Risk Research Group at the University of Bern's Institute of Geography. She was awarded her habilitation at the Universities of Vienna and Bern in 2012, and was promoted to associate professor at the University of Bern in 2017. From 2014 to 2021, she was a researcher at the Mobiliar Lab for Natural Hazards at the Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Bern. In 2016, she also became co-director of the Mobiliar Lab.

Since March 2021, alongside her role as director and head of the working group ‘Coupled Human-Landscape Systems: Risk and Resilience' at the IGF, she has also been a professor at the Department of Geography at the University of Innsbruck (https://www.uibk.ac.at/de/geographie/). She is an executive editor of the journal Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, a member of the editor-in-chief team of the journal eco.mont, and a member of the Science Leadership Council of the Mountain Research Initiative.

Research papers in journals

  • Branke, J, Zieher, T, Pfeiffer, J, Bremer, M, Rutzinger, M, Keiler, M, Gems, B & Schneider-Muntau, B 2025, 'Historical aerial image photogrammetry for tracking past deformation of Reissenschuh deep-seated rock slide in Tyrol, Austria', Geomorphology, vol. 490, 109996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.109996
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  • Rindsfueser, N, Mosimann, M, Keiler, M & Zischg, AP 2025, 'Flood risk monitoring in Switzerland: Proof of concept', International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, vol. 119, 105337, pp. 105337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2025.105337
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  • Rindsfuser, N, Mosimann, M, Ernst, S, Keiler, M & Zischg, AP 2025, 'Neglecting property-level flood risk adaptation measures lead to overestimation in flood risk analysis - An empirical study', International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, vol. 119, pp. 105326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2025.105326
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  • Loreti, S, Keiler, M & Zischg, AP 2025, 'A severe local flood and social events show a similar impact on human mobility', npj Complexity, vol. 2, pp. 6. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44260-025-00030-6
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  • Fuchs, S, Karagiorgos, K, Keiler, M, Nyberg, L, Papathoma-Koehle, M & Polderman, A 2026, 'Invited perspectives: Four reasons DRR does not work as intended - lessons from the 2025 California wildfires and beyond', Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 1785-1794. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-1785-2026
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  • Ishmam, MSK, Gems, B, Rutzinger, M & Keiler, M 2026, 'SCoMHA: a framework to analyse process-level sediment connectivity in multi-hazard events', Natural Hazards, vol. 122, no. 9, 394. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-026-08149-y
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  • Coutureau, V, Bork-Huffer, T & Keiler, M 2026, 'Brief communication: Towards disability inclusive risk management', Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 703-708. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-703-2026
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  • Papilloud, T, Steiner, A, Zischg, A & Keiler, M 2024, 'Road network disruptions during extreme flooding events and their impact on the access to emergency medical services: A spatiotemporal vulnerability analysis', Science of the Total Environment, vol. 956, pp. 177140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177140
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  • Braun, V, Gravey, M, Haller, A, Heinrich, K, Keiler, M, Polderman, A & Ruiz Peyré, F 2024, 'Tackling Inter- and Transdisciplinary Challenges: A New Research Approach for the Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research', Mountain Research and Development, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. P1-P2. https://doi.org/10.1659/mrd.2024.00029
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  • Rindsfuser, N, Zischg, AP & Keiler, M 2024, 'Monitoring flood risk evolution: A systematic review', iScience, vol. 27, no. 9, pp. ARTN 110653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.110653
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  • Fuchs, S, Karagiorgos, K, Keiler, M, Papathoma-Koehle, M & Nyberg, L 2024, 'The ambiguity in IPCC's risk diagram raises explanatory challenges', Natural Hazards, vol. 120, pp. 12559-12564. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-024-06643-9
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  • Ramirez, J, Mertin, M, Peleg, N, Horton, P, Skinner, C, Zimmermann, M & Keiler, M 2022, 'Modelling the long-term geomorphic response to check dam failures in an alpine channel with CAESAR-Lisflood', International Journal of Sediment Research, vol. 37, no. 5, pp. 687-700. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsrc.2022.04.005
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  • Papathoma-Koehle, M, Schloegl, M, Dosser, L, Roesch, F, Borga, M, Erlicher, M, Keiler, M & Fuchs, S 2022, 'Physical vulnerability to dynamic flooding: Vulnerability curves and vulnerability indices', Journal of Hydrology, vol. 607, pp. ARTN 127501. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.127501
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  • Loreti, S, Ser-Giacomi, E, Zischg, A, Keiler, M & Barthelemy, M 2022, 'Local impacts on road networks and access to critical locations during extreme floods', Scientific Reports, no. 12, pp. 1552. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-04927-3
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  • Kreibich, H, de Ruiter, Marleen, C, Goda, K, Keiler, M, Suppasri, A & Malamud, BD 2021, 'Critical research in the water-related multi-hazard field', Nature Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-021-00833-0
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  • Papilloud, T & Keiler, M 2021, 'Vulnerability patterns of road network to extreme floods based on accessibility measures', Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, vol. 100, pp. 103045. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2021.103045
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  • Zischg, AP, Röthlisberger, V, Mosimann, M, Profico-Kaltenrieder, R, Bresch, DN, Fuchs, S, Kauzlaric, M & Keiler, M 2021, 'Evaluating targeted heuristics for vulnerability assessment in flood impact model chains', Journal of Flood Risk Management. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfr3.12736
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  • Malgwi, MB, Ramirez, JA, Zischg, A, Zimmermann, M, Schürmann, S & Keiler, M 2021, 'A method to reconstruct flood scenarios using field interviews and hydrodynamic modelling: application to the 2017 Suleja and Tafa, Nigeria flood', Natural Hazards, vol. 108, pp. 1781-1805. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-021-04756-z
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  • Malgwi, MB, Schlögl, M & Keiler, M 2021, 'Expert-based versus data-driven flood damage models: A comparative evaluation for data-scarce regions', International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, vol. 57, pp. 102148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2021.102148
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  • Ramirez, JA, Zischg, AP, Schurmann, S, Zimmermann, M, Weingartner, R, Coulthard, T & Keiler, M 2020, 'Modeling the geomorphic response to early river engineering works using CAESAR-Lisflood', Anthropocene, vol. 32, 100266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ancene.2020.100266
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  • Hossain, MS, Ramirez, JA, Haisch, T, Speranza, CI, Martius, O, Mayer, H & Keiler, M 2020, 'A coupled human and landscape conceptual model of risk and resilience in Swiss Alpine communities', Science of the Total Environment, vol. 730, 138322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138322
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  • Papilloud, T, Roethlisberger, V, Loreti, S & Keiler, M 2020, 'Flood exposure analysis of road infrastructure - Comparison of different methods at national level', International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, vol. 47, 101548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101548
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  • Malgwi, MB, Fuchs, S & Keiler, M 2020, 'A generic physical vulnerability model for floods: review and concept for data-scarce regions', Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, vol. 20, no. 7, pp. 2067-2090. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-20-2067-2020
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  • Chow, C, Andrasik, R, Fischer, B & Keiler, M 2019, 'Application of statistical techniques to proportional loss data: Evaluating the predictive accuracy of physical vulnerability to hazardous hydro-meteorological events', Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 246, pp. 85-100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.05.084
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  • Fuchs, S, Heiser, M, Zischg, A, Papathoma-Koehle, M & Keiler, M 2019, 'Short communication: A model to predict flood loss in mountain areas', Environmental Modelling and Software, vol. 117, pp. 176-180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2019.03.026
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  • Klein, JA, Tucker, CM, Steger, CE, Nolin, A, Reid, R, Hopping, KA, Yeh, ET, Pradhan, MS, Taber, A, Molden, D, Ghate, R, Choudhury, D, Alcantara-Ayala, I, Lavorel, S, Mueller, B, Gret-Regamey, A, Boone, RB, Bourgeron, P, Castellanos, E, Chen, X, Dong, S, Keiler, M, Seidl, R, Thorn, J & Yager, K 2019, 'An integrated community and ecosystem-based approach to disaster risk reduction in mountain systems', Environmental Science and Policy, vol. 94, pp. 143-152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2018.12.034
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  • Mosimann, M, Frossard, L, Keiler, M, Weingartner, R & Zischg, AP 2018, 'A Robust and Transferable Model for the Prediction of Flood Losses on Household Contents', Water, vol. 10, no. 11, 1596. https://doi.org/10.3390/w10111596
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  • Zischg, AP, Hofer, P, Mosimann, M, Rothlisberger, V, Ramirez, JA, Keiler, M & Weingartner, R 2018, 'Flood risk (d) evolution: Disentangling key drivers of flood risk change with a retro-model experiment', Science of the Total Environment, vol. 639, pp. 195-207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.056
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  • Roethlisberger, V, Zischg, AP & Keiler, M 2018, 'A comparison of building value models for flood risk analysis', Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, vol. 18, no. 9, pp. 2431-2453. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-18-2431-2018
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  • Chow, C, Ramirez, J & Keiler, M 2018, 'Application of Sensitivity Analysis for Process Model Calibration of Natural Hazards', Geosciences, vol. 8, no. 6, 218. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences8060218
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  • Thaler, T, Zischg, A, Keiler, M & Fuchs, S 2018, 'Correction to: Allocation of risk and benefits-distributional justices in mountain hazard management', Regional Environmental Change, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 367-369. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-017-1274-6
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  • Thaler, T, Zischg, A, Keiler, M & Fuchs, S 2018, 'Allocation of risk and benefits-distributional justices in mountain hazard management', Regional Environmental Change, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 353-365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-017-1229-y
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  • Roethlisberger, V, Zischg, AP & Keiler, M 2017, 'Identifying spatial clusters of flood exposure to support decision making in risk management', Science of the Total Environment, vol. 598, pp. 593-603. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.216
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  • Fuchs, S, Keiler, M & Glade, T 2017, 'Editorial to the special issue on resilience and vulnerability assessments in natural hazard and risk analysis', Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, vol. 17, no. 7, pp. 1203-1206. https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-1203-2017
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  • Keiler, M & Fuchs, S 2017, 'Christine Embleton-Hamann zum 65. Geburtstag', Mitteilungen der Osterreichischen Geographischen Gesellschaft, vol. 159, pp. 413-415. https://doi.org/10.1553/moegg159s413
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  • Fuchs, S, Roethlisberger, V, Thaler, T, Zischg, A & Keiler, M 2017, 'Natural Hazard Management from a Coevolutionary Perspective: Exposure and Policy Response in the European Alps', Annals of the American Association of Geographers, vol. 107, no. 2, pp. 382-392. https://doi.org/10.1080/24694452.2016.1235494
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  • Temme, AJAM, Keiler, M, Karssenberg, D & Lang, A 2015, 'Complexity and non-linearity in earth surface processes - concepts, methods and applications', Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, vol. 40, no. 9, pp. 1270-1274. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3712
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  • Zimmermann, M & Keiler, M 2015, 'International Frameworks for Disaster Risk Reduction: Useful Guidance for Sustainable Mountain Development?', Mountain Research and Development, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 195-202. https://doi.org/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-15-00006.1
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  • Fuchs, S, Keiler, M, Sokratov, S & Shnyparkov, A 2013, 'Spatiotemporal dynamics: the need for an innovative approach in mountain hazard risk management', Natural Hazards, vol. 68, no. 3, pp. 1217-1241. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-012-0508-7
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  • Poeppl, RE, Keiler, M, von Elverfeldt, K, Zweimueller, I & Glade, T 2012, 'The Influence of Riparian Vegetation Cover on Diffuse Lateral Sediment Connectivity and Biogeomorphic Processes in a Medium-sized Agricultural Catchment, Austria', Geografiska Annaler, Series A: Physical Geography, vol. 94A, no. 4, pp. 511-529. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0459.2012.00476.x
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  • Kappes, MS, Keiler, M, von Elverfeldt, K & Glade, T 2012, 'Challenges of analyzing multi-hazard risk: a review', Natural Hazards, vol. 64, no. 2, pp. 1925-1958. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-012-0294-2
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  • Keiler, M, Kellerer-Pirklbauer, A & Otto, J-C 2012, 'Preface: Concepts and Implications of Environmental Change and Human Impact: Studies From Austrian Geomorphological Research', Geografiska Annaler, Series A: Physical Geography, vol. 94A, no. 1, pp. 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0459.2012.00457.x
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  • Keiler, M 2011, 'Geomorphology and Complexity - inseparably connected?', Zeitschrift fur Geomorphologie, vol. 55, pp. 233-257. https://doi.org/10.1127/0372-8854/2011/0055S3-0060
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  • Keiler, M, Knight, J & Harrison, S 2010, 'Climate change and geomorphological hazards in the eastern European Alps', Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences, vol. 368, no. 1919, pp. 2461-2479. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2010.0047
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Article in compiliation

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Edition

  • Huppmann, D, Keiler, M, Riahi, K & Rieder, H (eds) 2025, Second Austrian Assessment Report on Climate Change (AAR2) of the Austrian Panel on Climate Change (APCC). ÖAW-Verlag. <https://doi.org/10.1553/aar2 >
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  • Huppmann, D (ed.), Riahi, K (ed.), Keiler, M (ed.), Rieder, H (ed.), Brudermann, T, Gingrich, S, Hanger-Kopp, S, Daniel, H, Keiler, M, Kirchner, M, Kleidorfer, M, Knaus, K, Miess, M, Novy, A, Olfes, M, Riahi, K, Rieder, H, Schöniger, F, Steiger, R, Donner, A, Holzinger, M, Hummel, E-M, Mayer, M, Rauchenwald, V & Scheifinger, K 2025, Technical Summary: Second Austrian Assessment Report on Climate Change (AAR2) of the Austrian Panel on Climate Change (APCC). ÖAW-Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1553/aar2-ts
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  • Huppmann, D (ed.), Keiler, M (ed.), Riahi, K (ed.), Rieder, H (ed.), Brudermann, T, Gingrich, S, Hanger-Kopp, S, Huppmann, D, Keiler, M, Kirchner, M, Kleidorfer, M, Knaus, K, Miess, M, Novy, A, Olefs, M, Riahi, K, Rieder, H, Schöniger, F, Steiger, R, Donner, A, Holzinger, M, Hummel, E-M, Mayer, M, Rauchenwald, V & Scheifinger, K 2025, Wissenschaftliche Zusammenfassung: Second Austrian Assessment Report on Climate Change (AAR2) of the Austrian Panel on Climate Change (APCC). ÖAW-Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1553/aar2-ts-de
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  • Huppmann, D (ed.), Keiler, M (ed.), Riahi, K (ed.), Rieder, H (ed.), Huppmann, D, Keiler, M, Riahi, K, Rieder, H, Brad, A, Formayer, H, Fuchs, S, Kettner, C, Kranzl, L, Novy, A, Resch, G, Schinko, T, Schmidt, J, Schöniger, F, Steininger, K, Spittler, N, Donner, A, Holzinger, M, Hummel, E-M, Mayer, M, Rauchenwald, V & Scheifinger, K 2025, Summary for Policymakers: Second Austrian Assessment Report on Climate Change (AAR2) of the Austrian Panel on Climate Change (APCC). ÖAW-Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1553/aar2-spm
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  • Huppmann, D (ed.), Keiler, M (ed.), Riahi, K (ed.), Rieder, H (ed.), Huppmann, D, Keiler, M, Riahi, K, Rieder, H, Brad, A, Formayer, H, Fuchs, S, Kettner, C, Kranzl, L, Novy, A, Resch, G, Schinko, T, Schmidt, J, Schöniger, F, Steininger, K, Spittler, N, Donner, A, Mayer, M, Rauchenwald, V & Scheifinger, K 2025, Zusammenfassung für die politische Entscheidungsfindung (SPM): Second Austrian Assessment Report on Climate Change (AAR2) of the Austrian Panel on Climate Change (APCC). ÖAW-Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1553/aar2-spm-de
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  • Braun, V, Gubler, S & Keiler, M (eds) 2025, eco.mont - Journal on protected mountain areas research and management, Vol. 17, No. 2. vol. 17, 2 edn, Innsbruck, Wien. https://doi.org/https://austriaca.at/eco.mont-17-2
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  • Braun, V, Gubler, S & Keiler, M (eds) 2025, eco.mont - Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management, Vol. 17, No. 1. vol. 17, 1 edn, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, innsbruck university press. https://doi.org/10.1553/eco.mont-17-1
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  • Braun, V, Keiler, M & Köck, G (eds) 2024, eco.mont - Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management, Vol. 16, No. 2. Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, innsbruck university press. <http://->
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  • Braun, V, Keiler, M & Köck, G (eds) 2024, eco.mont - Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management, Vol. 16, No. 1. Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, innsbruck university press. <http://->
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  • Braun, V, Keiler, M & Köck, G (eds) 2023, eco.mont - Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management, Vol. 15, No. 2. Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, innsbruck university press. <http://->
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Projects

COIN2.0

eco.mont

EMERGENCE

INCRA