Two modeling approaches were applied to evaluate the potential risks of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and possible climate change on the vegetation cover of the Alpine region. The first model is a stochastic forest succession simulator, the second is a static regression type model. The questions of the study were as follows: (1) Which temporal vegetation changes might occur under given carbon dioxide and climate scenarios? (2) Which region of the Alps might be most susceptible to a vegetation change?

The area of productive woodland in the UK has been increasing steadily since 1950, generally at about 20-30 thousand hectares per year. The current forest estate covers 2,1 million hectares, the annual growth in the total stored carbon in wood is 2,0 million tonnes. The annual UK output of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels is 162 million tonnes.

Destruction of forests leads to the release of carbon dioxide stored in the wood and also usually results in major releases of carbon dioxide stored in soil. Annual releases of carbon dioxide from destruction of tropical forests was estimated at about 1650 million tonnes per year.

Enhanced forest growth in combination with relatively high Nitrogen deposition may result in further pedologic and nutritional changes and an even greater destabilisation of forest ecosystems.

Climate change must be considered an ecological and socio-economic threat. We have to support any measures that are combating climate change. It is currently unknown which climate scenario will come true, and therefore very important to maintain the biological diversity of the forest ecosystems for a wide variety of possible development.