SUMMARY

In Mediterranean Mountain regions (MMR), hydrogeomorphic processes (HP) such torrential floods, debris flow or landslides have recurrently affected transport corridors and human settlement. Coping with such impacts in future require paradigm change toward the implementation of Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) and land use zonation. However, the reliability of these innovative approaches is highly conditioned by data availability, specially to describe the magnitude and frequency of extreme HP events under different climate/land-use circumstances. The INOVA-RISK project aims at investigating the use of tree-rings to unravelling the linkages between HP and forest ecosystem functioning under climatic change scenario, as a basis for better Eco-DRR implementation in the MMR. To this end, the INOVA-RISK project innovatively relays on the use of tree-rings records to overcome the lack of data and combines different disciplines such as geomorphology, forestry, and climatology by developing statistical, experimental, remote sensing, numerical model, and uses dendrochronological tools. The project is structured in 5 well established and interconnected workpackages (WP). WP1 aims at managing and outreach the research products. WP2 aims at reconstructing forest functioning based on tree rings and remote sensing approaches in selected catchments. WP3 aims at understanding the mechanical failure of trees under external loads (i.e. caused by HP). WP4 aims at HP reconstruction based on tree-rings, and WP5 aim at establishing causal linkages from forest functioning (WP2/3) and past HP activity (WP4). Outcomes aspire to improve our understanding on climate-forest-HP linkages at long-term scale, and therefore improve further Eco-DRR strategies in the MMR.