In the here presented HDR report, I summary the main findings I gained during my research in the last 12 years. In the centre of my research stand the long‐term effects of global change on ecosystems under environmental stress and the consequences on the stability of these ecosystems with a particular focus on plant‐soil interactions. I summerize that my works on the resilience of mountain ecosystems through the assessment of climate and land use changes suggests that the fine‐grained, patterned pasture woodland landscape may be aggregated in larger spatial units or completely homogenised depending of the underlying climate change scenarios. In both case, these processes may lead to a more vulnerable ecosystem and a loss of biodiversity in the long run. In consequence, management (longer stocking periods, diversification of grazers) has to be adapted to the new challenges.