28 research outputs found
Recent evolution of an ice‐cored moraine at the Gentianes Pass, Valais Alps, Switzerland
International audienceLateral moraines located in permafrost environments often preserve large amounts of both glacier and periglacial ice. To understand how ice‐cored moraines located in high alpine environments evolve in a context of both glacier retreat and permafrost degradation, we performed 11 terrestrial laser‐scanning measurement campaigns between 2007 and 2014 on a highly anthropogenic overprinted moraine prone to instability. Resulting comparison of the subsequent 3D models allowed to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the morphological evolution of the moraine. The comparisons indicate a very high geomorphic activity of the moraine including large areas affected by downslope movements of blocks and 10 landslides with a volume between 24 ± 1 and 1,138 ± 47 m3. Data also indicated a very strong ice melt with a loss of ice thickness locally reaching 17.7 m at the foot of the moraine. These results, compared with resistivity and thermal measurements of the ground, suggest the combined role of ice loss at the foot of the moraine and the permafrost activity/warming in triggering these processes
Influence of microclimate and geomorphological factors on alpine vegetation in the Western Swiss Alps
Among the numerous environmental factors affecting plant communities in alpine ecosystems, the influence of geomorphic
processes and landforms has been minimally investigated. Subjected to persistent climate warming, it is vital to understand
how these factors affect vegetation properties. Here, we studied 72 vegetation plots across three sites located in the Western Swiss
Alps, characterized by high geomorphological variability and plant diversity. For each plot, vascular plant species were inventoried
and ground surface temperature, soil moisture, topographic variables, earth surface processes (ESPs) and landform morphodynamics
were assessed. The relationships between plant communities and environmental variables were analysed using non-metric multidimensional
scaling (NMDS) and multivariate regression techniques (generalized linear model, GLM, and generalized additive
model, GAM). Landform morphodynamics, growing degree days (sum of degree days above 5°C) and mean ground surface temperature
were the most important explanatory variables of plant community composition. Furthermore, the regression models for species
cover and species richness were significantly improved by adding a morphodynamics variable. This study provides
complementary support that landform morphodynamics is a key factor, combined with growing degree days, to explain alpine plant
distribution and community composition
Rock glaciers and mountain hydrology: A review
This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record.In mountainous regions, climate change threatens cryospheric water resources, and understanding all components of the hydrological cycle is necessary for effective water resource management. Rockglaciers are climatically more resilient than glaciers and contain potentially hydrologically valuable ice volumes, and yet havereceived lessattention, even though rock glacier hydrologicalimportance may increase under future climate warming. In synthesising data from a range of global studies, we provide the first compre-hensive evaluation of the hydrological role played by rock glaciers. Weevaluate hydrological significanceover a range of temporal and spatial scales, alongsidethe complex multiple hydrological processes with which rock glaciers can interact diurnally, seasonally, annually, decadally and both at local and regional extents.We report that although no global-extent, complete inventory for rock glaciers exists currently, recent research efforts have greatly elaborated spatialcoverage.Using these research papers,we synthe-sise information on rock glacier spatial distribution, morphometric characteristics, surface and subsurface features, ice-storage and hydrological flow dynamics, water chemistry, and future resilience, from which we provide the first comprehensive evaluation of their hydrological contribution. We identify and discuss long-, intermediate-and short-term timescales for rock glacier storage, allowing a more balanced assess-ment of the contrasting perspectives regarding the relative significance of rock glacier-derived hydrological contributions compared to other water sources.We show that further empirical observations are required to gain a deeper hydrological understanding of rock glaciers, in terms of(i) their genesis and geomorpho-logical dynamics (ii) total ice/water volume; (iii) water discharge; and (iv) water quality. Lastly, we hypothesisethat at decadal and longer timescales, under future climate warming, degradation of ice within rock glaciers may represent an increasing hydrological contribution to downstream regions, and thus in-creased hydrological significance while rock glacier water stores persist.Royal Geographical SocietyNatural Environment Research Council (NERC