Using Climber's Guidebooks to Assess Rock Fall Patterns Over Large Spatial and Decadal Temporal Scales: An Example from the Swiss Alps

High‐mountain geomorphic processes enjoy increasing scientific and societal interest. This is because these processes are perceived to be changing more than elsewhere and because their effects on infrastructure and tourism are significant. Rock fall is among the processes that receive most attention due to its presumed intimate relation with permafrost, which is widely degrading. However, over decadal temporal scales and for entire mountain ranges, there is very limited information on the changes in frequency and location of rock fall. This hampers our understanding. Here, I assess the value of information contained in a 146‐year record of climber's guidebooks of the Bernese Alps in Switzerland to derive changes in rock fall danger. The results show that guidebooks’ authors, themselves experienced climbers, perceived increases in rates and changes in positions of rock fall. The increases were mainly reported since the year 2000. It appears that datasets derived from guidebooks can provide valuable context for more detailed, higher resolution data sources.     

塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地冬季积雪下垫面地表反照率及土壤温湿度变化特征

利用塔克拉玛干沙漠大气环境观测试验站西站10 m梯度探测系统气象和辐射观测数据,分析了塔中积雪下垫面地表反照率、土壤温度、土壤湿度的变化特征及其相互关系。结果表明：塔中积雪覆盖期间地表反照率0.18~0.97,日均值为0.60;有积雪覆盖的地表反照率日变化更偏向反"J"型,呈现出上午大于傍晚的形态,平均早晚较差为0.13;积雪使0~40 cm深度土壤温度下降,积雪消融后土壤湿度增大使各层土壤温度趋于接近,并使0、10、20 cm深度的土壤温度日变幅呈减小趋势,减小幅度分别为41%、39%、39%;积雪地表反照率与地表温度表现出负相关关系,反照率越高地表温度越低,二者相关系数为-0.71;积雪地表反照率与5 cm深度土壤湿度负相关,高地表反照率对应低土壤湿度,低地表反照率对应高土壤湿度,二者相关系数为-0.74。     

中亚天山托木尔峰地区青冰滩72号冰川雪坑化学特征及其环境指示意义

基于2008年7月天山托木尔峰地区青冰滩72号冰川雪坑实测资料,探讨其冰川雪坑离子化学特征及环境指示意义。研究发现,Ca2+、Mg2+是青冰滩72号冰川雪坑中主要阳离子;雪坑中阳离子浓度顺序为:Ca2+>Mg2+>Na+>K+>NH4+,其中,Mg2+、K+和Ca2+主要反映长距离沙尘源物质传输情况;Cl-和Na+则一半以上来源于海盐;青冰滩72号冰川NO3-浓度高于天山地区含量平均值。     

Landsliding and sediment flux in the Central Swiss Alps: A photogrammetric study of the Schimbrig landslide, Entlebuch

This study explores the effects of hillslope mass failure on the sediment flux in the Waldemme drainage basin, Central Swiss Alps, over decadal time scales. This area is characterized by abundant landslides affecting principally flysch units and is therefore an important sediment source. The analysis concentrates on the Schimbrig landslide that potentially contributes up to 15% to the sediment budget of the Waldemme drainage basin. Volumetric changes are quantified using high-resolution elevation models that were extracted using digital photogrammetric techniques. Sediment discharge data were used to constrain the significance of the landslide for sediment flux in the channel network. The temporal extent of the photogrammetric analysis ranges from 1962 to 1998, including an earth slide event in 1994. The analyses reveal that during periods of low slip rates of the landslide, nearly all of the displaced sediments were eroded and supplied to the channel network. In contrast, during active periods, only a fraction of the displaced landslide mass was exported to the trunk stream. Interestingly, the 1994 earth slide event did not disturb the long-term sediment discharge pattern of the channel network, nor did it influence the sediment flux at a weekly scale. However, suspended sediment pulses correlate with higher-than-average precipitation events. This was especially the case in August 2005 when a storm event (> 100 years return period) triggered several debris flows and earth flows in the whole drainage basin and in the Schimbrig area. This storm did not result in a significant increase in the slip rates of the entire landslide's main body. It is therefore proposed that debris flows and earth flows perform the connectivity between hillslope processes (e.g. landsliding) and the trunk stream during and between phases of landslide activity in this particular setting.     

Vertical distribution of snow cover and its relation to temperature over the Manasi River Basin of Tianshan Mountains,Northwest China

How snow cover changes in response to climate change at different elevations within a mountainous basin is a less investigated question. In this study we focused on the vertical distribution of snow cover and its relation to elevation and temperature within different elevation zones of distinct climatology, taking the mountainous Manasi River Basin of Xinjiang, Northwest China as a case study. Data sources include MODIS 8-day snow product, MODIS land surface temperature (LST) data from 2001 to 2014, and in situ temperature data observed at three hydrological stations from 2001 to 2012. The results show that: (1) the vertical distribution of snow areal extent (SAE) is sensitive to elevation in low (<2100 m) and high altitude (>3200 m) regions and shows four different seasonal patterns, each pattern is well correspondent to the variation of temperature. (2) The correlation between vertical changes of the SAE and temperature is significant in all seasons except for winter. (3) The correlation between annual changes of the SAE and temperature decreases with increasing elevation, the negative correlation is significant in area below 4000 m. (4) The snow cover days (SCDs) and its long-term change show visible differences in different altitude range. (5) The long-term increasing trend of SCDs and decreasing trend of winter temperature have a strong vertical relation with elevation below 3600 m. The decreasing trend of SCDs is attributed to the increasing trend of summer temperature in the area above 3600 m.     

降雪对生物土壤结皮光合及呼吸作用的影响

通过对降雪处理下2种生物土壤结皮（藓类结皮和藻类结皮）光合及呼吸作用的测定,研究了降雪后生物土壤结皮净光合速率和呼吸速率的变化特征。结果表明：冬季生物土壤结皮净光合速率、呼吸速率受空气温度,辐射及土壤水分的影响,水分是关键影响因子;生物土壤结皮的光合及呼吸作用主要有3个阶段性的变化;降雪后生物土壤结皮的净光合速率和呼吸速率都会先增加后降低;生物土壤结皮的净光合速率和呼吸速率变化会受到积雪覆盖、降雪改变温度及水分的影响;生物土壤结皮净光合速率、呼吸速率与降雪量正相关。本研究证实了冬季生物土壤结皮的光合与呼吸作用不可忽略,对全球碳循环过程有重要意义。     

天山高山冰缘环境中岩石漆的形貌、成分和成因分析

在乌鲁木齐河源海拔3800m以上的空冰斗内发育有黑色富Mn型岩石漆。运用特征元素浓度线扫描对岩石漆表面成分进行了分析,并探寻了岩石漆与下伏基岩在成因上的关系;电镜扫描实验发现典型的葡萄状-半葡萄状一片状的表面微形态序列。实验结果显示,岩石漆的物质成分不可能来源于下伏基岩,而是外部米源;粘土矿物在岩石漆形成过程中起到非常重要的作用;岩石漆表面出现蜂窝状的溶蚀孔洞,可能是近年来乌鲁木齐市及河谷后峡地区工业生产造成的酸性污染物传递到河源区对岩石漆化学腐蚀的结果。     

The relief of the Swiss Alps and adjacent areas and its relation to lithology and structure: topographic analysis from a 250-m DEM

In this paper we discuss the large-scale geomorphological characteristics of the Swiss Alps based on numerical analysis of a digital elevation model and compare these to an erodibility map constructed from a geotechnical map of Switzerland and regional geomorphological studies. Comparing the erodibility map with the large-scale morphometry shows an intimate relationship between mountain-scale erodibility and topography. On average, higher mean elevations and steeper mean slopes correlate with regions where rocks of low erodibility prevail. Areas with high peaks as well as the main water divides are controlled by the presence of bedrock with low to very low detachability. The drainage network of the Swiss Alps shows a close relationship to the lithological differences as well. Major longitudinal valleys follow easily erodible units. In the eastern and western part of the Swiss Alps, the highest values of local relief are located to the south of the main water divide, whereas in the central part, local relief is higher to the north of the main water divide. The large-scale geomorphic characteristics regarded in the framework of the geological history of uplift and denudation suggest that low and very low erodibilities lead to the development of areas of high elevations which are likely to persist over periods of 10–15 Ma. As the analysis of the Lepontine area shows, 20 Ma after cessation of exhumation, such high elevations are likely to be worn down and to manifest themselves as high relief only.     

Alpine Plant Communities: A Statistical Assessment of Their Relation to Microclimatological,Pedological, Geomorphological,and Other Factors

Floristic composition and environmental factors vary widely among plant communities in the alpine belt. Thus far no study has attempted to measure all relevant site conditions in a larger number of alpine communities. Here we show (1) which environmental factors were highly correlated with the floristic composition of the 14 plant communities investigated in the Swiss Alps and (2) which plant communities have similar environmental affinities. In every plant community investigated, the main factors potentially having an impact on plant life were measured and the floristic composition was defined. We used nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) to determine linkage between plant communities and complex environmental gradients. The first axis of the NMDS corresponds to a climate gradient (temperature/wind speed), and the second axis corresponds to a soil gradient (soil suction/pH/Ca content). With the exception of the Nardus grassland and Carex curvula turf, plant communities belonging to the same phytosociological class are exposed to very similar combinations of environmental factors. Our study shows that the variation between phytosociological classes is much larger than within classes. Still, the variation of environmental factors within individual classes leads to a further differentiation of the floristic composition. Thus, our study reinforces the validity of the phytosociological classification.     

Urban Heat and Climate Justice: A Landscape of Thermal Inequity in Pinellas County,Florida

The combined effects of two global trends, urbanization and climate change, have generated considerable concern regarding their adverse and disproportionate impacts on the health of urban populations. This study contributes to climate‐justice research by determining whether elevated levels of urban heat, indicated by land surface temperature (LST), are distributed inequitably with respect to race/ethnicity, age, and socioeconomic status in Pinellas County, Florida. Our study utilizes 2010 MODIS and Landsat medium‐resolution, remotely sensed thermal data, census socio‐demographic information, and both conventional and spatial statistical methods. Results indicate that LST is significantly greater in census tracts characterized by higher percentages of certain racial/ethnic minorities and higher poverty rates, even after controlling for contextual factors and the effects of spatial autocorrelation. This reveals the presence of a landscape of thermal inequity: uneven distribution of heat within the built urban environment and a community structure with varying vulnerability.     

Changes in The Dynamics And Thermal Regime of The Permafrost and Active Layer of The High Arctic Coastal Area in North‐West Spitsbergen,Svalbard

In this paper changes in the active layer of the high arctic coastal area in north‐west Spitsbergen, Svalbard are described. Analysis includes both the ground thawing depth and its near‐surface thermal structure. The study was conducted on the Kaffiøyra Plain (Svalbard) at several fixed sites, which represent places typical of the region: a sandy beach, a tundra plain and a moraine ridge. The results show that in recent years, at two measurement points a significantly deeper thawing was observed. In 1996–2012 on the beach and on the moraine the trend of active layer thickness change was +1.3 cm yr^?1 and +2.5 cm yr^?1, respectively. Generally, in the years 2008–2012 the mean thickness of the active layer in the Kaffiøyra region increased by 3% to 6%. Even at the spatially close sites, within similar environments, there are significant differences in the thickness of the active layer. Measurements show that significant changes also occurred in the thawed ground temperature. Mean values of the observed near‐surface temperature in recent years (2007–2011) were higher by more than 1.0°C, in comparison to the mean in the late 1970s.     

Supraglacial Debris Supply in the Cuerpo de Hombre paleoglacier (Spanish Central System): Reconstruction and Interpretation of a Rock Avalanche Event

During the deglaciation stages of the last glacial period a rock avalanche took place on the glacier that occupied the upper sector of the Cuerpo de Hombre Valley (Sierra de Béjar). The material displaced during the avalanche fell onto the ice, was transported by the glacier and later deposited as supraglacial ablation till. The cause of the avalanche was the decompression of the valley slopes after they were freed from the glacier ice (stress relaxation). Reconstruction of the ice masses has been carried out to quantify the stress relaxation that produced the collapse. The rock avalanche took place on a lithologically homogeneous slope with a dense fracture network. The avalanche left a 0.4 ha scar on the slope with a volume of displaced material of 623 ± 15 × 10³ m³. The deposit is an accumulation of large, angular, heterometric boulders (1–100 m³ in volume) with a coarse pebble‐size matrix. The avalanche can be explained as a relaxation process. This implies rock decompression once the glacier retreat left the wall ice free (debuttressing). Calculations show that the avalanche took place where the decompression stresses were highest (130–170 kPa). In the Spanish Central System paleoglaciers the largest accumulation of morainic deposits occurred after the glacial maximum and the earliest stages of the ice retreat. The process described here is used as an example to formulate a hypothesis that the largest accumulations of tills were formed in relation to enhanced slope dynamics once some glacier retreat had occurred.     

Frequency of debris flows and their relation with precipitation: A case study in the Central Alps, Italy

Debris flows are very important and widespread mass movements, and represent a remarkable geomorphological hazard. This research deals with debris flows in an alpine environment, studied using dendrogeomorphological dating techniques, outlining their relation with precipitation, and analysing possible changes in their frequency and intensity over time. The study area is the upper Valle del Gallo (Northern Italy), a typical high mountain environment dominated by mass wasting processes, where many debris-flow fans occupy the valley bottom. Dendrogeomorphological research was conducted on twelve of these fans and two channels located on slopes. Tree growth anomalies (abrasion scars, compression wood and abrupt growth changes) were used as dating methods. Two hundred and thirty nine debris debris-flow events between 1875 and 2003 were dated using 757 trees (Pinus montana Mill.). Analysis between dated events and precipitation suggests that debris flows in the study area could be triggered by 20–30 mm of rain concentrated in a few hours. The debris-flow frequency tends to increase gradually, but the highest value seems to have occurred in the period 1974–1983. This trend agrees with the historical occurrence of flooding events in Northern Italy as inferred by literature, and with similar studies conducted in the Swiss Alps. The results of this research are intended as a contribution for understanding the response of geomorphological processes to climatic changes.     

2000—2019年新疆积雪终日时空变化特征

基于Google Earth Engine（GEE）遥感云平台,利用2000—2019年MODIS积雪产品资料提取和计算新疆积雪终日信息,利用趋势分析,变异系数等方法分析了新疆积雪终日时空变化特征和变化趋势。结果表明：（1） 新疆积雪终日以天山为界,天山以北长于南部,山区为积雪终日的高值区,盆地为积雪终日的低值区。北疆准噶尔盆地和伊犁河谷积雪终日在75~114 d之间,南疆塔里木盆地在0~31 d之间属于低值区。阿尔泰山脉、天山山脉和昆仑山脉区域在224~365 d之间属于高值区。（2） 南疆和北疆积雪终日有明显的时空差异,2000—2019年北疆准噶尔盆地和高海拔山脉地区积雪终日有明显的推迟趋势,推迟幅度达到14 d,占新疆总面积的8%。南疆塔里木盆地和东疆区域有明显的提前趋势,提前幅度达到16 d约占新疆总面积的44%。塔里木盆地和准噶尔盆地具有相反的变化趋势。（3） 新疆积雪终日年际变化差异显著,天山中段和北疆积雪终日出现不稳定状况,天山中段2002—2009年总体上呈现“M”型的特点,即多年积雪消融日年均值中出现明显的波峰和波谷,北疆2009—2019年积雪终日有较大的年际变化呈现出不稳定状况,出现明显的波峰和波谷,年际变化较大。     

地质地貌因素对喀斯特石漠化的影响——以广西大化县为例

运用广西大化县的DEM、石漠化、地质数据,通过GIS叠加分析,探讨了地质地貌因素对石漠化分布的影响。结果表明：地貌区的石漠化发生率排序为高峰丛洼地区〉中峰丛洼地区〉峰林谷地区〉丘陵山地区。发生石漠化的4种碳酸盐岩中,发生率排序为连续性灰岩〉灰岩夹碎屑岩〉灰岩与白云岩混合组合〉灰岩与碎屑岩互层组合。碳酸盐岩含量较高的3种岩性在25&#176;～45&#176;坡地石漠化发生率最高,含量较低的岩性石漠化发生率高峰在35&#176;～60&#176;,同时发现所有岩性的石漠化发生率在3&#176;～8&#176;坡度区间存在小高峰,这与坡脚普遍的顺坡耕种有关。断层与石漠化关系密切,中度以上石漠化集中分布在断层周围1.5 km内。石漠化的发生是人为干扰、坡面侵蚀、岩石成土与溶蚀作用等综合作用的结果。在石漠化的防治中,应该综合考虑地貌发育、坡度、岩石碳酸盐含量、断层分布等多个因子的影响。     

秦岭南北1951-2009年的气温与热量资源变化

根据47 个地面气象站1951-2009 年日气温资料,对秦岭南北近60 年温度带划分指标(包括年平均气温、日平均气温稳定≥ 10 ℃的日数与积温、最冷月与最热月气温、极端最低气温等) 的变化特征进行了分析,结果发现：秦岭南北气候增暖主要出现在20 世纪90 年代初之后,年平均气温、日平均气温≥ 10 ℃的日数和积温的变化趋势基本一致,1951-1993 年在年代波动中略有下降,而1993 年之后则快速上升;但存在着季节和区域差异。在季节上,冷季(1 月) 平均气温与极端最低气温变化趋势一致,1951-1985 年均在波动中略有上升,1985 年之后出现微弱下降;而暖季(7 月) 温度总体变化趋势不明显。在区域上,1993 年之后,秦岭以北、秦岭南坡、汉水流域及巴巫谷地的日平均气温稳定≥ 10 ℃的日数分别较1993 年之前增加了10 天、10 天、8 天和5 天,相应时段的积温分别增加了278 ℃、251 ℃、235 ℃和207 ℃;即20 世纪90 年代初以来,秦岭以北气温与热量资源增加幅度要比秦岭以南稍大一些。     

9000 years of chironomid assemblage dynamics in an Alpine lake: long-term trends, sensitivity to disturbance, and resilience of the fauna

Subfossil chironomid analysis was applied to a sediment core from Sägistalsee, a small lake at present-day tree-line elevation in the Swiss Alps. During the whole 9000-year stratigraphy the chironomid fauna was dominated by taxa typical of alpine lakes. Major faunistic trends were caused by changes in accumulation rates of three taxa, namely Procladius, Stictochironomus, and Tanytarsus lugens-type. In the early Holocene Procladius was the dominant taxon. In younger samples, Stictochironomus tended to have as high or higher abundances and both taxa showed an increase in accumulation rates. A possible cause of this succession is the decrease of lake-water depth due to infilling of the lake basin and changes in associated limnological parameters. The immigration of Picea (spruce) at ca. 6500 cal. ¹⁴C yrs BP and the resulting denser woodlands in the lake's catchment may have promoted this trend. During three phases, from ca. 70–1450, 1900–2350, and 3500–3950 cal. BP, remains of Procladius, Stictochironomus, and Tanytarsus lugens-type are absent from the lake sediment, whereas other typical lake taxa and stream chironomids show no change in accumulation rate. Together with sediment chemistry data, this suggests that increased oxygen deficits in the lake's bottom water during these intervals caused the elimination of chironomids living in the deepest part of the lake. All three periods coincide with increased human activity in the catchment, as deduced from palaeobotanical evidence. Therefore, enhanced nutrient loading of the lake due to the presence of humans and their livestock in the catchment is the most likely cause of the increased anoxia. The chironomid fauna reacted the same way to intensive pasturing during the last ca. 1500 years as to Bronze Age clear-cutting and more moderate pasturing during the Bronze, Iron, and Roman Ages, suggesting that alpine lake ecosystems can be extremely sensitive to human activity in the catchment. On the other hand, the chironomid assemblages show a considerable amount of resilience to human disturbance, as the chironomid fauna reverted to the pre-impact stage after the first two periods of human activity. In recent years, even though pasturing decreased again, the chironomid fauna has only partly recovered. This is possibly due to other human-induced changes in the lake ecosystem, e.g., the stocking of the lake with fish. The chironomid stratigraphy is difficult to interpret climatologically as the strongest changes in chironomid-inferred temperatures coincide with periods of intensive human activity in the catchment.