Climate change and integrated analysis of mountain geomorphological systems

Reynard, Emmanuel; Lane, Stuart N.

doi:10.5194/gh-67-5-2012

Cited by 11 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Thus, the largest and apparently most active alluvial fan (Satarma, Figure , AF3) is associated with the best sediment connectivity and not with large surface changes upslope or the largest sediment availability. Thus, connectivity plays a key role in climatically driven sediment dynamics, an observation that finds support in other contributions [ Shroder et al , ; Harvey , ; Reynard et al , ; Bosson et al , ]. In another Swiss case study, Müller et al [] noted that the actual mobilized material at the top of the sediment cascade is much higher than the input in the subsystems throughout the hillslope.…”

Section: Discussion and Interpretationmentioning

confidence: 85%

Investigating decadal‐scale geomorphic dynamics in an alpine mountain setting

2015

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We know little about the effect of recent climate variability upon landscapes at the timescale of decades because of (1) the complex, nonlinear, and path‐dependent nature of the response of a landscape to climate forcing and (2) the difficulty of quantifying spatially distributed impacts at the timescale of decades to centuries, despite this being the timescale over which significant hypotheses have been raised over human impacts upon climate change and hence geomorphic systems. A unique resource to investigate the linkages between climatic variability and geomorphic response is provided by the extensive coverage of aerial imagery commonly available since the 1950s. Here we use archival digital photogrammetry to produce high‐precision digital elevation models over large spatial scales, and so to reconstruct the quantitative history of surface downwasting and sediment flux in a high mountain alpine system, over the timescales of decades. Propagation of error methods is used to identify locations of significant landscape response and to compute volumes of significant surface change. Orthorectified aerial images are used in an image correlation framework to detect horizontal and vertical displacements of components of the landscape. Results are coupled to extant climate data and modeled snow cover to show how the landscape responds to climate forcing and to geomorphological maps to understand how this response varies between landscape elements. The results show distinct landscape response to both warming and cooling periods and a tendency for the acceleration of surface displacement under warming conditions. Precipitation and snow cover are critical in controlling glacier dynamics and rock glacier displacement velocities. However, while some landforms might lead to locally high sediment flux, landscape heritage can disconnect zones of high change rates from the valley bottom. Hence, the landscape response to climate forcing is not necessarily reflected in valley system processes or sediment deposits.

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Section: Discussion and Interpretationmentioning

confidence: 85%

Investigating decadal‐scale geomorphic dynamics in an alpine mountain setting

2015

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“…Lane, Bakker, Balin, Lovis, & Regamey, 2014;Lane, Richards, & Chandler, 1996;Small, 1973;Warburton, 1990). Finally, an integrated analysis of the mountain system was recently proposed by Reynard, Lambiel, and Lane (2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geomorphology of the Hérens valley (Swiss Alps)

2015

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This paper presents a geomorphological map of the Hérens valley in the Western Swiss Alps. With an area of 270 km 2 and altitudes ranging from 470 to 4357 m a.s.l., this valley is one of the main secondary catchments of the Upper Rhône valley. The high differences in altitudes, combined with a varied geology, create an important geomorphic diversity. The main processes active in mountain areas, that is, glacial, periglacial, gravitational and fluvial processes, are well represented. The map was produced in ArcGIS using a specific legend developed at the University of Lausanne.

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“…Previous research in high altitude, arid areas has revealed that changes in landslide activity can be linked with changes in climate (Bookhagen et al, 2005;Dortch et al, 2009;Borgatti and Soldati, 2010;Reynard et al, 2012;Stoffel et al, 2014). However, it is uncertain to what effect such a link can be extended to include low altitude, subtropical climates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%