Interactions between Vegetation, Roots, and Soil Stability in Restored High-altitude Ski Runs in the Alps

Barni, Elena; Freppaz, Michèle; Siniscalco, Consolata

doi:10.1657/1523-0430(2007)39[25:ibvras]2.0.co;2

Cited by 60 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 45 publications

(38 reference statements)

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“…Accordingly, less organic matter has been found in the upper organo-mineral horizons (A) of the ski-slopes compared to the grasslands, suggesting either a lower organic matter accumulation, due to a lower biomass production in the ski-slope soil, or a stronger dilution of the former soil organic matter caused by mixing mineral and organo-mineral horizons during the ski-slope construction process. These results are in keeping with those reported in previous papers (Freppaz et al 2002;Gros et al 2004;Barni et al 2007;Pintar et al 2009;Pohl et al 2009;Martin et al 2010;Roux-Fouillet et al 2011). Moreover, most of the soil properties in both the ski-pistes and in the grasslands seemed to be closely related to elevation.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Natural recovery, which depends on seed immigration from neighboring vegetation and/or more distant areas (Urbanska and Fattorini 2000), was nearly almost totally absent at Salati partly because of the pedo-turbation of the soil and the shallow soil depth found at the high elevation. These results confirm that the revegetation process of high altitude ski-pistes is difficult, slow and does not lead to a sustainable community (Barni et al 2007;Roux Fouillet et al 2011). The impact of ski-piste construction may be mitigated by hydroseeding, a useful technique to create a fast soil cover which can counteract erosion and reduce the negative visual impact of bare ground.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

“…soil, vegetation and animals. Studies on the impact of ski-pistes have mostly been concentrated on soils (Freppaz et al 2002;Gros et al 2004;Pintar et al 2009 ), and on vegetation (Delarze 1994;Van Ommeren 2001;Wipf et al 2005), or, more rarely, on the combination of soil and vegetation (Barni et al 2007;Pohl et al 2009;Martin et al 2010;RouxFouillet et al 2011). The studies conducted on animals have not considered soil, and have only taken into account vegetation marginally (Laiolo and Rolando 2005;Rolando et al 2007;Caprio et al 2011;Negro et al 2009Negro et al , 2010Negro et al , 2013Rolando et al 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Differential responses of ground dwelling arthropods to ski-piste restoration by hydroseeding

et al. 2013

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The construction of ski-pistes can cause serious damage to all the components of an ecosystem and may therefore be considered as one of the main causes of human-driven environmental changes in mountain habitats. This study was aimed at assessing the responses of different ground dwelling arthropod assemblages (i.e. ground beetles, spiders and grasshoppers) to ski-piste restoration through hydroseeding with commercial seed mixtures. The soil, vegetation and arthropods of restored and un-restored ski-pistes and the adjacent grassland have been sampled at two high altitude sites in the north-western Italian Alps. The ski-piste soil was characterized by a higher skeletal content and, consequently, a lower amount of fine earth and organic matter than that of the undisturbed adjacent grassland. The plant cover of the restored ski-pistes was very low above 2500 m a.s.l.; the vegetation cover below this threshold was higher in the study area, mainly due to the seeded species. The unrestored ski-pistes showed very large proportions of bare ground. The responses of the three ground-dwelling arthropod groups to vegetation conditions were different. GLMMs and IndVal analyses showed that all three groups avoided the unrestored skipistes plots, which were characterized by a very scarce vegetation cover, irrespective of the altitude. The low altitude plots of the restored ski-pistes, which were characterized by a high vegetation cover, had a significantly larger number of grasshoppers on the ski-pistes than on the adjacent grassland plots. Moreover, these restored ski-piste plots were used in equal proportion to the adjacent grassland plots by ground beetles but avoided by spiders. When ski-pistes become sufficiently revegetated by hydroseeded plants, they are colonized by grasshoppers and, to a lesser extent, by ground-beetles. Spiders, instead, do not colonize the pistes, thus demonstrating that they are the most sensitive arthropods and may therefore represent the best indicators of human-driven environmental changes in high altitude alpine habitats.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 61%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Differential responses of ground dwelling arthropods to ski-piste restoration by hydroseeding

et al. 2013

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“…Surface clearing consists of the clearing of woody vegetation from slopes (tall shrubs and trees) to provide open spaces for skiers. During construction through machine-grading, the natural vegetation cover and the topsoil are removed, most boulders are re-arranged to form the ski run bed, and coarse materials from lower horizons are mixed with finer upper soil and replaced to form the top layer [15]. These operations are implemented in order to reduce the thickness of snow required for safe and pleasurable skiing and they are mainly carried out during the summer.…”

Section: Ski Run Constructionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Barni et al [15] reviewed the main techniques involved in land modelling and observed that in most cases, this involves bulldozing, with the removal of considerable soil to a depth of up to 1 m. Freppaz et al [4] remarked that such disturbance can be seen as an anthropogenic pedoturbation. As a consequence, deeper horizons or unweathered parent material are exposed to the atmosphere and consequently to weathering processes.…”

Section: Effects On Soil Physical and Chemical Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable Soil Management in Ski Areas: Threats and Challenges

et al. 2017

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Abstract:The skiing industry often represent the main contribution to mountain regions' economy, by providing several economic benefits and the improvement of services and infrastructure. Ski resorts also play a crucial role as an impacting factor, causing severe changes on Alpine landscape and ecosystems. In particular ski runs construction and operation have considerable impacts on alpine soils, influencing their chemical and physical properties which affecting the establishment and development of plant communities. The work provides a description of the changes in soil properties and the related effects on vegetation. It aims furthermore to investigate the recent best practices applied for a successful soil restoration after ski runs construction, which may contribute to a sustainable use of mountain soils and ecosystems. Based on the current regulatory framework, this review gives a global overview on how, in Europe and specifically in Italy, the sustainable use of soils is considered during the construction and management of ski runs. As the framework is still lacking of specific rules regarding soil protection and management on ski runs, the present work wishes to provide recommendations in order to fill this gap, favoring the effective application of best practices for soil protection during ski run construction and maintenance.

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Nature‐based solutions: The need to increase the knowledge on their potentialities and limits

Fernandes

Guiomar

2018

Land Degrad Dev

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This paper analyzes the concept of nature‐based solutions as instruments to turn anthromes more nature compatible, efficient, causing less degradation, and developing new biodiversity hotspots. It is mainly focused on solutions using living organisms (in particular plants and microorganisms) to perform functions such as those of soil‐ and water‐bioengineering interventions in order to ensure the safety of human infrastructures and constructions in contexts of conflict between natural processes and human needs. Further, it handles the problematic of reintroducing natural processes and functions in the built environment (urban, industrial, infrastructures, etc.) in order to recover, recreate, or reinvent nature in humanized landscapes and developing a more creative relation between humans and natural elements, processes, and functions. It presents, furthermore, the contribution of natural solutions to a wide variety of decontamination processes and prevention and recovery of degraded land and natural resources. Finally, we discuss the way these solutions can be implemented and the cultural, organizational, administrative and governance, paradigmatic, and practice changes it implies. Examples are given on the different issues presented as well on the possible implementation solutions.

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Interactions between Vegetation, Roots, and Soil Stability in Restored High-altitude Ski Runs in the Alps

Cited by 60 publications

References 45 publications

Differential responses of ground dwelling arthropods to ski-piste restoration by hydroseeding

Differential responses of ground dwelling arthropods to ski-piste restoration by hydroseeding

Sustainable Soil Management in Ski Areas: Threats and Challenges

Nature‐based solutions: The need to increase the knowledge on their potentialities and limits

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