Rock glaciers and mountain hydrology: A review

Jones, Darren; Harrison, Stephan; Anderson, Karen; Whalley, W. Brian

doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2019.04.001

Cited by 204 publications

(248 citation statements)

References 247 publications

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“…Although it was not possible to clearly discriminate rock glacial streams according to water isotopes, these streams exhibited concentrations of silica comparable with those of lower kryal and glacio‐rhithral stations in all periods, suggesting a considerable part of the baseflow associated with the groundwater component. This is in line with the literature on rock glacier hydrology stating that these landforms act as unconfined aquifers in mountain slopes (e.g., Jones et al, ; Krainer & Mostler, ). The enrichment of solutes and trace elements in rock glacier outflows is commonly attributed to the thaw of internal ice and to the associated weathering of freshly exposed rock particles (Colombo et al, ; Ilyashuk, Ilyashuk, Psenner, Tessadri, & Koinig, ; Munroe, ; Williams, Knauf, Caine, Liu, & Verplanck, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The rapid glacier recession in alpine catchments is paralleled by an increased hydrological role of stochastic precipitation (Milner et al, ; Milner, Brown, & Hannah, ) and by an increased prevalence of paraglacial features (i.e., adjustments in the landscape following glacier loss) and periglacial (i.e., conditioned by frost) processes driven by a slower and prolonged permafrost ice thaw (Haeberli, Schaub, & Huggel, ). Rock glaciers are common and evident forms of mountain permafrost (Jones, Harrison, Anderson, & Whalley, ), and their internal ice represents an important water reservoir globally (Jones, Harrison, Anderson, & Betts, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the lower part of the catchments, the term “glacio‐rhithral” is commonly used to reflect the contribution from different water sources (Füreder, ). Outflows from rock glaciers are commonly found in the Alps as in other mountain ranges (Jones et al, ). However, to date, no research has focused on characterizing the distinctive habitat template of such running waters (Brighenti et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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After the peak water: the increasing influence of rock glaciers on alpine river systems

Brighenti

Tolotti

Bruno

et al. 2019

Hydrological Processes

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Human‐accelerated climate change is quickly leading to glacier‐free mountains, with consequences for the ecology and hydrology of alpine river systems. Water origin (i.e., glacier, snowmelt, precipitation, and groundwater) is a key control on multiple facets of alpine stream ecosystems, because it drives the physico‐chemical template of the habitat in which ecological communities reside and interact and ecosystem processes occur. Accordingly, distinct alpine stream types and associated communities have been identified. However, unlike streams fed by glaciers (i.e., kryal), groundwater (i.e., krenal), and snowmelt/precipitation (i.e., rhithral), those fed by rock glaciers are still poorly documented. We characterized the physical and chemical features of these streams and investigated the influence of rock glaciers on the habitat template of alpine river networks. We analysed two subcatchments in a deglaciating area of the Central European Alps, where rock glacier‐fed, groundwater‐fed, and glacier‐fed streams are all present. We monitored the spatial, seasonal, and diel variability of physical conditions (i.e., water temperature, turbidity, channel stability, and discharge) and chemical variables (electrical conductivity, major ions, and trace element concentrations) during the snowmelt, glacier ablation, and flow recession periods of two consecutive years. We observed distinct physical and chemical conditions and seasonal responses for the different stream types. Rock glacial streams were characterized by very low and constant water temperatures, stable channels, clear waters, and high concentrations of ions and trace elements that increased as summer progressed. Furthermore, one rock glacier strongly influenced the habitat template of downstream waters due to high solute export, especially in late summer under increased permafrost thaw. Given their unique set of environmental conditions, we suggest that streams fed by thawing rock glaciers are distinct river habitats that differ from those normally classified for alpine streams. Rock glaciers may become increasingly important in shaping the hydroecology of alpine river systems under continued deglaciation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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After the peak water: the increasing influence of rock glaciers on alpine river systems

Brighenti

Tolotti

Bruno

et al. 2019

Hydrological Processes

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“…Spatial ecological changes across the full extent of the HKH subnival zone now need scientific attention as we approach, and pass, peak non-renewable water (Gleick & Palaniappan, 2010;Huss & Hock, 2018;Jones, Harrison, Anderson, & Whalley, 2019), and yet across the HKH extent, there is no basic understanding of current subnival vegetation distribution, and no information on rates of change over past decades.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation expansion in the subnival Hindu Kush Himalaya

Anderson

Fawcett

Anthony

et al. 2020

Global Change Biology

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115

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The mountain systems of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) are changing rapidly due to climatic change, but an overlooked component is the subnival ecosystem (between the treeline and snow line), characterized by short‐stature plants and seasonal snow. Basic information about subnival vegetation distribution and rates of ecosystem change are not known, yet such information is needed to understand relationships between subnival ecology and water/carbon cycles. We show that HKH subnival ecosystems cover five to 15 times the area of permanent glaciers and snow, highlighting their eco‐hydrological importance. Using satellite data from the Landsat 5, 7 and 8 missions, we measured change in the spatial extent of subnival vegetation from 1993 to 2018. The Landsat surface reflectance‐derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index product was thresholded at 0.1 to indicate the presence/absence of vegetation. Using this product, the strength and direction of time‐series trends in the green pixel fraction were measured within three regions of interest. We controlled for cloud cover, snow cover and evaluated the impact of sensor radiometric differences between Landsat 7 and Landsat 8. Using Google Earth Engine to expedite data processing tasks, we show that there has been a weakly positive increase in the extent of subnival vegetation since 1993. Strongest and most significant trends were found in the height region of 5,000–5,500 m a.s.l. across the HKH extent: R2 = .302, Kendall's τ = 0.424, p < .05, but this varied regionally, with height, and according to the sensors included in the time series. Positive trends at lower elevations occurred on steeper slopes whilst at higher elevations, flatter areas exhibited stronger trends. We validated our findings using online photographs. Subnival ecological changes have likely impacted HKH carbon and water cycles with impacts on millions of people living downstream, but the strength and direction of impacts of vegetation expansion remain unknown.

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“…Les glaciers rocheux témoignent, sur le long terme, de conditions favorables pour la mise en place et le maintien du permafrost en montagne (Jones et al, 2019). Ces conditions semblent se maintenir depuis le début de l'Holocène, soit environ 10 Ka (Krainer et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Analyse multi-méthodes de la déstabilisation d’un pylône de remontée mécanique implanté sur un glacier rocheux des Alpes françaises

Duvillard¹,

Ravanel²,

Schoeneich³

et al. 2019

geomorphologie

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La station de Val horens (Savoie, France) concentre plus de 79 composantes de remontées mécaniques en contexte de permafrost probable. Au cours de la dernière décennie, trois d' entre elles (deux gares amont et un pylône), situées vers 3 000 m d'altitude, ont subi des déstabilisations partielles nécessitant d'importants travaux de confortement et de stabilisation. Cet article documente la déstabilisation du pylône n° 2 du funitel de horens au cours de l' été 2016. Ses fondations ont été afectées par un déplacement horizontal et un afaissement à l' origine d'un décalage métrique de la tête de pylône par rapport au câble. Le pylône en question est implanté sur un glacier rocheux terrassé dans le cadre de l'aménagement d'une piste de ski. Une analyse multi-méthode a été conduite ain d' évaluer le rôle du permafrost dans la déstabilisation et de caractériser l' évolution des processus ainsi que l'impact des modiications anthropiques sur la dynamique du glacier rocheux à travers (i) l'analyse stratigraphique de données de forages, (ii) une analyse du terrain porteur fondée sur des proils géophysiques de résistivité des matériaux acquis par tomographie électrique, et (iii) la reconstitution des modiications géomorphologiques de surface par comparaison de modèles numériques de terrain, obtenus par photogrammétrie numérique (images aériennes IGN et drone) avant et après terrassement. Cette étude met en évidence le rôle préparatoire du terrassement et des écoulements d' eau de surface mal contrôlés dans un milieu riche en glace tel qu'un glacier rocheux. ABSTRACTIn the Val horens ski resort (Savoie, France), more than 79 infrastructure elements related to ropeway transport systems are located on permafrost. During the last decade, three of them (two top stations and a pylon located around 3,000 m a.s.l.) experienced destabilization which required important adjustment and stabilization work. his study investigates the destabilization of the pylon #2 of the horens funitel that occurred during the Summer 2016. Its foundations were afected by horizontal displacement and subsidence, causing a metric shit of the pylon top with respect to the cable. he pylon was built on a rock glacier which morphology was severely altered by earth work aiming to develop a ski slope. A multidisciplinary analysis was conducted in order to understand the processes that led to the pylon destabilization with a focus on the role of the morphological alterations of anthropogenic origin on the rock glacier dynamic. We used (i) a stratigraphic data analysis from boreholes and (ii) a subsurface analysis based on geophysics (Electrical Resistivity Tomography proiles) to understand the rock glacier internal structure, while (iii) geomorphological surface modiications were investigated by comparing digital terrain models obtained by aerial photogrammetry before and ater the earthwork. his study highlights the preparatory role of the earthwork and a non-control of the surface water low in an ice-rich environment such as a rock glacier.

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Rock glaciers and mountain hydrology: A review

Cited by 204 publications

References 247 publications

After the peak water: the increasing influence of rock glaciers on alpine river systems

After the peak water: the increasing influence of rock glaciers on alpine river systems

Vegetation expansion in the subnival Hindu Kush Himalaya

Analyse multi-méthodes de la déstabilisation d’un pylône de remontée mécanique implanté sur un glacier rocheux des Alpes françaises

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