A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Coincidence of the alpine–nival ecotone with the summer snowline
The alpine–nival ecotone is the transition between the lower located alpine grassland/tundra zone and the upper located sparsely vegetated nival zone in the mountains. Its characteristics are qualitatively known. Here we study the dynamics of the ecotone through a quantitative approach based on plant data (from Mt Schrankogel, 3497 m, observations 1994 and 2004) and snow data (from 268 routine climate stations in the Alps, observations 1975–2004).
We introduce the nivality index as the area ratio of nival and alpine plants, and the snow duration as the length of the summer snow cover. We fit a nonlinear probabilistic model to our field data; it yields state functions of both quantities. The nivality index curve comprises the entire information of the plant data in one analytical function; the snow duration curve represents the equivalent for the full snow data set. Thus all relevant parameters of both quantities follow from the respective state function.
We find that the analytical profile of the alpine–nival ecotone at Mt Schrankogel (based on nivality index observations from the altitude interval 2910–3090 m) happens to sit right in the center of the independently determined summer snow profile across the entire Alps; specifically, the central altitude of the Schrankogel ecotone coincides almost perfectly with the central altitude of AlpineWe distinguish between the terms ‘Alpine’, which addresses the European Alps in a geographical/climatological context, and ‘alpine’, which describes a vegetation zone. snow duration. Both state functions show extreme temperature sensitivity at 2967 m (vegetation) and 2897 m (snow), and both altitudes exhibit a positive trend during the measurement period.
Coincidence of the alpine–nival ecotone with the summer snowline
The alpine–nival ecotone is the transition between the lower located alpine grassland/tundra zone and the upper located sparsely vegetated nival zone in the mountains. Its characteristics are qualitatively known. Here we study the dynamics of the ecotone through a quantitative approach based on plant data (from Mt Schrankogel, 3497 m, observations 1994 and 2004) and snow data (from 268 routine climate stations in the Alps, observations 1975–2004).
We introduce the nivality index as the area ratio of nival and alpine plants, and the snow duration as the length of the summer snow cover. We fit a nonlinear probabilistic model to our field data; it yields state functions of both quantities. The nivality index curve comprises the entire information of the plant data in one analytical function; the snow duration curve represents the equivalent for the full snow data set. Thus all relevant parameters of both quantities follow from the respective state function.
We find that the analytical profile of the alpine–nival ecotone at Mt Schrankogel (based on nivality index observations from the altitude interval 2910–3090 m) happens to sit right in the center of the independently determined summer snow profile across the entire Alps; specifically, the central altitude of the Schrankogel ecotone coincides almost perfectly with the central altitude of AlpineWe distinguish between the terms ‘Alpine’, which addresses the European Alps in a geographical/climatological context, and ‘alpine’, which describes a vegetation zone. snow duration. Both state functions show extreme temperature sensitivity at 2967 m (vegetation) and 2897 m (snow), and both altitudes exhibit a positive trend during the measurement period.
Coincidence of the alpine–nival ecotone with the summer snowline
Coincidence of the alpine–nival ecotone with the summer snowline
M Gottfried (author) / M Hantel (author) / C Maurer (author) / R Toechterle (author) / H Pauli (author) / G Grabherr (author)
Environmental Research Letters ; 6 ; 014013
2011-01-01
12 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
Representation of an alpine treeline ecotone in SPOT 5 HRG data
| Online Contents | 2007
Microsites and Climate Zones: Seedling Regeneration in the Alpine Treeline Ecotone Worldwide
| DOAJ | 2019
ANALYSE MULTICRITÈRE DE CAPTEURS SATELLITAIRES POUR LE SUIVI DU COUVERT NIVAL
| Online Contents | 1997
Evolution du modele hydrologique MORDOR: modelisation du stock nival a differentes altitudes
| British Library Online Contents | 2004
| Wiley | 1993