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Jungfrau
massif (Swiss Alps) |
Peat
profile (Mystery Park) |
Lütschine
alluvial fan (Interlaken) |
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Fluvial
variability in the Alps during the last 3000 years.
Presentation.
Due to the inherent sensitivity of mountain ecosystems to climatic variability and land uses, paleoecological studies are extremely important to obtain a detailed knowledge of past and recent changes in high mountain environments, to anticipate future changes and to evaluate climatic-geomorphic risks.
The FluVAlps Research Group (Fluvial Variability in Alpine Environments), constituted of researchers of the University of Barcelona (Spain), University of Berne (Switzerland), the Catalan Meteorology Survey (Spain), Institute of Earth Sciences Jaume Almera (CSIC, Spain), the Rovira i Virgili University (Tarragona), focuses on the better understanding of the impact of external forcing as climate and land uses on long-term aggradation and flooding processes in hydrographic systems. Research activities focus particularly on alpine regions but also include a broader range of different environments.
The FluVAlps 3000 Project (Fluvial Variability in the Alps during the last 3000 years: Climate change, land use and associated flood risks) uses a multi-proxy approach, that integrates paleoecological, geomorphological, paleoclimatological, paleohydrological and documentary data from alluvial fans and fan deltas and provides accurate data about terrestrial environmental changes in the Western Alps. For the assessment of the impact of climate variability and land uses on mountain environments we focus on the Holocene, particularly on the last 3000 years, using annual, decadal and centennial resolution proxies.
Aims of research.
FluVAlps aims at the reconstruction of the past 3000 years of Alpine fluvial environments using high- and medium-resolution proxy data from fan delta deposits, pollen records and documentary sources. FluVAlps addresses the influence of external factors, such as climatic variability and land use, on aggradation processes and paleofloods in alpine catchments.
Currently the significance of flood magnitude, frequency and causes in mountain regions are discussed in the context of Global Change. After the 2005 Lütschine flood event these variables are discussed once more on a local scale. From a Holocene perspective, we highlight the following key points:
- Can fan delta deposits in the Alps provide high-resolution paleoclimate proxies? And if so, how do these natural archives correlate with local, regional and global climate variability? Exist an synchronous or asynchronous response of different Alpine catchments? Attention will be paid particularly to climate phases as e.g. the maximum and minimum solar anomalies. Regarding the characterization of post LIA climate change, a special relevance is attributed to the environmental conditions recorded during warmer climate phases as the Medieval Warm Period and the Roman Climate Optimum.
- To which extend did land uses modify the environment and geomorphic processes in the catchments? Are there significant changes in flood magnitude or frequency before and after the shift from natural dominated to human dominated ecosystems?
- Concerning a mayor accuracy of past discharge models and future flood scenarios, the understanding of timing of mayor floods (during cooler or warmer or transitional Holocene periods), is as crucial as the cross calibration of natural archives, written sources and instrumental flood records. From the calibration the question emerges which were the mayor controlling mechanisms of floods and aggradation processes in the past. The improvement of this knowledge will provide a good starting point to test flood models and to assess natural hazards in Alpine catchments.
Projects
Title: Fluvial variability in the Alps during the last 3000 years.
Financing: Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (MEC).
Participant Centers: University of Barcelona (E), University
of Berne (CH), University Rovira i Virgili - Tarragona (E), Institute
of Earth Sciences Jaume Almera, Barcelona (E).
Period:2006-2009
Main researcher: Lothar Schulte.
Participants: 5+9 .
Publications and congress contributions
SCHULTE,
L.; VEIT, H.; BURJACHS, F. & JULIÀ, R (2008) , Lütscviewed anhine fan delta response to climate variability and land use in the Bernese Alps during the last 2400 years. Geomorphology (reviewed and accepted).
SCHULTE, L. ; BURJACHS, F.; VEIT, H. & JULIÀ, R (2007). Alpine fluvial environment and land-use changes: The Bernese Alps during the Late Holocene. Quaternary International Supp 167-168, 371-372.
SCHULTE,
L.; VEIT, H.; BURJACHS, F. & JULIÀ, R. (2006) River
response to climate variability and land-use in the Bernese Alps during
the last 2400 years. In: Houben, P.,
Wunderlich, J., Schrott, L. (eds.) (2006). LUCIFS-Workshop 2006. New
trends in Geomorphology –Systems-based understanding of long term
man-landscape interactions. 12th May – 14th May 2006: 85-89. Frankfurt
a.M./Münzenberg (Germany), 85 - 89.
SCHULTE,
L.; VEIT, H.; BURJACHS, F. & JULIÀ, R. (2005) Response
of fluvial environments in the Swiss Alps to Late Holocene climate changes.In:
Sixth International conference on Geomorphology, Geomorphology in regions
of environment contrasts, September 7 – 11, 2005, SEG, Zaragoza
(Spain), Abstracts Volume, 426.
SCHULTE,
L.; VEIT, H.; BURJACHS, F.; JULIÀ, R. & BURRULL,
R. (2004) Dinámica fluvial y variabilidad climática
en los Alpes Suizos durante el Holoceno superior. In: G. Benito & A. Díez Herrero (eds.) (2004). Contribuciones
Recientes sobre Geomorfología. (Actas de la VIII Reunión
Nacional de Geomorfología, Toledo, 22-25 de Setiembre de 2004).
SEG y CSIC, Madrid, 173 – 182.
SCHULTE,
L.;
VEIT, H. & BURJACHS, F. (2003): Fluvial
environments and climate variability in the Swiss Alps. Evidence from
the alluvial fan of the Lütschine river. In: XVI INQUA Congress, Shaping
the Earth. A Quaternary Perspective, July 23-30, 2003, Reno: 171. The
Desert Research Insitute, Reno NV. ISBN: 0-945920-51-2.
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