Avalanche activity and socio-environmental changes leave strong footprints in forested landscapes: a case study in the Vosges medium-high mountain range
The medium-high mountain ranges of Western Europe are undergoing rapid socio-environmental changes. The aim of this study is to show that their landscape can be strongly shaped by the actions of avalanche activity, humans and climate. The study area is the Rothenbachkopf-Rainkopf complex, a site rep...
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ftunivgeneve:oai:unige.ch:aou:unige:145283 2023-10-01T03:50:20+02:00 Avalanche activity and socio-environmental changes leave strong footprints in forested landscapes: a case study in the Vosges medium-high mountain range Giacona, Florie Eckert, Nicolas Mainieri, Robin Martin, Brice Corona, Christophe Lopez-Saez, Jérôme Monnet, Jean-Matthieu Naaim, Mohamed Stoffel, Markus 2018 https://archive-ouverte.unige.ch/unige:145283 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1017/aog.2018.26 https://archive-ouverte.unige.ch/unige:145283 unige:145283 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess ISSN: 1727-5644 Annals of Glaciology, vol. 59, no. 77 (2018) p. 111-133 info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/333.7-333.9 info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/550 Avalanches Climate change Geomorphology info:eu-repo/semantics/article Text Article scientifique info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2018 ftunivgeneve https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2018.26 2023-09-07T08:00:32Z The medium-high mountain ranges of Western Europe are undergoing rapid socio-environmental changes. The aim of this study is to show that their landscape can be strongly shaped by the actions of avalanche activity, humans and climate. The study area is the Rothenbachkopf-Rainkopf complex, a site representative of avalanche-prone areas of the Vosges Mountains (France). A geo-historical approach documents regular avalanche activity over more than 200 years on 13 paths. A diachronic analysis of historical maps and photographs demonstrates substantial afforestation (from 60 to 80% of the total surface since 1832). LIDAR data and field surveys highlight the existence of a longitudinal and transversal structure of trees. Hence, the avalanche, human and climate activity footprints are retained by the landscape, which rapidly adapts to these changing drivers. Specifically, the pattern of tree species and heights results from a near equilibrium with regular avalanche activity sometimes disturbed by major avalanches that induce quasi-cyclic changes in the landscape mosaic. The afforestation trend is attributable to profound changes in silvo-pastoral practices, supplemented by the impact of climate change. The wider relevance of the results in relation to the local context is discussed, as well as outlooks that can refine our understanding of this complex system. Article in Journal/Newspaper Annals of Glaciology Université de Genève: Archive ouverte UNIGE Annals of Glaciology 59 77 111 133 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Université de Genève: Archive ouverte UNIGE |
op_collection_id |
ftunivgeneve |
language |
English |
topic |
info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/333.7-333.9 info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/550 Avalanches Climate change Geomorphology |
spellingShingle |
info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/333.7-333.9 info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/550 Avalanches Climate change Geomorphology Giacona, Florie Eckert, Nicolas Mainieri, Robin Martin, Brice Corona, Christophe Lopez-Saez, Jérôme Monnet, Jean-Matthieu Naaim, Mohamed Stoffel, Markus Avalanche activity and socio-environmental changes leave strong footprints in forested landscapes: a case study in the Vosges medium-high mountain range |
topic_facet |
info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/333.7-333.9 info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/550 Avalanches Climate change Geomorphology |
description |
The medium-high mountain ranges of Western Europe are undergoing rapid socio-environmental changes. The aim of this study is to show that their landscape can be strongly shaped by the actions of avalanche activity, humans and climate. The study area is the Rothenbachkopf-Rainkopf complex, a site representative of avalanche-prone areas of the Vosges Mountains (France). A geo-historical approach documents regular avalanche activity over more than 200 years on 13 paths. A diachronic analysis of historical maps and photographs demonstrates substantial afforestation (from 60 to 80% of the total surface since 1832). LIDAR data and field surveys highlight the existence of a longitudinal and transversal structure of trees. Hence, the avalanche, human and climate activity footprints are retained by the landscape, which rapidly adapts to these changing drivers. Specifically, the pattern of tree species and heights results from a near equilibrium with regular avalanche activity sometimes disturbed by major avalanches that induce quasi-cyclic changes in the landscape mosaic. The afforestation trend is attributable to profound changes in silvo-pastoral practices, supplemented by the impact of climate change. The wider relevance of the results in relation to the local context is discussed, as well as outlooks that can refine our understanding of this complex system. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Giacona, Florie Eckert, Nicolas Mainieri, Robin Martin, Brice Corona, Christophe Lopez-Saez, Jérôme Monnet, Jean-Matthieu Naaim, Mohamed Stoffel, Markus |
author_facet |
Giacona, Florie Eckert, Nicolas Mainieri, Robin Martin, Brice Corona, Christophe Lopez-Saez, Jérôme Monnet, Jean-Matthieu Naaim, Mohamed Stoffel, Markus |
author_sort |
Giacona, Florie |
title |
Avalanche activity and socio-environmental changes leave strong footprints in forested landscapes: a case study in the Vosges medium-high mountain range |
title_short |
Avalanche activity and socio-environmental changes leave strong footprints in forested landscapes: a case study in the Vosges medium-high mountain range |
title_full |
Avalanche activity and socio-environmental changes leave strong footprints in forested landscapes: a case study in the Vosges medium-high mountain range |
title_fullStr |
Avalanche activity and socio-environmental changes leave strong footprints in forested landscapes: a case study in the Vosges medium-high mountain range |
title_full_unstemmed |
Avalanche activity and socio-environmental changes leave strong footprints in forested landscapes: a case study in the Vosges medium-high mountain range |
title_sort |
avalanche activity and socio-environmental changes leave strong footprints in forested landscapes: a case study in the vosges medium-high mountain range |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://archive-ouverte.unige.ch/unige:145283 |
genre |
Annals of Glaciology |
genre_facet |
Annals of Glaciology |
op_source |
ISSN: 1727-5644 Annals of Glaciology, vol. 59, no. 77 (2018) p. 111-133 |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1017/aog.2018.26 https://archive-ouverte.unige.ch/unige:145283 unige:145283 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2018.26 |
container_title |
Annals of Glaciology |
container_volume |
59 |
container_issue |
77 |
container_start_page |
111 |
op_container_end_page |
133 |
_version_ |
1778522273248968704 |