scholarly journals Wet avalanches: long-term evolution in the Western Alps under climate and human forcing

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurent Fouinat ◽  
Pierre Sabatier ◽  
Fernand David ◽  
Xavier Montet ◽  
Philippe Schoeneich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Snow Cover ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Western Alps ◽  
Main Concern ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Avalanche Hazard ◽  
Coarse Material

Abstract. Understanding wet avalanche intensity and the role of past environmental changes on wet avalanche occurrence is a main concern especially in the context of a warming climate and accelerated environmental mutations. Avalanches are closely related to fast cryosphere changes and may cause major threats to human society. Here, we used the sedimentary archive of the alpine Lake Lauvitel (western French Alps) to establish the first long-term avalanche record in this Alpine region. For this purpose, we used a novel CT scan methodology that allows the precise identification of coarse material – from sand to pebble – transported to the lake and embedded within the finer continuous sedimentation. We identified a total of 166 deposits over the last 3300 yrs cal. BP. In parallel, a detailed pollen analysis gave an independent record of environmental changes. Based on modern observation, lake monitoring, seismic investigations and sedimentological evidences, coarse material deposits were attributed to wet avalanche events. Our results highlight the effect of vegetation cover on the avalanche hazard while a period of strong frequency increase occurred after 780 yrs cal. BP. In Lake Lauvitel, this period corresponds to a major forest clearance induced by the rise of human land-use. Climate forcing on the avalanche hazard was investigated before and after the vegetation shift. On a multi-centennial scale, wet avalanches preferably occur during periods of larger glacier extent, in which higher winter precipitations probably generate a sufficiently thick snow cover. On a sub-centennial scale, avalanches are more frequent during periods of relative warming, resulting in a destabilisation of the same snow cover in spring season. Our results highlight as well the role of forest cover to mitigate wet snow avalanches occurrence. In the context of predicted warmer temperatures, this study raises the question of whether a wet avalanche hazard increase may be expected in the near future especially at higher altitudes.

scholarly journals Wet avalanches: long-term evolution in the Western Alps under climate and human forcing

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 1299-1313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurent Fouinat ◽  
Pierre Sabatier ◽  
Fernand David ◽  
Xavier Montet ◽  
Philippe Schoeneich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Snow Cover ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Winter Precipitation ◽  
Main Concern ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Avalanche Hazard ◽  
Coarse Material

Abstract. Understanding wet avalanche intensity and the role of past environmental changes on wet avalanche occurrence is a main concern especially in the context of a warming climate and accelerated environmental mutations. Avalanches are closely related to fast cryosphere changes and may cause major threats to human society. Here, we used the sedimentary archive of the Alpine Lake Lauvitel (Lac du Lauvitel; western French Alps) to establish the first long-term avalanche record in this Alpine region. For this purpose, we used a novel CT-scan methodology that allows the precise identification of coarse material – from sand to pebble – transported to the lake and embedded within the finer continuous sedimentation. We identified a total of 166 deposits over the last 3300 yr cal. BP. In parallel, a detailed pollen analysis gave an independent record of environmental changes. Based on modern observation, lake monitoring, seismic investigations and sedimentological evidences, coarse material deposits were attributed to wet avalanche events. Our results highlight the effect of vegetation cover on the avalanche hazard while a period of strong frequency increase occurred after 780 yr cal. BP. In Lake Lauvitel, this period corresponds to a major forest clearance induced by the rise of human land use. Climate forcing on the avalanche hazard was investigated before and after the vegetation shift. On a multicentennial scale, wet avalanches preferably occur during periods of larger glacier extent, in which higher winter precipitation probably generates a sufficiently thick snow cover. On a sub-centennial scale, avalanches are more frequent during periods of relative warming, resulting in a destabilization of the same snow cover in spring season. Our results highlight as well the role of forest cover in mitigating wet snow avalanches' occurrence. In the context of predicted warmer temperatures, this study raises the question of whether a wet avalanche hazard increase may be expected in the near future especially at higher altitudes.

scholarly journals The crucial role of genome-wide genetic variation in conservation

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (48) ◽  
pp. e2104642118
Author(s):  
Marty Kardos ◽  
Ellie E. Armstrong ◽  
Sarah W. Fitzpatrick ◽  
Samantha Hauser ◽  
Philip W. Hedrick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Population Viability ◽  
Adaptive Potential ◽  
Biodiversity Crisis ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Simulation Based ◽  
Functional Genetic Variation

The unprecedented rate of extinction calls for efficient use of genetics to help conserve biodiversity. Several recent genomic and simulation-based studies have argued that the field of conservation biology has placed too much focus on conserving genome-wide genetic variation, and that the field should instead focus on managing the subset of functional genetic variation that is thought to affect fitness. Here, we critically evaluate the feasibility and likely benefits of this approach in conservation. We find that population genetics theory and empirical results show that conserving genome-wide genetic variation is generally the best approach to prevent inbreeding depression and loss of adaptive potential from driving populations toward extinction. Focusing conservation efforts on presumably functional genetic variation will only be feasible occasionally, often misleading, and counterproductive when prioritized over genome-wide genetic variation. Given the increasing rate of habitat loss and other environmental changes, failure to recognize the detrimental effects of lost genome-wide genetic variation on long-term population viability will only worsen the biodiversity crisis.

Assessment of static and dynamic geodiversity in the Sesia Val Grande UNESCO Global Geopark: constraints for a sustainable use of related abiotic ecosystem services

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Viani ◽  
Luigi Perotti ◽  
Federico Tognetto ◽  
Ilaria Selvaggio ◽  
Marco Giardino
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Structural Data ◽  
Western Alps ◽  
Landscape Resistance ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Multitemporal Data ◽  
Geomorphological Evolution

<p>Geodiversity includes geological, geomorphological, hydrological and soil elements and processes. By analysing geodiversity we can offer static and dynamic views of abiotic landscapes on the Earth. The current state of geodiversity includes both relict, long-term features recalling the past of our planet earth and active landforms and processes whose monitoring is a key for interpreting relationships between geosphere, biosphere and human activities. If the long term geodiversity mainly represents distribution of litho-structural “static” constrains to environmental changes, recent and active environmental features may act as dynamic “proxies” for interpreting climate change.<br>Aim of this work is to analyse relevant examples of both static and dynamic geodiversity within the territory of the Sesia Val Grande UNESCO Global Geopark (Western Alps, Italy), in order to assess their role as georesources and to highlight possible sustainable use of related abiotic ecosystem services, including geoheritage. Geodiversity assessment has been performed by means of creation of geothematic maps and related factors analysed for better mountain environment understanding and management. <br>Starting with static geodiversity we collected, analysed and interpreted lithological and structural data in order to obtain information on distribution of georesources in the study area and to create a geothematic map on landscape resistance to erosion.<br>Thereafter we focused on two aspects related to dynamic geodiversity and their relationships with dramatic changes of the alpine landscape: glacial evolution and fluvial processes. On one hand, valley scale geomorphological evolution has been reconstructed by means of multitemporal data (e.g.: glacial landforms maps, glacier inventories) on evidences in the Sesia Valley. Obtained information crossed with national landslide inventory allowed to identify areas of strong glacial influence on slope stability (deep-seated gravitational slope deformation and landslides due to slope debutressing). Moreover, recent glacier withdrawal results in new glacier lakes increasing the hydrogeodiversity of the area and representing important potential georesources to be used. Finally, recent alluvial event (October 2020) has been considered for its high impact in reshaping fluvial environment and effects on both infrastructures and popular geosites along the Sesia river.<br>Results of this work are useful for the establishment of a proper Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework related to environmental issues due to global change in order to support educational activities and sustainable development of alpine “tourism hubs” included in the Sesia Val Grande UNESCO Global Geopark by the “ArcticHubs” H2020-EU.3.5.1 project.</p>

scholarly journals A Century of Forest Regrowth and Snow Loss Alters the Cooling Effect of Historical Land Use in the Upper Midwest

Ecosystems ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 1056-1074
Author(s):  
Bethany J. Blakely ◽  
Adrian V. Rocha ◽  
Jason S. McLachalan
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Snow Cover ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Cooling Effect ◽  
Forest Regrowth ◽  
Historical Land Use ◽  
Over Time

AbstractAnthropogenic land use affects climate by altering the energy balance of the Earth’s surface. In temperate regions, cooling from increased albedo is a common result of historical land-use change. However, this albedo cooling effect is dependent mainly on the exposure of snow cover following forest canopy removal and may change over time due to simultaneous changes in both land cover and snow cover. In this paper, we combine modern remote sensing data and historical records, incorporating over 100 years of realized land use and climatic change into an empirical assessment of centennial-scale surface forcings in the Upper Midwestern USA. We show that, although increases in surface albedo cooled through strong negative shortwave forcings, those forcings were reduced over time by a combination of forest regrowth and snow-cover loss. Deforestation cooled strongly (− 5.3 Wm−2) and mainly in winter, while composition shift cooled less strongly (− 3.03 Wm−2) and mainly in summer. Combined, changes in albedo due to deforestation, shifts in species composition, and the return of historical forest cover resulted in − 2.81 Wm−2 of regional radiative cooling, 55% less than full deforestation. Forcings due to changing vegetation were further reduced by 0.32 Wm−2 of warming from a shortened snow-covered season and a thinning of seasonal snowpack. Our findings suggest that accounting for long-term changes in land cover and snow cover reduces the estimated cooling impact of deforestation, with implications for long-term land-use planning.

AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF STRATEGIC PLANNING BEHAVIOUR IN SMEs IN SINGAPORE/MALAYSIA CONTEXT

1993 ◽  
Vol 01 (02) ◽  
pp. 255-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
B C GHOSH ◽  
AIK-MENG LOW ◽  
TECK-MENG TAN ◽  
CHEE-ONN CHAN
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Information Gathering ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Chief Executives ◽  
Spouse Support

Strategic planning literature is extensive but how small and medium sized firms (SMEs) behave in response to environmental changes and how they incorporate such changes in their medium to long term plan has been insufficiently studied, in the writers’ view, especially in Singapore/Malaysia context. This research is dedicated towards finding a framework for such analysis and testing such framework in 15 local/regional companies. After an extensive literature review from sources which are both international and local, a fairly lengthy questionnaire was developed. As stated, 15 companies’ chief executives (or in their absence, someone equivalent) were interviewed and at the end of each interview a set of structured questions were asked to be filled in. The whole interview process itself took more than a month. The results have been analysed and highlighted. One main finding is that SMEs continue to be family-centred in a local/regional context especially. Among other findings were the process of information gathering which was chiefly informal, the dominance of CEO-centred management, opportunity-seeking and risk-taking in identifying strategies and finally, the role of the spouse-support. This research is multi-faced and deserves to be further explored. Herein lies its limitation as well as its promise. A research of this nature cannot claim to be fully conclusive and hence its natural incompleteness indicates further research continuation.

scholarly journals The Role of Chloroplast Membrane Lipid Metabolism in Plant Environmental Responses

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 706
Author(s):  
Ron Cook ◽  
Josselin Lupette ◽  
Christoph Benning
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Photosynthetic Apparatus ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Membrane Lipid ◽  
Chloroplast Membrane ◽  
Class Composition ◽  
Environmental Responses

Plants are nonmotile life forms that are constantly exposed to changing environmental conditions during the course of their life cycle. Fluctuations in environmental conditions can be drastic during both day–night and seasonal cycles, as well as in the long term as the climate changes. Plants are naturally adapted to face these environmental challenges, and it has become increasingly apparent that membranes and their lipid composition are an important component of this adaptive response. Plants can remodel their membranes to change the abundance of different lipid classes, and they can release fatty acids that give rise to signaling compounds in response to environmental cues. Chloroplasts harbor the photosynthetic apparatus of plants embedded into one of the most extensive membrane systems found in nature. In part one of this review, we focus on changes in chloroplast membrane lipid class composition in response to environmental changes, and in part two, we will detail chloroplast lipid-derived signals.

scholarly journals The crucial role of genome-wide genetic variation in conservation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Kardos ◽  
Ellie Armstrong ◽  
Sarah W Fitzpatrick ◽  
Samantha Hauser ◽  
Philip Hedrick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Population Viability ◽  
Adaptive Potential ◽  
Biodiversity Crisis ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Simulation Based ◽  
Functional Genetic Variation

The unprecedented rate of extinction calls for efficient use of genetics to help conserve biodiversity. Several recent genomic and simulation-based studies have argued that the field of conservation biology has placed too much focus on the conservation of genome-wide genetic variation, and that this approach should be replaced with another that focuses instead on managing the subset of functional genetic variation that is thought to affect fitness. Here, we critically evaluate the feasibility and likely benefits of this approach in conservation. We find that population genetics theory and empirical results show that the conserving genome-wide genetic variation is generally the best approach to prevent inbreeding depression and loss of adaptive potential from driving populations towards extinction. Focusing conservation efforts on presumably functional genetic variation will only be feasible occasionally, often misleading, and counterproductive when prioritized over genome-wide genetic variation. Given the increasing rate of habitat loss and other environmental changes, failure to recognize the detrimental effects of lost genome-wide variation on long-term population viability will only worsen the biodiversity crisis.

Forest history and the Great Divergence: China, Japan, and the West compared

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 379-404 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osamu Saito
Keyword(s):  
Forest Cover ◽  
Early Modern Period ◽  
Population Increase ◽  
The West ◽  
The Past ◽  
Role Of The State ◽  
Great Divergence ◽  
East West

AbstractThis article surveys changing interrelationships between humans and the earth's forest cover over the past few centuries. The focus is on the interplay between population increase, deforestation, and afforestation at both ends of Eurasia. Through the consideration of long-term changes in population and woodland area, Japan is compared with Lingnan in south China, and the East Asians with two European countries, England and France. Based on East–West comparisons and also on somewhat more detailed intra-Asian comparisons with respect to market linkages and the role of the state, the article examines the proposition made by Kenneth Pomeranz that, although both ends of Eurasia were ecologically constrained at the end of the early modern period, East Asia's pressure on forest resources was ‘probably not much worse’ than that in the West.

scholarly journals Nesting Effects of Climate and Local Drivers on Long-Term Subalpine Fires in the Alps

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Carcaillet ◽  
Benjamin Boulley ◽  
Frédérique Carcaillet
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Western Alps ◽  
Biomass Combustion ◽  
Human Society ◽  
The Holocene ◽  
Soil Charcoal

Abstract Background: The present article questions the relative importance of local- and large-scale processes on the long-term dynamics of fire in the subalpine belt in the western Alps. The study is based on soil charcoal dating and identification, several study sites in contrasting environmental conditions, and sampling of soil charcoal along the elevation gradient of each site. Based on local differences in biomass combustion, we hypothesize that local-scale processes have driven the fire history, while combustion homogeneity supports the hypothesis of the importance of large-scale processes, especially the climate. Results: The results show that biomass burning during the Holocene resulted from the nesting effects of climate, land use, and altitude, but was little influenced by topography (slope exposure: north versus south), soil (dryness, pH, depth), and vegetation. The mid-Holocene (6500–2700 cal BP) was an important period for climatic biomass burning in the subalpine ecosystems of the western Alps, while fires from about 2500 years ago appear much more episodic, prompting us to speculate that human society has played a vital role in their occurrence. Conclusion: Our working hypothesis assuming that the strength of mountain natural and local drivers should offset the effects of regional climate is not validated. The homogeneity of the fire regime between sites thus underscore that climate was the main driver during the Holocene of the western Alps. Long-term subalpine fires are controlled by climate at millennial scale. Local conditions count for little in determining variability at the century scale. The mid-Holocene was a chief period for climatic biomass burning in the subalpine zone, while fires during the late Holocene appear much more episodic, prompting the assumption that societal drivers has exercised key roles on their control.

Through the Japanese field research in Greenland: A changing natural environment and its impact on human society

Polar Record ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shin Sugiyama
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Multidisciplinary Study ◽  
Abrupt Changes ◽  
Resource Exploration ◽  
The Village

Abstract Under the influence of a rapidly warming climate, abrupt changes have been observed along the coast of Greenland. This commentary is based on a Japanese research project initiated in 2012, in which we examined the recent changes in the coastal environment and their impacts on human society in Qaanaaq, a village in northwestern Greenland. Initially, our research sought to quantify the mass loss of glaciers and its interaction with the ocean in the Qaanaaq region. Over the course of the project in collaboration with local communities, we soon realised that the changes in glaciers and the ocean directly impacted the ~600 residents of Qaanaaq. We observed natural disasters triggered by climate change. Environmental changes are also important for local economy and industry because loss of sea ice may lead to growth in transportation, tourism and mineral resource exploration. In order to share the results of our study with the Qaanaaq community, and to gain understanding of local and traditional knowledge, we organised an annual meeting in the village every summer since 2016. Our experience demonstrates the critical importance of performing a long-term multidisciplinary study, including participation of the local communities to understand the changing environment, and to contribute to a sustainable future in Qaanaaq.

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