Cover

Half-title

Title page

Copyright information

Table of contents

List of contributors

Preface

Part I Solute and sedimentary fluxes and budgets in changing cold climate environments

1 Introduction to the theme

References

2 The I.A.G./A.I.G. SEDIBUD (Sediment Budgets in Cold Environments) program

References

Part II Climate change in cold environments and general implications for contemporary solute and sedimentary fluxes

3 The changing cryosphere - implications for solute and sedimentary fluxes in cold climate environments

3.1 Introduction

3.2 The changing cryosphere

3.2.1 Spatial distribution

3.2.2 Temporal variations and cryosphere component interaction

3.2.3 Late Holocene development of the cryosphere

3.3 Implications for solute and sedimentary fluxes

3.3.1 Hillslope processes by overland flow

3.3.2 Fast gravitational slope processes

3.3.3 Slow gravitational slope processes

3.3.4 Fluvial sediment transport

3.3.5 River ice processes

3.3.6 Coastal processes

3.3.7 Solute fluxes

3.4 Summary and outlook

References

4 Changes in vegetation cover and implications for solute and sedimentary fluxes in cold climate environments

4.1 Introduction

4.2 The Latnjajaure case study

4.3 Outlook

Acknowledgments

References

Part III Solute and sedimentary fluxes in subarctic and Arctic environments

5 Contemporary solute and sedimentary fluxes in Arctic and subarctic environments: current knowledge

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Nonglacierized arctic environments: case study sites

5.2.1 Climatic characteristics

5.2.2 Mass transfer in Latnjavagge

5.2.3 Mass Transfer in Kärkevagge

5.3 Nonglacierized subarctic environments

5.3.1 Climatic characteristics

5.3.2 Mass Transfer in Hrafndalur

5.3.3 Mass transfer in Austdalur

5.3.4 Mass Transfer in Kidisjoki

5.4 Arctic glacierized basins

5.4.1 Climatic Setting

5.4.2 Zackenbergelven

5.4.3 Petuniabukta

5.4.4 Baelva and Endalselva

5.5 Subarctic glacierized basins

5.5.1 Mittivakkat Glacier Catchment

5.6 Discussion

5.6.1 Comparisons with nonglacierized basins

5.6.2 Comparisons with earlier investigations

5.7 Conclusions

References

6 The use of dendrogeomorphology to recognize the spatiotemporal distribution of snow avalanches in Northern Iceland - case studies from Dalsmynni, Ljósavatnsskar, and Fnjóskadalur

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Methods

6.3 Results and discussion

6.3.1 Stand characteristics: age structure, size, and damage distribution

6.3.2 Snow-avalanche chronology extracted from internal growth disturbances

6.3.3 Meteorological data and snow-avalanche occurrence

6.4 Conclusion

Acknowledgments

References

7 A contemporary assessment of sediment and solute transfers in Kärkevagge, Swedish Lapland

7.1 Introduction

7.1.1 Study Area

7.2 Sediment transfer processes and magnitudes

7.2.1 Rockfalls

7.2.2 Avalanches

7.2.3 Earth slides and so on

7.2.4 Solifluction

7.2.5 Wash

7.2.6 Solution

7.2.7 Fluvial output

7.3 Process variability

7.3.1 Rockfall

7.3.2 Avalanches

7.3.3 Fluvial system transport

7.3.4 Wash

7.3.5 Solution

7.3.6 Solifluction

7.3.7 Fluvial Transport

7.4 Discussion

7.4.1 Comparison with the adjacent valley Latnjavagge

7.5 Conclusions

References

8 Hillslope processes and related sediment fluxes on a fine-grained scree slope of Eastern Canada

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Geographical and geomorphological settings

8.2.1 Geology, climate, and vegetation

8.2.2 The scree slopes of the northern Gaspé Peninsula

8.2.3 The studied scree slope

8.3 Methodology

8.3.1 Short-term measurements with instrumentation

8.3.1.1 Migration of individual particles

8.3.1.2 Collective migration of surficial debris

8.3.1.3 Sediment fluxes at the surface of the scree

8.3.1.4 Volume of debris mobilized by frost-coated clast flow activity

8.3.1.5 Volume of debris mobilized by debris flow activity

8.3.2 Medium- to long-term measurements

8.4. Results

8.4.1 Short-term measurements

8.4.1.1 Movement of individual particles: results of the painted lines experiments

8.4.1.2 Talus creep estimation from a dendrogeomorphic approach

8.4.1.3 Seasonal sediment fluxes estimated from sediment traps

8.4.1.4 Sediment fluxes related to frost-coated clast flow activity

8.4.1.5 Sediment fluxes related to debris-flow activity

8.4.2 Medium- to long-term sediment fluxes

8.5 Discussion

8.5.1 Relative importance of different hillslope processes

8.5.2 Climate change, forest slope colonization, and hillslope processes

8.6 Conclusion

References

9 Sediment and solute transport from Greenland

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Methods for monitoring

9.3 Results

9.3.1 Mittivakkat

9.3.2 Greenland, west coast

9.3.3 Greenland east and north coast, except Mittivakkat

9.3.4 Sediment and solute delivery from Greenland

9.4 Discussion and conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

10 Measurements of bedload flux in a high Arctic environment

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Methods

10.3 Results and Discussion

10.3.1 Results

10.3.2 Discussion

10.4 Conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

11 Solute and particulate fluxes in catchments in Spitsbergen

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Climate conditions and deglaciation processes

11.3 Processes in marginal zones

11.4 Water and sediments discharge

11.5 Conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

12 Sediment and solute fluxes at the Igarka field site, Russian subarctic

12.1 Introduction

12.2 Methods

12.3 Results and discussion

12.3.1 Climate and hydrology

12.3.2 Turbidity versus SSC calibration data

12.3.3 Suspended sediment load

12.3.4 Solute transport

12.4 Conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

13 Variability and controls of solute and sedimentary fluxes in subarctic and Arctic environments

13.1 Introduction

13.2 Nonglacierized Arctic versus nonglacierized subarctic basins

13.2.1 Climate

13.2.2 Relief

13.2.3 Lithology

13.2.4 Vegetation

13.3 Glacierized arctic and subarctic basins

13.3.1 Climate

13.3.2 Relief

13.3.3 Lithology

13.3.4 Extent of glacierization

13.3.5 Permafrost

13.4 Basin scale variability

13.5 Conclusions

References

Part IV Solute and sedimentary fluxes in sub-Antarctic and Antarctic environments

14 Environmental impact on contemporary solute and sedimentary fluxes in Antarctica: current knowledge

14.1 Introduction

14.2 Geomorphological setting

14.3 Climatic differentiation and variability

14.4 Analysis and dynamics of glacial cover

14.4.1 Two structural stages of the ice cover

14.4.2 Ice thickness and movements in the free glaciosphere

14.4.3 Ice movements in relation with the relief of day and subglacial-and-submarine surfaces

14.5 Main geosurfaces and free-ice areas

14.5.1 Ice catchment basins and outlet glaciers

14.6 Conclusions

References

15 Solute and solid cascade system in the Antarctic oases

15.1 Introduction

15.2 Paraglacial nature of polar oases

15.3 The structure of geoecosystems of polar oases

15.4 Cascades of the Antarctic geoecosystems of polar oases

15.4.1 The input cascade

15.4.2 The cascade of initial transformations

15.4.3 The cascades of denudation, transport, and redeposition

15.4.4 The delivery and output cascades

15.4.5 The cascade of biogenic and anthropogenic delivery

15.5 The singularity of geoecosystems of the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic oases

References

16 Environmental controls on sediment composition and particle fluxes over the Antarctic continental shelf

16.1 Main morphological and sedimentary characteristics of the Antarctic continental shelf

16.2 Present environmental conditions and consequences for the current sedimentary and particle flux characteristics

16.2.1 Sea ice

16.2.2 Wind

16.2.3 Currents

16.2.4 Ice sheets, ice shelves, and icebergs

16.3 Summary

References

17 Solute and sedimentary fluxes on King George Island

17.1 Introduction

17.2 Research area

17.3 Research methods and data

17.4 Climate conditions and change

17.5 Retreat and mass balance of glaciers

17.6 Solute and sediment flux

17.6.1 Fluvial system

17.7 Water runoff

17.8 Dissolved load

17.9 Suspended load

17.10 Solute and sediment yield

17.11 Conclusions

References

18 Dynamics of the Antarctica ice cap

18.1 Analysis of the maps of vector fields

18.2 Glaciodynamics of Vostok Lake region

18.3 Glaciodynamics of Lambert Graben region

18.4 Glaciotops

18.5 Lythodynamics, drainage basins, and river valleys

18.6 Detrital cones on the continental slope of Antarctica

18.7 Subglacial-and-submarine valleys and paleogeography of the Lambert Graben region

References

19 Solute and sediment fluxes from rivers and streams in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

19.1 Introduction

19.1.1 Review of previous work on chemical weathering in MDV

19.2 Methods

19.3 Results and discussion

19.3.1 Solute fluxes

19.3.2 Sediment fluxes

19.3.3 The future

19.4 Conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

Part V Solute and sedimentary fluxes in alpine/mountain environments

20 Chemical denudation in partly glacierized mountain catchments of the fjord landscape in western Norway: contemporary rates, environmental controls, and possible effects of climate change

20.1 Introduction

20.2 Study sites

20.3 Approach and methods

20.3.1 Selection of study sites and key foci of this study

20.3.2 Analysis of morphometric catchment parameters, generation of slope maps, and calculation of surface area proportions

20.3.3 Field and laboratory work and methods

20.4 Results and discussion

20.4.1 Chemical denudation rates in Erdalen and Bødalen

20.4.2 Controls of temporal variations of runoff and solute yields

20.4.3 Possible effects of climate change on solute yields in the inner Nordfjord

20.5 Conclusions

Acknowledgment

References

21 Sediment delivery from headwater slope systems and relief development in steep mountain valleys in western Norway

21.1 Introduction

21.2 Study areas

21.2.1 Glacial geological setting and climate

21.2.2 Geomorphological setting

21.3 Methods

21.3.1 Valley morphometry analysis and monitoring of contemporary processes

21.3.2 Calculation of contemporary mass transfers

21.4 Results and discussion

21.4.1 Holocene hillslope development

21.4.2 Contemporary mass transfers and the relative importance of different slope processes

21.4.3 Controlling factors of different slope processes and comparison with other studies

21.4.4 Implications for the sedimentary budgets of the entire Erdalen and Bødalen drainage basin and for relief development

21.5 Conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

22 Suspended sediment dynamics in the proglacial zone of the rapidly retreating Castle Creek Glacier, British Columbia, Canada

22.1 Introduction

22.2 Study area and methods

22.3 Results and discussion

22.3.1 Meteorological conditions

22.3.2 Streamflow

22.3.3 Suspended sediment concentration (SSC)

22.3.4 Suspended sediment loads (SSLs)

22.3.5 Downstream implications

22.4 Conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

23 Sedimentary fluxes in Himalaya

23.1 Introduction

23.2 Cold environments in the Himalayas: definition and limits

23.3 Solute and sediment fluxes and budgets: methodological approaches in the Himalayas

23.4 Modern erosion trends and sedimentary budgets in the Himalayas

23.4.1 Periglacial/rockwall retreat

23.4.2 Glacial erosion estimates

23.4.3 Fluvial transport related to glacial and snow melt.

23.4.4 Alpine fans

23.4.5 Chemical denudation: a Himalayan specificity?

23.5 The role of extreme events

23.5.1 Giant rock failures

23.5.2 GLOFs of the last decades

23.5.3 Other, impulsive sediment transport events

23.6 Synthesis and concluding remarks

Acknowledgments

References

24 Rates of slope and channel processes in the Reintal valley, Bavarian Alps

24.1 Introduction

24.1.1 Study area

24.2 Methods

24.2.1 Slope processes

24.2.1.1 Rockfall

24.2.1.2 Avalanches

24.2.1.3 Fluvial slope processes

Quantification of fluvial bedload discharge on the slopes

GIS analysis

Regionalization of fluvial bedload discharge using a rule-based modeling approach

24.2.2 Channel processes

24.2.2.1 Morphodynamics of intermediate sediment stores and channel reaches

24.2.2.2 Partnach River load

24.3 Results and discussion

24.3.1 Slope processes

24.3.1.1 Rockfall

24.3.1.2 Avalanches

24.3.1.3 Temporal variability of fluvial bedload discharge on the slopes

24.3.1.4 Spatial variability and modeling of fluvial bedload discharge on the slopes

24.3.2 Rates of channel processes

24.4 Conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

25 Comparative analysis of sediment routing in two different alpine catchments

25.1 Introduction

25.2 Methods

25.2.1 The connectivity model by Borselli et al. (2008) adapted by Cavalli et al. (2013)

25.2.2 Connectivity sinks

25.2.3 Areas of mapped erosion

25.2.4 From a 1 m ALS DEM to a Near-Natural DEM

25.3 Results

25.3.1 DEM results

25.3.2 Target results

25.3.3 Areas of erosion

25.4 Discussion and conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

26 Controls and variability of solute and sedimentary fluxes in alpine/mountain environments

26.1 Alpine/mountain environments

26.2 Summary of key findings from the authors of Chapters 20-25

26.3 Conclusions

References

Part VI Quantitative analysis of solute and sedimentary fluxes in cold climate environments

27 Environmental drivers, spatial variability, and rates of chemical and mechanical fluvial denudation in selected glacierized and nonglacierized cold climate catchment geosystems: from coordinated field data generation to integration and modeling

27.1 Introduction

27.1.1 Background

27.1.2 Study concept and goals

27.1.3 Study sites

27.2 Methods

27.2.1 Selection of study sites

27.2.2 Analysis of morphometric catchment parameters, generation of slope maps, and calculation of surface area proportions

27.2.3 Field and laboratory work, measurements, and analyses

27.2.3.1 Fluvial solute transport and solute yields

27.2.3.2 Fluvial suspended sediment transport and suspended sediment yields

27.2.3.3 Fluvial bedload transport and bedload yields

27.3 Results and discussion

27.3.1 Contemporary annual solute, suspended sediment, bedload, and total fluvial yields

27.3.2 Environmental controls and spatial variability of the contemporary solute, suspended sediment, bedload, and total fluvial yields

27.3.3 Scaling issues and possible effects of global change

27.4 Conclusions

Acknowledgments

References

28 Summary of key findings from Arctic, Antarctic, and mountain environments

28.1 Background

28.2 Key findings

28.3 Conclusions

Index