Abstract: The Andean p´aramo ecosystems host geodiversity of global importance, but also have important societal functions, including agricultural production
and delivery of water to people and industry. Paramo geo-ecosystems are highly susceptible to environmental degradation because of their alpine
relief, extreme climate and fragile soils. In contrast to other parts of the world, geodiversity assessment studies in the Andes are scarce. A geodiversity
assessment method was adapted and used to produce a potential geoconservation map of the Andean p´aramo. The Las Lagunas area (Cajamarca, Northern Peru) has a rich archive of climate proxy data and landscape reconstruction, and plays a key role in the functioning of regional eo-ecosystems. Undisturbed proxies for climate change are contained in four Late-Glacial recessional complexes of its former local ice cap and in pollen records reserved in the postglacial peat cover. These new findings were used to develop a refined chronostratigraphy of the Late-Glacial warming period in the Andes of Northern Peru. Geo-ecosystem functions (for example water and carbon storage) depend on the environmental vulnerability and disturbance of the landforms and deposits. Therefore, potential geoconservation areas that combine a high scientific value and environmental vulnerability with a low disturbance and low frequency of occurrence should be prioritized for geoconservation. Such a strategy should also optimize sustainable use of resources and development of these areas.Mountainous countries like Peru require future management strategies that recognize and incorporate potential geoconservation information in regional planning, to prevent unnecessary loss of irreplaceable soils, climate proxies and geo-ecosystem
functions upon future changes in land use and climate.
Abstract: Northern Hemisphere climate history through and following the Last Glacial Maximum is recorded in detail in ice cores from Greenland. However, the period between Greenland Interstadials 1 and 2 (15–23 ka), i.e. the period of deglaciation following the last major glaciation, has been difficult to resolve in great detail. We here offer a new subdivision of this in the NGRIP, GRIP and GISP2 ice cores, by newly introducing spectral trend analysis to the study of climate-related data series from ice cores. This analysis reveals patterns of change and discontinuity in the waveform properties of a data series, relating to the environmental (including climatic) history of accumulation of the rock or ice record. The application allows high-resolution correlation between the ice cores, and a greatly improved subdivision of the study interval. Nine climatic phases are recognized, within which more identifiable events can also be correlated between the three locations.
Abstract: This paper presents a new approach to simulate drainage basin evolution and demonstrates that high resolution elevation data can be used as useful tool for a dynamic simulation of Alpine landscape development, in which channel incision is incorporated in high spatial detail. A vector channel incision model (CIM) uses 1 m high-resolution laser altimetry data for simulation of longitudinal profile development. The CIM is combined with a grid cell-based hillslope erosion model to incorporate the hillslope response to incising bedrock rivers in a simulation of landscape evolution. The combined simulation model is applied to a geologically diverse Alpine catchment to simulate landscape development from reconstructed late glacial conditions towards the current situation. The model is time-efficient and realistically adapts to contrasting geological substrata, while spatially and temporally variable incision values, knick-point recession and variable hillslope development result in a realistic simulation of post-glacial landscape evolution. High resolution elevation data, in combination with dynamic geomorphological simulation models, facilitate research of complex and difficult-to-access Alpine terrain at greater detail than before. It potentially paves the way for more efficient landscape evolution research and can contribute to increasing the understanding of the functioning of geo-ecological systems.
Abstract: This paper presents the structure and contents of a standardised geomorphological GIS database that stores comprehensive scientific geomorphological data and constitutes the basis for processing and extracting spatial thematic data. The geodatabase contains spatial information on morphography/morphometry, hydrography, lithology, genesis, processes and age. A unique characteristic of the GIS geodatabase is that it is constructed in parallel with a new comprehensive geomorphological mapping system designed with GIS applications in mind. This close coupling enables easy digitalisation of the information from the geomorphological map into the GIS database for use in both scientific and practical applications. The selected platform, in which the geomorphological vector, raster and tabular data are stored, is the ESRI Personal geodatabase. Additional data such as an image of the original geomorphological map, DEMs or aerial orthographic images are also included in the database. The structure of the geomorphological database presented in this paper is exemplified for a study site around Liden, central Sweden.
Abstract: In this paper a semi-automated method is presented to recognize and spatially delineate geomorphological units in mountainous forested ecosystems, using statistical information extracted from a 1-m resolution laser digital elevation dataset. The method was applied to a mountainous area in Austria. First, slope angle and elevation characteristics were determined for each key geomorphological unit occurring in the study area. Second, a map of slope classes, derived from the laser DTM was used in an expert-driven multilevel object-oriented approach. The resulting classes represent units corresponding to landforms and processes commonly recognized in mountain areas: Fluvial terrace, Alluvial Fan, Slope with mass movement, Talus slope, Rock cliff, Glacial landform, Shallow incised channel and Deep incised channel. The classification result was compared with a validation dataset of geomorphological units derived from an analogue geomorphological map. For the above mentioned classes the percentages of correctly classified grid cells are 69%, 79%, 50%, 64%, 32%, 61%, 23% and 70%, respectively. The lower values of 32% and 23% are mainly related to inaccurate mapping of rock cliffs and shallow incised channels in the analogue geomorphological map. The accuracy increased to 76% and 54% respectively if a buffer is applied to these specific units. It is concluded that high-resolution topographical data derived from laser DTMs are useful for the extraction of geomorphological units in mountain areas.
