CGI, Supraglacial Survey Campaign 2011
by Manuela Pelfini e Giovanni Leonelli
Earth Sciences Department
University of Milan, Italy
For the Supraglacial Vegetation Survey Campaign 2011 all the data received in the e-mail glacioveg.unimi@gmail.com was collected and processed.
In particular, by means of the form prepared for assessing the supraglacial vegetation and debris cover (the form can be downloaded from the web site www.glaciologia.it), 13 Operators have monitored 21 glaciers overall.
The surveyed glaciers are: Aurona, Belvedere, Vedretta d’Amola, Rosso Destro, Valle del Vento, Lana, Orientale di Morion, Rosa dei Banchi, Jumeaux, Miage, Brenva (dead ice), Chérillon, Lys, Mont Braoulé, Mont Gelé, Pré de Bard, Toula, Soches-Tsanteleina, Verra Grande, Tressonnet Meridionale, Rutor and belong to the three regions Valle d’Aosta, Piedmont and Trentino-Alto Adige (Fig. 1).
Fig 1. Number of glaciers surveyed with the predisposed form for monitoring supraglacial vegetation and debris, subdivided by region.
Although the sample of glaciers reported is still limited, some assessments are already possible, especially with regard to the presence of supraglacial debris and the total number of glaciers that are colonized by vegetation.
From the analyzed sample we can observe that 20 glaciers present supraglacial debris (10 have an abundant debris of coverage); 5 glaciers present herbaceous supraglacial vegetation (for further 3 glaciers the vegetation was reported over moraines, in the vicinity of the glacier); 3 glaciers present shrub supraglacial vegetation, 3 glaciers have supraglacial trees (Fig. 2).
Fig 2. Number of glaciers reported, subdivided by class of debris cover or supraglacial vegetation type.
Together with the information in the forms, 93 detailed and panoramic photos were collected, which facilitated the interpretation of the data contained in the form.
Both CGI operators and experts and people belonging to different organizations such as University of Milan, University of Turin, ISMAR-CNR, Fondazione Montagna Sicura have contributed by sending the required information. In particular we wish to thank: M. Bettio, I. Bollati, V. Garavaglia, G. Gilli, M. Gilli, C. Iulita, G. Losapio, M. Motta, E. Motta, R. Serandrei Barbero, A. Théodule, M. Vagliasindi.