It has long been clear that our Alps are probably one of the regions most affected by the climate crisis. Satellite images now show how far the process has progressed: 77 percent of the area of the Alpine arc above the treeline already appears greener than in 1984. The researchers were particularly surprised by the extent of the greening. There is also an already measurable minus in snow cover.
She thought “we would find an effect, but I don’t think any of us expected it to appear so clearly and over such a large area,” said Austrian ecologist Sabine Rumpf, who works at the University of Basel.
Higher temperatures break through in the mountains
A strong increase in vegetation favored by climate change has already been documented for arctic regions. There are already a few studies for mountains that have proven the effect, but there is not yet such a comprehensive analysis of the entire Alpine region stretching from France to Austria, according to a press release.
The previous focus of studies in our latitudes was more on the changes in species composition and diversity as a result of the strong temperature increase in mountain areas.
Change is happening too fast for many species
It is precisely there that many plants are particularly well adapted to the ecological niches that are present in the barren high mountains. This makes many vulnerable as they struggle with changes in their environment. In addition, many species adapted to the highest regions of the high mountains, due to the advance of the milder climate, have almost no room to migrate further up. “The unique biodiversity of the Alps is therefore under great pressure,” says Rumpf.
The scientist, who was then still doing research at the University of Vienna, showed in a study in the journal “Nature Communications” how high this is in 2019. According to this statement, some species still exist, especially at high altitudes, although conditions are already very unfavorable for them — they are “guilty of extinction,” the scientists said at the time.
Austria is no exception
The work, now published in the journal Science, shows that many new areas are now being overgrown. In addition, the vegetation is becoming denser and higher, according to the evaluation of the satellite data. The area of 77 percent with an increase in growth contrasts with less than one percent of the Alpine area above 1700 meters, where the vegetation is retreating. These developments can be seen in the entire Alpine region, the Austrian part is neither positive nor negative here, so Rumpf.
More green is not necessarily better
There, a little more CO2 can be stored due to a plus in plant growth, which somewhat counteracts the temperature rise. However, this cannot offset the overall negative effects of warming in the Alpine region.
Less snow doubly unfavorable
Outside of glaciers, the snow cover above the treeline appeared to have changed significantly less in the study compared to 1984. Snow cover decreased significantly in nearly ten percent of the surveyed area. Despite everything, this is worrisome and fits in with many observations, according to which the snow cover in lower Alpine locations often decreases or disappears altogether.
If the total snow-free areas increase in the course of the year, this is doubly unfavorable for climate development. “A greener mountain world reflects less sunlight and thus leads to further global warming – and thus to a further disappearance of reflective snow surfaces,” says Rumpf. These developments disrupt the alpine system, increase the potential for landslides and mudslides, and negatively impact drinking water supplies, which depend on high-altitude snow and ice, or tourism.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
