The changes that have been unfolding in space for nearly 38 years are now clearly visible Alpsso that you increasingly less snow and rich in greenwith the vegetation rising higher and higher: the American satellites have recorded it landat for observing the Earth, indicating how some areas beyond the so-called “tree line”, ie the limit beyond which vegetation at high altitudes is exhausted, are beginning to turn green. The study, published in the journal Science by the Swiss universities of Basel and Lausanne in collaboration with researchers from the Netherlands and Finland, analyzes satellite imagery and data to map the health of Europe’s largest mountain range.
Previous studies had shown some impacts of climate change on the Alps, but never before has such a detailed analysis of changes in Alpine vegetation been carried out. Landsat satellites owned by NASA and the US Geological Service (Usgs) recorded the changes that took place between 1984 and 2021 And like the Arctic, the researchers conclude, the Alps are also becoming ever greener.
Although the reduction in snow cover is now clearly visible from space, it’s just one of the problems facing this unique area, notes Sabine Rumpf of the University of Basel, who conducted the research with Grégoire Mariéthoz and Antoine Guisan at the University of Lausanne. In fact, the problem is a kind of chain reaction, triggered in areas where snow cover has declined significantly, although these account for less than 10% of the area, suggesting a worrying trend for researchers.
there tree line yes it is indeed moved up in about 77% of the Alps and the fear that another snowmelt will accelerate in the future: this would change the albedo, that is, the extent of the surfaces that reflect the sun’s rays, and this phenomenon could in turn cause the melting of the frozen ground that permafrostand destroy them habitat which currently shelter animals and plants typical of the Alpine region, and with considerations that could also affect the economy of this area, starting with tourism.
“The scale of change in the Alps was absolutely enormous,” notes Rumpf. The Alps are becoming greener as plants colonize new areas and vegetation is generally denser and taller: a phenomenon mainly due to fluctuating rainfall and longer growing seasons due to rising temperatures. “Alpine plants are adapted to difficult conditions, but they are not very competitive,” the researcher continues; That is, current species lose their advantage as environmental conditions change. Consequently, according to Rumpf, “the biodiversity only one of the Alps is therefore under significant pressure”.