2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
5/23/2019 | 11:15 AM - 11:30 AM | DO ROCK GLACIERS PROVIDE REFUGIA FOR COLDWATER AND WETLAND-ADAPTED SPECIES UNDER WARMING CLIMATES? INSIGHTS FROM THE GREAT BASIN, USA | 250 AB
DO ROCK GLACIERS PROVIDE REFUGIA FOR COLDWATER AND WETLAND-ADAPTED SPECIES UNDER WARMING CLIMATES? INSIGHTS FROM THE GREAT BASIN, USA
Rock glaciers are ubiquitous alpine landforms, little recognized outside the cryosphere science community. In North America, they are common in all but the most humid mountain zones. Rock glaciers are recognized by their tongue-like forms, coarse, rocky surfaces, and oversteepened fronts. They form from periglacial as well as glacial processes (“equifinality). In cross section, they have rocky upper mantles and discontinuous lenses or strata of ice (permafrost) at depth. Unique micro-climates develop due to the open texture, which decouple internal environments from outside air, creating cold thermal environments even in summer. Rock glaciers can depress regional discontinuous permafrost elevation by 1000 m. Springs have high persistence even under multi-year droughts, and maintain water temperatures < 1°C year around. Because rocky mantles buffer matrices from warming and unique ventilation maintains cold temperatures, rock glaciers can lag in response to warming for decades to centuries. Their role as climatic refugia for cold-water-adapted fauna has been little explored but may prove significant. Further, wetland vegetation communities develop in front of rock glaciers, providing habitat for cool-adapted terrestrial species. Internal matrix environments also provide refugia for species that require protection from high daytime temperatures.
- Hydrology
- Temperature
- Aquatic-terrestrial Linkage
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Presenters/Authors
Constance Millar
(), USDA Forest Service PSW Research Station, cmillar@fs.fed.us;
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