A5028532278- Cryospheric studies and observations
- Landslides and related hazards
- Climate change and permafrost
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Polar Research and Ecology
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Winter Sports Injuries and Performance
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics
- 3D Surveying and Cultural Heritage
- Radioactive contamination and transfer
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
- Remote Sensing and LiDAR Applications
- Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Graphite, nuclear technology, radiation studies
- Geological formations and processes
- Urban Stormwater Management Solutions
- Tardigrade Biology and Ecology
- Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
- Lichen and fungal ecology
- Urbanization and City Planning
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Radioactivity and Radon Measurements
University of Milan
2014-2024
Abstract. The ongoing glacier shrinkage in the Alps requires frequent updates of outlines to provide an accurate database for monitoring, modelling purposes (e.g. determination run-off, mass balance, or future extent), and other applications. With launch first Sentinel-2 (S2) satellite 2015, it became possible create a consistent, Alpine-wide inventory with unprecedented spatial resolution 10 m. S2 images from August 2015 already provided excellent mapping conditions most glacierized regions...
Abstract. Tourists and hikers visiting glaciers all year round face hazards such as sudden terminus collapses, typical of a dynamically evolving environment. In this study, we analyzed the potential different survey techniques to analyze Forni Glacier, an important geosite located in Stelvio Park (Italian Alps). We carried out surveys 2016 ablation season compared point clouds generated from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) survey, close-range photogrammetry terrestrial laser scanning (TLS). To...
ABSTRACT Cryoconite holes are small depressions of the glacier surface filled with melting water and a wind-blown debris on bottom. These environments considered hot spots biodiversity biological activities glaciers host communities dominated by bacteria. Most studies cryoconite assume that their stable. However, evidence seasonal variation in hole ecological exists. We investigated bacterial Forni Glacier (Central Italian Alps) during seasons (July–September) 2013 2016, for which samples at...
Abstract. In spite of the quite abundant literature focusing on fine debris deposition over glacier accumulation areas, less attention has been paid to melting surface. Accordingly, we proposed a novel method based semi-automatic image analysis estimate ice albedo from coverage (d). Our procedure was tested surface wide Alpine valley (the Forni Glacier, Italy), in summer 2011, 2012 and 2013, acquiring parallel data sets situ measurements high-resolution images. Analysis 51 images yielded d...
Abstract. Cryoconite is rich in natural and artificial radioactivity, but a discussion about its ability to accumulate radionuclides lacking. A characterization of cryoconite from two Alpine glaciers presented here. Results confirm that significantly more radioactive than the matrices usually adopted for environmental monitoring such as lichens mosses, with activity concentrations exceeding 10 000 Bq kg−1 single radionuclides. This makes an ideal matrix investigate deposition occurrence...
Most of the world’s mountain glaciers have been retreating for more than a century in response to climate change. Glacier retreat is evident on all continents, and rate has accelerated during recent decades. Accurate, spatially explicit information position glacier margins over time useful analyzing patterns measuring reductions surface area. This also essential evaluating how ecosystems are evolving due warming attendant retreat. Here, we present non-comprehensive dataset showing multiple...
Landscapes nearby glaciers are disproportionally affected by climate change, but we lack detailed information on microclimate variations that can modulate the impacts of global warming proglacial ecosystems and their biodiversity. Here, use near-subsurface soil temperatures in 175 stations from polar, equatorial alpine glacier forelands to generate high-resolution temperature reconstructions, assess spatial variability change 2001 2020, estimate whether heterogeneity might buffer severity...
This study presents a map reporting valuable information on the cryosphere of Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP, largest protected area Pakistan and highest park in world). All is provided considering CKNP as whole, detail by dividing it into five basins (i.e. Shigar, Hunza, Shyok, Upper Indus, Gilgit). The glacier inventory reports 608 ice bodies covering 3680 km2 (∼35% area), with total volume ca. 532 km3. In addition, we modeled meltwater from ablation over period 23 July to 9 August...
Over the last decades, expansion of supraglacial debris on worldwide mountain glaciers has been reported. Nevertheless, works dealing with detection and mapping detailed analyses aimed at identifying temporal spatial trends affecting glacier cover are still limited. In this study, we used different remote sensing sources to detect map cover, analyze its evolution, assess potential remote-sensed image data. We performed our Ortles-Cevedale Group (Stelvio Park, Italy), one most representative...
This paper presents a geomorphological map of Mount Ararat/Ağri Daği in Eastern Anatolia (Turkey). is volcanic complex covered by unique ice cap the Near East. The massif result multiple phases, and present day landforms are subsequent overlapping glacial, periglacial, slope processes. mapping was firstly performed on basis desktop studies, applying remote-sensing investigations using high-resolution satellite imagery (PLEIADES SPOT images). A preliminary draft crosschecked validated field...
Abstract. We present and compare 11 years of snow data (snow depth water equivalent, SWE) measured by an automatic weather station (AWS) corroborated from field campaigns on the Forni Glacier in Italy. The aim analysis is to estimate SWE new snowfall annual peak based average density at site (corresponding during standard observation period 24 h) automated measurements. results indicate that daily SR50 sonic ranger measurements available pit can be used mean value site, with error ±6 kg m−3....
We investigated the Forni Glacier and surrounding area in Alps terms of habitat preferences, densities, dispersal desiccation tolerance glacier tardigrades, which are one most common faunal representatives top consumers supraglacial ecosystems. To do so, we sampled environments (cryoconite holes, debris from ice surface, dirt cones moraine, mosses stones) non-glacial habitats (mosses, freshwater sediments algae), installed air traps on nearby area. found that cryoconite holes exclusively...
Summary The development of terrestrial ecosystems depends greatly on plant mutualists such as mycorrhizal fungi. global retreat glaciers exposes nutrient‐poor substrates in extreme environments and provides a unique opportunity to study early successions fungi by assessing their dynamics drivers. We combined environmental DNA metabarcoding measurements local conditions assess the succession communities during soil 46 glacier forelands around globe, testing whether drivers differ between...
Cryoconite holes, that is, small ponds form on glacier surface, are considered the most biologically active environments glaciers. Bacterial communities in these have been extensively studied, but often through snapshot studies based assumption of a general stability community structure. In this study, temporal variation bacterial cryoconite holes Forni Glacier (Italian Alps) was investigated by high throughput DNA sequencing. A change observed with autotrophic Cyanobacteria populations...
Structural glaciology yields important details about the evolution of glacier dynamics in response to climate change. The maps provided here document occurrence and brittle ductile structures on tongue Forni Glacier, Ortles-Cevedale Group, Central Italian Alps, between 2003 2014. Through remote sensing-based analysis structures, we found evidence fractures such as crevasses, faults ring faults, ogives at base icefall eastern tongue. Although each three tongues have evolved differently, a...
ABSTRACT Snow can be considered an independent ecosystem that hosts active microbial communities. communities have been extensively investigated in the Arctic and Antarctica, but rarely mid-latitude mountain areas. In this study, we bacterial of snow collected four glacierized areas (Alps, Eastern Anatolia, Karakoram Himalaya) by high-throughput DNA sequencing. We also origin air masses produced sampled snowfalls reconstructing back-trajectories. A standardized approach was applied to all...
Cryoconite holes, ponds full of melting water with sediment on the bottom, are hotspots biodiversity glacier surfaces and host dynamic micro-ecosystems. They have been extensively investigated in different areas world (e.g., Arctic, Antarctic, Alps, Himalaya), but so far no study has described bacterial communities glaciers Andes, world's longest mountain range. In this study, we describe three small (< 2 km2) high-elevation 4200 m a.s.l.) Central Andes (Iver, East Iver Morado glaciers) two...