Green instead of white: the new face of glaciers
The melting of glaciers is creating new habitats: glacier forefields. According to a recent study in Italy’s Gran Paradiso National Park, both vegetation cover and biodiversity are increasing on glacier forefields. However, species that are specialised for cold conditions are at risk.
Greening as a consequence of climate change: researchers from the University of Turin are observing this phenomenon in the Gran Paradiso National Park/I. In the glacier forefields of the Lauson and Lavassey glaciers examined in the study, they found not only typical pioneer species, but also species from originally lower-lying Alpine grasslands. The plants are settling up to 45 times faster than in the past. The researchers suspect that longer vegetation periods and higher temperatures are the reasons for this. These factors could favour the successful settlement and stronger growth of plants – even for species that were not previously adapted to harsh environmental conditions. Further investigations in other Alpine areas are still needed.
However, the observed increase in species diversity on glacier forefields is a short-term effect; in the long term, some endemic, i.e. locally distributed, cold-adapted species will no longer find habitats. These are already migrating upwards due to rising temperatures and following the melting glaciers. This means they are falling into the so-called “summit trap”, because the amount of habitat available decreases with increasing altitude. In addition, more and more plant species from lower altitudes are now competing with them. A critical factor in species extinction is the rate of glacier melt: rapid changes can prevent organisms from migrating and adapting in time. Harald Pauli from the Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research at the Austrian Academy of Sciences argues that we should take care of the last remaining untouched natural areas in the Alps.
Sources and further information:
www.repubblica.it/green-and-blue/2025/07/14/news/crisi_clima_ghiacciai_greening-424725758/ (it), https://academic.oup.com/botlinnean/article/207/3/266/7720226 (en), https://science.orf.at/stories/3230482/ (de), www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abn6697 (en), https://alparc.org/news/new-report-published-alpine-glaciers-and-new-ecosystems-in-alpine-protected-areas (en)
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