The use of dendrochronology to study and date geomorphic processes in volcanic environments is still incipient, even more so on the volcanic slopes covered by temperate forests in central Mexico. Mass movements, such ...The use of dendrochronology to study and date geomorphic processes in volcanic environments is still incipient, even more so on the volcanic slopes covered by temperate forests in central Mexico. Mass movements, such as debris flows, often impact forest stands where they cause damage to individual trees, thereby generating growth disturbances(GD) in the tree-ring records. The identification and dating of GD enables reconstruction of the age of trees colonizing bare surfaces after major events, but also allows the assessment of the frequency or spatial distribution of past geomorphic process activity. Here we used increment cores from 65 Pinus leiophylla, Abies religiosa, and Alnus jorullensis trees growing in the Axal gorge, on the southern slopes of La Malinche volcano, to unravel past debris-flow activity both temporally and spatially. Based on the combination of GD records, a weighted tree response index(Wit), field evidence and hydrometeorological records, we reconstructed 23 debris flows since 1933.Interestingly, almost two-thirds of the reconstructed years with debris-flow activity in Axal gorge match with events recorded in Axaltzintle gorge located on the NE slopes of La Malinche. These findings suggest a regional triggering mechanism, most likely related to the occurrence of hurricanes. This research could be useful for disaster risk management of the La Malinche National Park.展开更多
In China,flash floods are one of the main natural disasters causing loss of life and damage to infrastructure.The threat of flash floods is exacerbated with climate change and increased human activities,such that the ...In China,flash floods are one of the main natural disasters causing loss of life and damage to infrastructure.The threat of flash floods is exacerbated with climate change and increased human activities,such that the number of disasters has shown a clear upward trend in recent years.However,due to the scarcity of instrumental data or overly short timeseries,we are still lacking critical data to understand spatio-temporal patterns and driving factors of extreme flash floods.This missing knowledge is however crucial for a proper management of these hazards,especially in remote mountain environments.In forested catchments,dendrogeomorphology allows the reconstruction of past process activity based on growth disturbances(GDs)in trees that have been affected by past flash floods.Therefore,in our study,for the first time,we reconstruct past flash floods in the Qilian Mountains,northeast Tibetan Plateau,over past centuries.To this end,we sampled 99 Qinghai spruce(Picea crassifolia)trees affected by flash floods,with a total of 194increment cores,and identified 302 GDs induced by past flash floods.These GDs have been caused by at least 21 flash floods that we are able to reconstruct over the last 170 years.The position of GDs within tree rings and the intra-seasonal dating of past events also allowed discussion of the likely synoptic situations that may have led to the triggering of flash floods in the past.Logistic regression analysis confirms that significant correlation exists between cumulative maximum 5-day August-September precipitation and reconstructed flash floods,which is corresponding to the majority of scars and related tangential rows of traumatic resin ducts(TRDs)found in the latewood portion of growth rings.These results support the idea that abundant precipitation occurring at the end of the summer season and early fall is the key factor driving flash floods in our study area.Our research not only fills the gaps regarding historical flash flood histories in the Qilian Mountains,but also provides a scientific basis for the region's response to climate change and flood prevention and reduction.展开更多
The“Third Pole”usually refers to the Tibetan Plateau and surroundings as it is the largest glaciated zone on Earth after the Antarctic and Arctic[1].It is also one of the major hotspots in the world suffering from w...The“Third Pole”usually refers to the Tibetan Plateau and surroundings as it is the largest glaciated zone on Earth after the Antarctic and Arctic[1].It is also one of the major hotspots in the world suffering from widespread and severe glacial lake outburst flood(GLOF)hazard[2,3].展开更多
文摘The use of dendrochronology to study and date geomorphic processes in volcanic environments is still incipient, even more so on the volcanic slopes covered by temperate forests in central Mexico. Mass movements, such as debris flows, often impact forest stands where they cause damage to individual trees, thereby generating growth disturbances(GD) in the tree-ring records. The identification and dating of GD enables reconstruction of the age of trees colonizing bare surfaces after major events, but also allows the assessment of the frequency or spatial distribution of past geomorphic process activity. Here we used increment cores from 65 Pinus leiophylla, Abies religiosa, and Alnus jorullensis trees growing in the Axal gorge, on the southern slopes of La Malinche volcano, to unravel past debris-flow activity both temporally and spatially. Based on the combination of GD records, a weighted tree response index(Wit), field evidence and hydrometeorological records, we reconstructed 23 debris flows since 1933.Interestingly, almost two-thirds of the reconstructed years with debris-flow activity in Axal gorge match with events recorded in Axaltzintle gorge located on the NE slopes of La Malinche. These findings suggest a regional triggering mechanism, most likely related to the occurrence of hurricanes. This research could be useful for disaster risk management of the La Malinche National Park.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China[Grant No.41977392]the National Key R&D Program of China[Grant No.2019YFA0606602]+2 种基金the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDA20090000)Qilian Mountain National Park Qinghai Province management bureaufinanced by the China Scholarship Council。
文摘In China,flash floods are one of the main natural disasters causing loss of life and damage to infrastructure.The threat of flash floods is exacerbated with climate change and increased human activities,such that the number of disasters has shown a clear upward trend in recent years.However,due to the scarcity of instrumental data or overly short timeseries,we are still lacking critical data to understand spatio-temporal patterns and driving factors of extreme flash floods.This missing knowledge is however crucial for a proper management of these hazards,especially in remote mountain environments.In forested catchments,dendrogeomorphology allows the reconstruction of past process activity based on growth disturbances(GDs)in trees that have been affected by past flash floods.Therefore,in our study,for the first time,we reconstruct past flash floods in the Qilian Mountains,northeast Tibetan Plateau,over past centuries.To this end,we sampled 99 Qinghai spruce(Picea crassifolia)trees affected by flash floods,with a total of 194increment cores,and identified 302 GDs induced by past flash floods.These GDs have been caused by at least 21 flash floods that we are able to reconstruct over the last 170 years.The position of GDs within tree rings and the intra-seasonal dating of past events also allowed discussion of the likely synoptic situations that may have led to the triggering of flash floods in the past.Logistic regression analysis confirms that significant correlation exists between cumulative maximum 5-day August-September precipitation and reconstructed flash floods,which is corresponding to the majority of scars and related tangential rows of traumatic resin ducts(TRDs)found in the latewood portion of growth rings.These results support the idea that abundant precipitation occurring at the end of the summer season and early fall is the key factor driving flash floods in our study area.Our research not only fills the gaps regarding historical flash flood histories in the Qilian Mountains,but also provides a scientific basis for the region's response to climate change and flood prevention and reduction.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA19030301,XDA20030101)A special acknowledgment is to China-Pakistan Joint Research Center on Earth Sciences that supported the implementation of this study.Guoxiong Zheng thanks the China Scholarship Council for supporting his visit to the University of Geneva from February 2019 to February 2021(201804910569).
文摘The“Third Pole”usually refers to the Tibetan Plateau and surroundings as it is the largest glaciated zone on Earth after the Antarctic and Arctic[1].It is also one of the major hotspots in the world suffering from widespread and severe glacial lake outburst flood(GLOF)hazard[2,3].