Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
3.3.3 Apennines (Italy)
The southernmost glacier in Europe is often attributed to the Calderone glacier,
which is situated in a north-facing cirque below the highest peak of the Italian Apen-
nines, Corno Grande (2912 m) (see Figure 3.1). Like many other Mediterranean
glaciers, the Calderone glacier retreated markedly through the twentieth century.
Between 1916 and 1990 the volume of the glacier is estimated to have been reduced
by about 90% and the area by about 68% (Gellatly
et al
., 1994; D'Orefice
et al.
,
2000). According to Pecci
et al.
(2008), in the last decade, the glacier has split into
two portions and the remaining ice bodies are rapidly shrinking (Pecci
et al.
, 2008).
3.3.4 Julian Alps (Slovenia)
In the Julian Alps of Slovenia, two small glaciers exist below the peaks of Triglav
(2864 m asl) and Skuta (2532 m asl) (see Figure 3.1). On Triglav, the highest peak in
Slovenia, the Zeleni Sneg glacier is situated on the northern slopes between c. 2550
and 2400 m asl. It retreated throughout much of the twentieth century (Sifrer, 1963).
In 1995 the glacier covered an area of only 3.3 ha (Gabrovec, 1998). By 2007 the
glacier area had reduced to only 0.6 ha. However, harsher than average winters in
the past decade have slowed glacier retreat and in the last few years the glacier
has actually expanded in area (Triglav- Cekada
et al
., 2011). The Skuta glacier has
exhibited similar retreat to the Triglav glacier during the twentieth century (Pavsek,
2004). However, given the recent very harsh winters in this region, the future state
of these glaciers will provide interesting research.
3.3.5 Dinaric and Albanian Alps (Montenegro/Albania)
A small glacier exists in the Durmitor massif in northern Montenegro (Figure 3.8)
(also see Figure 3.1). This glacier survives in a north-facing cirque below the moun-
tain of Sljeme (2455 m). In 2005 this glacier covered an area of c. 5.0 ha and dramat-
ically reduced in size following a hot summer in 2007 (Hughes, 2008). However, in
2006 the glacier was only 25-50 m up-valley of moraines that formed during the Lit-
tle Ice Age (Hughes, 2007) when at least eight glaciers were present in the Durmitor
massif (Figure 3.9) (Hughes, 2010). In northern Albania, several small glaciers are
present in the Prokletije Mountains (North Albanian Alps). At least four glaciers
are present around the highest peak, Maja Jezerce (2694 m), the largest covering
an area of c. 5.4 ha (Milivojevic
et al.
, 2008; Hughes, 2009). The Montenegrin and
Albanian glaciers survive at very low altitudes for this latitude. They are sustained
by avalanching and windblown snow in addition to strong shading (Hughes, 2008,
2009). It is likely that more glaciers exist in these mountains - especially in the
Prokletije - and further research is required.
