Open AccessGeographic Information Science and Mountain Geomorphology
Author(s) -
Scuderi Louis A.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/2004eo510009
Subject(s) - threatened species , snow , environmental science , ecosystem , climate change , sediment , physical geography , environmental resource management , geography , hydrology (agriculture) , geology , geomorphology , ecology , oceanography , habitat , geotechnical engineering , biology
Mountain areas are among the most threatened environments worldwide.These sensitive systems suffer from human encroachment, resource extraction, and subsequent environmental degradation. Mountain ecosystems are also extremely sensitive to climate variability with impacts on snow and ice cover, hydrologic response, and sediment yield. From this perspective, mountain environments can be viewed as one of the “canaries in the coal mine” for the entire global environmental system.