Austria and The Alps

Austria, a land-locked nation in central Europe, is dominated by mountains. The Alps are the backbone of the nation's peaks, and only a quarter of the country lies below 500m (1640ft). Austria's highest point--Grossglockner--measures in at 3798m (12,461ft). It stands only behind Mont Blanc (France/Italy) when ordered by peak prominence, the consideration of how high a peak rises relative to its immediate surroundings. The mountains are host to expansive alpine environments and glaciers in the upper reaches of its highest peaks.

THE RISE--AND FALL--OF MOUNTAINS

The formation of the Alps began around 100 million years ago when the African tectonic plate edged up against the plates of Europe and Asia. From what was once a sea the Alps grew up, rising from the pressure of the crushing plates. At present, the Alps rise in elevation approximately one millimeter a year. Their shape is constantly evolving owing to the wearing processes of fluvial (river and stream), aeolian (wind) and glacial erosion. As water and ice flow over the mountains’ surfaces, the ground below is worn away and the mountains take on their present shape. Over a very long time span, the wearing processes will erode the mountains to such a degree that first they will round off, and eventually they will be worn back down to ground level. In fact, some mountain ranges that once towered over the earth have been eroded away to nonexistence, their material deposited in other areas to one day rise up as the newest mountain range.

GLACIERS AND THE ALPS

In the highest regions of the Alps, glaciers cover the rocky slopes. A glacier forms when more snow accumulates than melts away in a given year. The snow crystals are eventually compressed and form ice layers. Glaciers are fluid despite their frozen state, though, and they are constantly migrating down mountain slopes and melting into the river valleys below. While glaciers are typically thought of as very slow moving, they can reach speeds of up to several meters per hour during glacial surges.

Considering the constant migration of glaciers, if the uppermost source is not consistently replenished then eventually the glacier will melt away entirely. For areas that rely upon glaciers for their water supply and ecosystem composition, a loss of the water source would wreak havoc on the ecology—both human and natural—of the region. In the Alps this has become a primary concern, as with global warming the rate of snowfall in the mountains has declined to such a degree that less frozen precipitation is accumulating than is leaving out the other end, resulting in a net decline of ice volume.

GLOBAL WARMING THREATENING A WAY OF LIFE

Until recently, the potential problem had not been paid significant attention. However, with the impending impacts looming ever more ominously for a region that has staked its economic livelihood on snow-centered activities, the impetus for protecting the glaciers has finally proven great enough to result in preventative action. Even if all skiing were to somehow be able to continue, Austria would still be in dire straits, though. Much of their drinking water, as well as the water they rely upon for hydroelectric energy generation, is threatened.

One recent exploratory approach taken to attempt to stave off total glacier failure includes covering portions of the ice with blankets. Though the cost is prohibitive, the area saved is small, and the source of the problem is not addressed, sheets half the size of a football field have reportedly met with success in slowing ice melt. The fix is truly just a band-aid placed upon a gaping wound, however until the greater problems are properly addressed, in some fragile areas it may become an important stopgap to implement.