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Landslides, which are aggravated by climate change, greatly threaten mountainous regions like northern Pakistan. However, existing research lacks a complete, region-specific analysis of the climatic and environmental factors driving landslides across various climatic zones, specifically in vulnerable areas such as northern Pakistan. This study explores the N-15 Highway in northern Pakistan. This region is frequently impacted by landslides induced by extreme climatic events, including heavy rainfall and flooding, which usually lead to blockages along the route. We collected a complete landslide inventory using 455 satellite images from 1990 to 2023 and ground surveys. We also analysed the relationship between landslides and climate change over the period of 1990-2023, encompassing soil moisture, vegetation, precipitation, temperature and snow cover. Using meteorological data, we found that the frequency of landslides rose exponentially from 1990 to 2023 due to the impacts of climate change. Especially after 2005, substantial increases in precipitation, temperature and snowmelt led to a more significant rise in landslide occurrences (p < 0.05). In the warm season (April-October), 84.1% of the landslides occurred, which were mainly due to precipitation and snowmelt. Balakot, Babusar-Naran and Chilas were the primary areas along the highway, each with distinct landslide mechanisms. In the Balakot region, which is characterised by sub-tropical conditions, high precipitation played the leading role in landslide occurrences. Landslides at Babusar-Naran, which is known for Alpine conditions, were mostly driven by precipitation, soil moisture fluctuations and snowmelt dynamics. Geological reasons and high temperatures influenced the Chilas region, which is characterised by semi-arid conditions. The EC-Earth3 model from CMIP6 predicts a 1.6-6.5 degrees C warming and a 35% rise in precipitation by 2100, with more extreme variations under SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios. These changes are likely to result in arise in the frequency of landslides. We suggest improving ground observation networks and utilising multiple datasets to better understand the relationship between landslides and climatic variables, which enables highly accurate risk assessment and management in high-mountain areas under the warming climate.

期刊论文 2025-04-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.accre.2025.02.004 ISSN: 1674-9278

The thermal stability of permafrost under complex environment (climate scenarios, permafrost types and regional air temperatures) directly affects the long-term service performance of highway or railway. This study uses a large amount of valuable soil temperature monitoring and simulation data to examine the stability of typical crushed-rock embankments (CREs) along Qinghai-Tibet Railway, which is located in the permafrost re-gion on the Roof of the World. Firstly, a novel numerical model for CREs considering a complex heat transfer environment is established and verified. Then, alteration characteristics of recent-term thermal regime of permafrost across time and space under three CREs are revealed based on a decade of field monitoring data. Finally, long-term thermal regime of permafrost under three CREs under complex environment is analyzed by numerical simulation. Results include: 1) Soil temperature near the ground surface under the three CREs shows a decreasing trend, whereas the overall temperature around the deep permafrost increases over time under a recent climate warming. 2) The warming rate of permafrost under CREs rises with the acceleration of climate scenarios and regional air temperature and the decrease of regional ground temperatures. 3) U-shaped crushed-rock embankment is the most suitable CRE for managing complex environment, especially when the mean annual ground temperature is 0 similar to -1 degrees C or climate scenarios are RCP 2.6 and RCP 4.5. 4) Transition from low-temperature permafrost to warm permafrost is a warning signal of permafrost degradation under climate warming. 5) With an increase of permafrost degradation rate (the thawing and warming rates of permafrost), embankment stability becomes worse. These findings will not only serve as a scientific basis for the embankment damage prevention of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, but also provide important technical supports for the successful building of infrastructure in permafrost regions under complex environment.

期刊论文 2024-01-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.coldregions.2023.104023 ISSN: 0165-232X

For two Austrian regions (Amstetten South and P & ouml;llauer valley), climate data from the periods 1961-1990 and 1991-2020 were analyzed and scenarios for +2 degrees C and +3 degrees C global warming (global warming level) were calculated in order to find out which changes relevant to fruit growing can be expected due to global warming. The comparison of the periods 1961-1990 and 1991-2020 already showed relevant changes that will continue to intensify in both scenarios: higher temperatures and less severe frosts in winter, longer growing seasons and an earlier start to vegetation at all altitudes. Late frosts in spring are becoming less frequent, but due to the earlier start of vegetation at the same time, the risk of frost damage - especially in April - remains and may even increase in some areas. The higher temperatures lead to a reduction in the climatic water balance, particularly in summer and at lower altitudes; in dry years, heat and drought stress are to be expected. In the lower altitudes of the two regions, where extensive orchards have had their main distribution up to now, they will come under increasing pressure, particularly on soils with low water retention capacity. Due to warmer summers and winters and longer growing seasons, the climate that is favorable for many types of fruit is increasingly shifting to higher altitudes that were previously less suitable and less commonly used for fruit growing. The risks and uncertainties for fruit production will increase considerably if the temperature rises by +2 degrees C, and at +3 degrees C, traditional forms of cultivation could be at risk. Active climate protection that limits global warming to below +2 degrees C is therefore essential to ensure a future perspective for extensive fruit orchards in Austria.

期刊论文 2024-01-01 ISSN: 0007-5922

Earlier impact studies have suggested that climate change may severely alter the hydrological cycle in alpine terrain. However, these studies were based on the use of a single or a few climate scenarios only, so that the uncertainties of the projections could not be quantified. The present study helps to remedy this deficiency. For 2 Alpine river basins, the Thur basin (1700 km(2)) and the Ticino basin (1515 km(2)), possible future changes in the natural water budget relative to the 1981-2000 (Thur) and 1991-2000 (Ticino) baselines were investigated by driving the distributed catchment model WaSiM-ETH with a set of 23 regional climate scenarios for monthly mean temperature (T) and precipitation (P). The scenarios referred to 2081-2100 and were constructed by applying a statistical-downscaling technique to outputs from 7 global climate models. The statistical-downscaling scenarios showed changes in annual mean T between +1.3 and +4.8degreesC and in annual total P between -11 and +11%, with substantial variability between months and catchments. The simulated overall changes in the hydrological water cycle were qualitatively robust and independent of the choice of a particular scenario. In all cases, the projections showed strongly decreased snow-pack and shortened duration of snow cover, resulting in time-shifted and reduced runoff peaks. Substantial reductions were also found in summer flows and soil-water availability, in particular at lower elevations. However, the magnitudes and certain aspects of the projected changes depended strongly on the choice of scenario. In particular, quantitative projections of soil moisture in the summer season and of the runoff in both the summer and autumn seasons were found to be quite uncertain, mainly because of the uncertainty present in the scenarios for P. Our findings clearly demonstrate that quantitative assessments of hydrological changes in the Alps using only a small number of scenarios may yield misleading results. This work strengthens our confidence in the overall results obtained in earlier studies and suggests distinct shifts in future Alpine hydrological regimes, with potentially dramatic implications for a wide range of sectors.

期刊论文 2004-05-25 DOI: 10.3354/cr026113 ISSN: 0936-577X
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