We studied the effects of three soil management approaches (permanent grassing, chemical weeding,... more We studied the effects of three soil management approaches (permanent grassing, chemical weeding, and buffer strips), and the additional impact of tractor passage on soil erosion in a sloping vineyard located in the inner part of Aosta Valley (N-W Italian Alps). The vineyard rows were equipped with a sediment collection system with channels and barrel tanks. A total of 12 events with sediment production were observed across 6 years, and the collected sediments were weighted and analyzed. Average erosion rates ranged from negligible (mainly in grassed rows) to 1.1 t ha−1 per event (after weeding). The most erosive event occurred in July 2015, with a total rainfall of 32.2 mm, of which 20.1 were recorded in 1 h. Despite the limited number of erosive events observed, and the low measured erosion rates, permanent grassing reduced soil erosion considerably with respect to weeding; buffering had a comparable effect to grassing. The tractor passage, independent of the soil management appro...
Mountain ecosystems are highly vulnerable to flash flood phenomena, which can result in sudden so... more Mountain ecosystems are highly vulnerable to flash flood phenomena, which can result in sudden soil water saturation and surface erosion. Saturated soils are vulnerable to solifluction and liquefaction, depending on soil plastic properties. Surface erosion and mass movements create serious hazards for the population and the infrastructures: the recognition and mapping of areas characterized by different vulnerability to erosion processes are of primary importance in order to properly manage the land use and the hydro-geological hazards. The study area is the whole Val d’Aosta region, characterized by a wide range of geological substrates, vegetation types, altitude variations and pedoclimates (from perudic in south-east and at high altitude to xeric-ustic in the intra-alpine central valley). All genetic horizons from 150 soil profiles have been described and analyzed (standard chemical analysis and Atterberg limits), in order to understand how pedogenic processes influence soil plas...
In agreement with the idea of the ISSW "a merging of theory and practice", we describe ... more In agreement with the idea of the ISSW "a merging of theory and practice", we describe the activities carried out in Aosta Valley (NW Italy) for the formation of avalanche experts. In particular, within the Operational programme 'Italy -France (Alps -ALCOTRA)' Projects "DynAval -Dynamique des avalanches: départ et interactions ecoulement/obstacles" and "RiskNat", we organized three courses focused on the following topics : 1) artificial avalanche release, 2) snowpack slow movements and load on defense structures, 3) interaction avalanche flow / obstacles. The courses were directed mainly to avalanche experts in order, on one hand, to show them the most recent scientific findings by researchers, and, on the other hand, to give them practical information ready to be used in their expertise. On this line, we also published guide lines concerning: 1) avalanche release zone, 2) interaction avalanche flow/obstacles, 3) snowpack stability, 4) artificia...
The presence of a thick snowpack could interfere on forest stability especially on steep slopes: ... more The presence of a thick snowpack could interfere on forest stability especially on steep slopes: potential consequences include superficial soil erosion and damage of young and old stands, due to snow pressure and movements. The aim of this work is to determine the pressure of the snowpack on stems in forest with different tree composition. The study site is located
After the maximum expansion phase of the Little Ice Age, soils located in proglacial areas in the... more After the maximum expansion phase of the Little Ice Age, soils located in proglacial areas in the Italian Alps evolved over a time span of about 190 years. In the future, as a consequence of climate change, additional areas will become ice-free and therefore subject to pedogenesis. In such conditions, ice retreat time and topography are expected to play a major role among soil formation factors. Due to extreme environmental characteristics, soil evolution will be rather slow, and heavily influenced by severe soil loss phenomena (e.g. water erosion due to extreme rainfall event and snowmelt, avalanche erosion). We investigated the soil formation along a glacial chronosequence of an Alpine glacier foreland. The Pré de Bar glacier is located in North West Italy (Aosta Valley Region), in the Mont Blanc massif, between 3750 and 2150 m a.s.l. and it covers an area of 340 ha. The glacier was chosen because of the availability of old photographs documenting the glacier retreat phases starti...
The development of winter sports determines an increasing impact on the high altitude ecosystems,... more The development of winter sports determines an increasing impact on the high altitude ecosystems, as a consequence of increased participation and an increasing demand of high quality standards for skiable areas. The construction of a ski slope is ...
We studied the effects of three soil management approaches (permanent grassing, chemical weeding,... more We studied the effects of three soil management approaches (permanent grassing, chemical weeding, and buffer strips), and the additional impact of tractor passage on soil erosion in a sloping vineyard located in the inner part of Aosta Valley (N-W Italian Alps). The vineyard rows were equipped with a sediment collection system with channels and barrel tanks. A total of 12 events with sediment production were observed across 6 years, and the collected sediments were weighted and analyzed. Average erosion rates ranged from negligible (mainly in grassed rows) to 1.1 t ha−1 per event (after weeding). The most erosive event occurred in July 2015, with a total rainfall of 32.2 mm, of which 20.1 were recorded in 1 h. Despite the limited number of erosive events observed, and the low measured erosion rates, permanent grassing reduced soil erosion considerably with respect to weeding; buffering had a comparable effect to grassing. The tractor passage, independent of the soil management appro...
Mountain ecosystems are highly vulnerable to flash flood phenomena, which can result in sudden so... more Mountain ecosystems are highly vulnerable to flash flood phenomena, which can result in sudden soil water saturation and surface erosion. Saturated soils are vulnerable to solifluction and liquefaction, depending on soil plastic properties. Surface erosion and mass movements create serious hazards for the population and the infrastructures: the recognition and mapping of areas characterized by different vulnerability to erosion processes are of primary importance in order to properly manage the land use and the hydro-geological hazards. The study area is the whole Val d’Aosta region, characterized by a wide range of geological substrates, vegetation types, altitude variations and pedoclimates (from perudic in south-east and at high altitude to xeric-ustic in the intra-alpine central valley). All genetic horizons from 150 soil profiles have been described and analyzed (standard chemical analysis and Atterberg limits), in order to understand how pedogenic processes influence soil plas...
In agreement with the idea of the ISSW "a merging of theory and practice", we describe ... more In agreement with the idea of the ISSW "a merging of theory and practice", we describe the activities carried out in Aosta Valley (NW Italy) for the formation of avalanche experts. In particular, within the Operational programme 'Italy -France (Alps -ALCOTRA)' Projects "DynAval -Dynamique des avalanches: départ et interactions ecoulement/obstacles" and "RiskNat", we organized three courses focused on the following topics : 1) artificial avalanche release, 2) snowpack slow movements and load on defense structures, 3) interaction avalanche flow / obstacles. The courses were directed mainly to avalanche experts in order, on one hand, to show them the most recent scientific findings by researchers, and, on the other hand, to give them practical information ready to be used in their expertise. On this line, we also published guide lines concerning: 1) avalanche release zone, 2) interaction avalanche flow/obstacles, 3) snowpack stability, 4) artificia...
The presence of a thick snowpack could interfere on forest stability especially on steep slopes: ... more The presence of a thick snowpack could interfere on forest stability especially on steep slopes: potential consequences include superficial soil erosion and damage of young and old stands, due to snow pressure and movements. The aim of this work is to determine the pressure of the snowpack on stems in forest with different tree composition. The study site is located
After the maximum expansion phase of the Little Ice Age, soils located in proglacial areas in the... more After the maximum expansion phase of the Little Ice Age, soils located in proglacial areas in the Italian Alps evolved over a time span of about 190 years. In the future, as a consequence of climate change, additional areas will become ice-free and therefore subject to pedogenesis. In such conditions, ice retreat time and topography are expected to play a major role among soil formation factors. Due to extreme environmental characteristics, soil evolution will be rather slow, and heavily influenced by severe soil loss phenomena (e.g. water erosion due to extreme rainfall event and snowmelt, avalanche erosion). We investigated the soil formation along a glacial chronosequence of an Alpine glacier foreland. The Pré de Bar glacier is located in North West Italy (Aosta Valley Region), in the Mont Blanc massif, between 3750 and 2150 m a.s.l. and it covers an area of 340 ha. The glacier was chosen because of the availability of old photographs documenting the glacier retreat phases starti...
The development of winter sports determines an increasing impact on the high altitude ecosystems,... more The development of winter sports determines an increasing impact on the high altitude ecosystems, as a consequence of increased participation and an increasing demand of high quality standards for skiable areas. The construction of a ski slope is ...
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Papers by Michele Freppaz