Post Last Glacial Maximum Hillslope Evolution in the Southeast San Juan Mountains, Co, Usa

Aldred, Jennifer; Eppes, Martha Cary; Kayser, Brandt; Diemer, John A.

doi:10.1130/abs/2016am-287338

Cited by 1 publication

(3 citation statements)

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“…Such mountain ranges, including the Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Mountains, have been subject to alpine glaciation during at least the last few million years. The legacy of long durations of glacial climate on the surface processes during the Pleistocene greatly complicate study and evaluation of the soils and landforms of high-elevation mountains as well as the impacts of ongoing climate changes in these areas (Aldred, 2020). For example, shattering of bedrock in high-elevation alpine zones is an efficient mechanism for producing large volumes of colluvium, talus, and scree-angular rock debris that accumulates along and at the base of hillslopes .…”

Section: Changes To High-elevation Soils and Hillslopesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Soils classified in these orders are also common in higher elevation settings in the Jemez Mountains (Nyhan et al, 1978) and in the Front Range in Colorado (Birkeland et al, 2003). Recent extensive geomorphological research in glaciated and unglaciated basins in the southern San Juan Mountains also shows that relatively thick soils (some exceeding 100 cm) with weakly developed B horizons have formed in latest Pleistocene unconsolidated morainal till and younger Holocene alluvial deposits at elevations between 10,000 and 11,000 ft. Soils formed directly on steep hillslopes, however, exhibit thin soils with A-C-Cr profiles (Aldred, 2020).…”

Section: Drainage Basin Hillslopes and Soilsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies of soils of glacial moraine toposequences Birkeland et al, 2003) in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado show that the entrapment and incorporation of dust plays a key role in soil development, despite the moist conditions and development of organic-matter-rich O and A horizons. Soils in the southern San Juan Mountains formed in latest Pleistocene moraines and post-glacial colluvium and alluvium with B horizons are also strongly influenced by eolian dust (Aldred, 2020). Late Pleistocene soils formed in tundra-covered soils on bedrock at elevations up to 12,000 ft in the Uinta Mountains with A-Bw-C profile development are also dominated by dust accumulation.…”

Section: Contributions Of Soil Geomorphological Research To the Evalu...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Climate Change in New Mexico Over the Next 50 Years: Impacts on Water Resources

Dunbar¹,

Gutzler²,

Pearthree³

et al. 2022

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All water that we use in New Mexico originates as rain or snow falling onto the landscape, which either goes to groundwater or surface water or returns to the atmosphere. Of the precipitation that falls on the state, 1.6% runs off into streams and rivers, and 1.8% infiltrates into the ground, recharging subsurface aquifers. Much larger proportions are transpired by plants (78.9%) or evaporated (17.7%). The impact of climate change on all of these pathways will affect our state's water budget. Notably, because of the larger percentages of water lost to evaporation or transpiration, even very small changes in these factors will result in large changes to runoff and recharge. As mentioned in Chapter 2, the climate will continue to warm over the next 50 years, likely without an increase in precipitation, leading to greater statewide aridity. Hydrological modeling indicates declines in both runoff and recharge going forward, amounting to 3% to 5% per decade for both quantities. Historical trends in runoff indicate significant year-to-year variability, as do trends in soil moisture and recharge. But all are generally decreasing, consistent with the results of climate models that project a drying climate. Combining the historical trends with modeling of future changes, significant decreases in runoff and recharge seem very likely. TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMSClimate is a fundamental driver of ongoing and future vegetation changes in New Mexico. Future changes in vegetation will affect the distribution and abundance of water resources in New Mexico. Major shifts in climate and vegetation across New Mexico's landscapes have occurred in the past, but the scale and rate of recent and projected climate change is probably unprecedented during the past 11,000 years. Recent warming, along with frequent and persistent droughts, have amplified the severity of vegetation disturbance processes like fire, physiological drought stress, and insect outbreaks, driving substantial changes in New Mexico vegetation since the year 2000. Ongoing and projected vegetation changes include growth declines, reduced canopy and ground cover, massive tree mortality episodes, and species changes in dominant vegetation-foreshadowing more severe changes to come if current warming trends continue as projected. Such major alterations of New Mexico vegetation likely will also have substantial ecohydrological feedbacks with New Mexico water resources. Since water-related environmental stresses occur in parallel with water supply shortages for people, such climate-change-driven water stress could lead to increasing conflict between managing declining water available for human use (e.g., irrigation) and retaining "wild" water for the maintenance of historical ecosystems.

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Section: Changes To High-elevation Soils and Hillslopesmentioning

confidence: 99%