Transcript Studies on Man and Environment in the Western HKH

Studies on Human-Environmental
Dynamics in the Western HKH-region
Matthias WINIGER
Department of Geography, University of Bonn (GIUB)
UIB-Workshop, Gilgit, April 16, 2014
Karakorum-Mountains: Deserts in Valleys - Forests on upper slopes – Glaciers on peaks
K2
Karakorum – Shyok Valley
Google Earth 2009
Vertical characteristics
Extensive use of
natural vegetation
Cultivation depending
on water and land
(Draft: Winiger, 2008)
Phyto-ecologic inventory
Comparison between conventional vegetation map and supervised classification of
digital LANDSAT-scene (example of Hunza/Nager).
(G. Braun, 1996: Vegetationsgeographische Untersuchungen im NW-Karakorum (Pakistan). Bonner Geogr. Abh., Vol.93)
Monitoring the
actual climate
 Vertical gradients
AWS Maidun (Batura)
UIB-Programme:
Where to set-up meteorological station?
How to assess rainfall/snowfall at high altitudes?
 Example Kunjerab-Pass
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Met.Stations: WAPDA
GIUB
(Photo: Winiger, Sept. 28, 2012)
Monitoring of glacial dynamics
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1954
Batura Glacier seen from Patundas:
1954 (Pillewizer) and 2013 (Winiger)
2013
Longterm climatic fluctuations
Precipitation reconstruction for
northern Pakistan, long-term
precipitation variations and
temperature for different regions
in the northern hemisphere:
a: Treydte et al 2006
b: Sheppard et al 2004
c: Anderson et al, 2002
d: Cook et al, 2004
e: Wilson et al, 2005
f: Temperature reconstructions
(red) western central Asia, Esper
et al, 2006
(blue) Northern hemisphere, Mann
et al, 1999
(black) Northern hemisphere,
Esper et al, 2002
(green) Northern hemisphere,
Moberg et al, 2005
Source: Treydte et al, 2006
Local Scales:
Spatial location of irrigated land and dynamics of cryosphere
Borit
Passu
Subcontinental Scale:
Indus-River: from HKH to the Sea
‚Karakoram Anomaly – a reality? Positive or negative mass-balance?
Batura-Glacier
U. Börst, M. Winiger,
Bodo Bookhagen, 2013:
presented at AGU-Annual
Meeting
Understanding the complex diversity of cryosphere processes
Glacial Regimes depending on spatial variables
 Snow pits
(Source: K. Hewitt (2014): Glaciers of the Karakoram Himalaya. p.155
 Snow pits added by M.W.)
Cryosphere : Models - Data/Field Evidence - Scales
Global to Regional Scales
General
Glacier
Model
Continental
Topographic
control
Satellite Data
(Atmospheric
and Surface
Parameters)
Regional/Local
Meteorological
Data
Data quality
Local
Glacier
Model
Data quality
Field studies
Proxy-Data
Regional to Local Scales
Vertical gradients/processes
(Draft M.W., 2011)
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Regional/Local
Topographic
control
General
Atmospheric
Model-Input
Data
Passu-Janabad - GIUB/CIIT-Field-Trip – May 2013