Kaunertal: Kesselwandferner/Gepatschferner glacier and the proglacial area - Austria

The LTER site is a COMPLEX site, with observation sites focusing (a) on the three glaciers in the Kaunertal Valley, (b) 10 ecological and erosion sites along a succession gradient in the pro glacial, and (c) one climate station. The station (a) is run by Andrea Fischer (AAS), stations (b) and (c) within the PHUSICOS project coordinated by Sabine Kraushaar (University of Vienna). In the proglacial area of the Gepatschferner glacier ten mechanical erosion sites with each three plots (each 2x3m, see picture) are installed monitoring biotic and abiotic interrelations in 5 different succession classes. Small scale erosion processes such as splash, rill and interill erosion processes are quantified as a function of the present species composition. A climate station on 2350m run by solar power complement the set up.