Monitoring of alpine lakes: approach and results from Canton Ticino

Colombo, Luca and Lepori, Fabio and Pozzoni, Maurizio and Pera Ibarguren, Sebastian and Steingruber, Sandra and Bruder, Andreas (2016) Monitoring of alpine lakes: approach and results from Canton Ticino. In: Abstract Volume 14th Swiss Geoscience Meeting 14th Swiss Geoscience meeting, 18.11.2016-19.11.2016, Geneva, Switzerland.

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Abstract

Alpine environments are facing global pressures including climate warming and the deposition of air pollutants. The southern slope of the Central Alps (including Canton Ticino, Switzerland) is highly affected, due to its proximity to the heavily industrialised Po Valley, Italy. For example, in Canton Ticino, atmospheric deposition of nitrogen ranks among the highest recorded in mountain areas worldwide (up to 30-40 kg ha y-1, Steingruber 2015) while regional temperatures have been increasing nearly twice as fast as the global average (MeteoSwiss, 2016). To evaluate the effects of these pressures on the alpine catchments of Canton Ticino, the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) has funded a twofold programme of environmental monitoring. One programme, coordinated by the canton-level environmental protection agency, comprises the extensive survey of 20 mountain lakes and three streams. The second programme, run by the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, focuses on the catchment of one of the lakes included in the extensive survey (Lago Nero), which is however monitored more intensively.

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