Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Snow gliding on a south-facing slope covered with larch trees

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Annals of Forest Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

• Context

Snow gliding is a downhill motion of snow on the ground; observations have shown gliding to be possible not only on open slopes but also in forest stands. Larch stands, with their low canopy density and open forest structure with clearings and gaps, are particularly prone to high glide rates. Snow gliding may have negative effects on juvenescent trees which can be damaged by extraction from the ground.

• Aim

The goal of this study was to determine whether snow gliding depends on forest cover (canopy) and size of clearings.

• Methods

Snow gliding was measured during eight winter periods at six measuring positions (ranging from ‘dense forest’ to ‘open slope’) in and beside a larch stand in the Stubai Valley, Tyrol, Austria.

• Results

The results showed that gliding is strongly influenced by forest cover. Snow gliding increases with decreasing canopy density. The difference between the six measuring positions was highly significant (p < 0.005).

• Conclusion

The identified glide cracks on at least two measuring positions, indicating extreme glide rates and, therefore, strong negative effects on juvenescent trees. To prevent glide rates of a magnitude such as this requires a mature forest with at least 300 stems/ha.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ammer U, Mössmer EM (1986) Technische Maßnahmen gegen Schneebewegungen zum Schutz von Aufforstungen und Naturverjüngungen in Gebirgslagen. Mitt. Staatsforstverwaltung Bayern 43:7–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke J, McClung D (1999) Full-depth avalanche occurrences caused by snow gliding, Coquihalla, British Columbia, Canada. J Glaciol 45:539–546

    Google Scholar 

  • de Quervain M (1966) Problems of avalanche research. IAHS-Publ 69:15–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Dyck S, Peschke G (1983) Grundlagen der Hydraulik. VEB Verlag fur Bauwesen, Berlin, 388 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Frutiger H, Kuster J (1967) Über das Gleiten und Kriechen der Schneedecke in Lawinenverbauungen. Schweiz Z Forstwesen 10:633–643

    Google Scholar 

  • Gumbel EJ (1958) Statistics of extremes. Columbia Univ. Press, New York, 375 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Haefeli R (1939) Schneemechanik mit Hinweisen auf die Erdbaumechanik. In: Der Schnee und seine Metamorphose. Beiträge zur Geologie der Schweiz – Geotechnische Serie – Hydrologie, Lieferung 3,Kümmerly und Frey, Bern, 65-241

  • Höller P (1998) Tentative investigations on surface hoar in mountain forests. Ann Glaciol 26:31–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Höller P (2001a) The influence of the forest on night-time snow surface temperature. Ann Glaciol 32:217–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Höller P (2001b) Snow gliding and avalanches in a south-facing larch stand. In: soil-vegetation-atmosphere transfer schemes and large scale hydrological models (Proc. Maastricht Symp., July 2001), IAHS Publ. 270: 355–358

  • Höller P (2012) Zur Bestimmung schneegleitgefährdeter Standorte und Planung von Gleitschutzmaßnahmen bei Hochlagenaufforstungen. Allg Forst und Jagdzeitschrift 183:94–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Höller P, Fromm R, Leitinger G (2009) Snow forces on forest plants due to creep and glide. Forest Ecol Manag 257:546–552

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • In der Gand H (1954) Beitrag zum Problem des Gleitens der Schneedecke auf dem Untergrund. Winterbericht Eidg. Inst. f. Schnee-und Lawinenforschung 17:103–117

  • In der Gand H (1956) Spezielle Lawinen- und Lawinenuntersuchungen im Parsenngebiet. Lawinen und Gleitschnee Winterbericht Eidg. Inst. f. Schnee-und Lawinenforschung 19:93–101

    Google Scholar 

  • In der Gand H (1968a) Neue Erkenntnisse über das Schneegleiten. Schweiz Bauzeitung 86:557–661

    Google Scholar 

  • In der Gand H (1968b) Aufforstungsversuche an einem Gleitschneehang Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Anstalt für d. Forstl. Versuchswesen 44:233–326

    Google Scholar 

  • In der Gand H, Zupancic M (1966) Snow gliding and avalanches. In: Scientific aspects of snow and ice avalanches (Proc. Davos Symp., April 1965), IAHS Publ. 69: 230–242

  • Lackinger B (1988) Zum Problem der Gleitschneelawine. Proc Interpraevent 1988, Graz 3:205–226

    Google Scholar 

  • Leuenberger F (1989) Temporärer Stützverbau und Gleitschneeschutz. Handbuch/Bauanleitungen des EISLF, 1. Auflage

  • Margreth S (2007) Defense structures in avalanche starting zones. Technical guideline as an aid to enforcement. Environment in Practice no. 0704. Federal Office for the Environment, Bern; WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, 134 pp

  • McClung D (1975) Creep and the snow–earth interface condition. In: Snow Mechanics (Proc. Grindelwald Symp., April 1974), IAHS Publ. 114: 236–248

  • McClung D, Clarke GKC (1987) The effects of free water on snow gliding. JGeophys Res 92:6301–6309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McClung D, Schaerer P (2006) The avalanche handbook. The Mountaineers Books, Seattle, 342 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Meyer-Grass M (1985) Waldlawinen: Gefährdete Bestände, Maßnahmen. Merkblatt No. 1 Eidg. Institut für Schnee- und Lawinenforschung, 6pp

  • Mössmer EM, Ammer U, König A (1990) Eignung von Baumarten zur Verjüngung gleitschneegefährdeter Schutzwaldflächen im bayerischen Hochgebirge. Allg Forstzeitschrift 9–10

  • Salm B (1977) Snow forces. J Glaciol 19:67–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Zenke B (1985) Lawinenstriche im Bergwald. Jahrbuch des Vereins zum Schutz der Bergwelt 49–63

Download references

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to R. Hacker who supported the statistical analysis of the data.

Funding

This work was funded by the Austrian Research Centre for Forests.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Natural Hazards, Federal Office and Research Centre for Forests, Hofburg-Rennweg 1, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Peter Höller

Authors
  1. Peter Höller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter Höller.

Additional information

Handling Editor: Barry Alan Gardiner

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Höller, P. Snow gliding on a south-facing slope covered with larch trees. Annals of Forest Science 71, 81–89 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-013-0333-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-013-0333-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation