Vol. 40, No. 2, Fall/Winter 2002- " The Pennsylvania Geographer "

MICROENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS IN GLACIAL RECESSION:

A STUDY OF THE MORTERATSCH GLACIER

Charles H. V. Ebert

Distinguished Teaching Professor

Department of Geography

University at Buffalo

Abstract

Climate change is one of the processes which occur on our planet, and the present global warming threatens our environment including a world-wide retreat of glacial ice. This writer studied the Morteratsch glacier in Switzerland, and field work revealed that local environmental factors influence the melting rate and melting pattern of this glacier. Should the present rate of ablation persist, only one quarter of the glacier's surface will remain by the year 2035. At this time there is no indication that the rate of melting is slowing down. The general retreat of glaciers will have a dramatic effect on the alpine ecology as well as on tourism which is the main economic income source of Switzerland.