1 INTRODUCTION

Present-day landforms in cold mountain areas arestrongly influenced by their development since full Ice-Age conditions (Florineth 1998) via Lateglacial icedisappearance to Holocene ice fluctuations and 20thcentury warming trends (Maisch 2001). Under condi-tions of a climate which is transitional between wet-maritime conditions at humid margins of coastalmountains and dry continental regimes found in manymountain chains at greater distance to oceanic sources,annual precipitation is generally around 1000 mm at timberline and polythermal glaciers coexist withperiglacial permafrost in close neighbourhood (Haeberli1983, Kneisel 1999, Kneisel et al. 2000). Thoroughunderstanding of landscape evolution must, therefore,be based on a combined consideration of both types ofperennial ice occurrences and their various but stillhardly investigated interactions through time.

The Val Muragl in the Upper Engadin, easternSwiss Alps, has not only been a focus of correspon-ding research for years now but also represents one ofthe major attractions within the spectacular andworld-famous tourist region around St. Moritz andPontresina. This means that a great number of hikersvisit an area with extraordinarily well developed“text-book” examples of typical high-mountain land-forms, enabling a deep understanding of glacial aswell as periglacial processes and a fascinating vision

of a 20,000-year landscape evolution with quite dra-matic changes. As a consequence, Val Muragl has animportant potential to be declared a protected site ofhigh value for geoscience and landscape or a so-called“geotope”. The following briefly outlines the mainaspects to be considered in this context, i.e. the scien-tific background and the evaluation of the interestfrom the side of the public – a true transdisciplinarytask of glacier and permafrost research.

2 GEOMORPHOLOGY OF VAL MURAGL

Geomorphology, as a specialized and meanwhilehighly computerized discipline of earth science and incombination with the topographic, geological, hydro-logical and glaciological background provides one ofthe most important “information layers” for multidis-ciplinary landscape analysis, its interpretation andvisualisation (Fig. 1).

In high-alpine environments such as the Berninaregion and its adjacent valleys, most geomorphicprocesses are evidently dynamic; on the “macro-”,“meso-” and “micro-scale” level, they are stronglylinked to numerous other natural phenomena such aspermafrost distribution, soil development and vegeta-tion cover (cf. glaciological map of Julier-Bernina; NFP31 1998; cf. Haeberli et al. 1999). Geomorphologicalaspects serve also as modern guidelines for specific

717

Lateglacial and Holocene evolution of glaciers and permafrost in the Val Muragl, Upper Engadin, Swiss Alps

M. Maisch, W. Haeberli, R. Frauenfelder, A. KääbGlaciology and Geomorphodynamics Group, Geography Department, University of Zurich, Switzerland

C. RothenbühlerAcademia Engiadina, Samedan, Switzerland

ABSTRACT: Spectacular landforms associated with permafrost creep and glacier fluctuations characterize theVal Muragl, one of the most frequently visited high-mountain valleys and tourist attractions in the St. Moritz area,Upper Engadin, eastern Swiss Alps. Combined consideration of glaciers and permafrost enhances the possibili-ties of understanding the landscape evolution in this area. The Val Muragl is able to constitute a large and easilyaccessible “geotope-site” illustrating phenomena and processes of Lateglacial, Holocene and present-day timescales. The scientific vision is based on a variety of methodological approaches such as GIS-based geomorpho-logical mapping, reconstruction of Lateglacial and Holocene palaeoglaciers, field mapping and spatial modellingof permafrost occurrences, photogrammetric analyses, relative age dating using the Schmidt–Hammer technique,geophysical soundings, drilling and borehole investigations. The landscape evolution starts from a situation witha cold or polythermal accumulation area, covering most of the topography during full Ice-Age conditions, andleads to Lateglacial retreat stages of polythermal valley glaciers surrounded by permafrost. The Holocene situa-tion displays repeated but spatially limited glacier advances accompanied by the development of large sedimentbodies partially subjected to permafrost creep and the present-day situation is characterized by ongoing vanish-ing of the remaining surface ice as well as by complex patterns of de- and aggrading periglacial permafrost.

Permafrost, Phillips, Springman & Arenson (eds)© 2003 Swets & Zeitlinger, Lisse, ISBN 90 5809 582 7

public and tourism-related educational concepts oflandscape didactics (WWF Switzerland & Natf. Gesel-lschaft Engadin, 1998: “Climate trail Pontresina/Muragl”; Maisch et al. 1999: “Glacierforefield trailMorteratsch”).

The geomorphology of the Val Muragl and the adja-cent areas of Val Champagna, Val Languard and ValRoseg, was recently mapped, accomplished with anew GIS-based approach, described and analyzed(Rothenbühler 2000) as a mosaic-like part of anextended mapping project on the geomorphology ofthe entire northern Swiss part of the Bernina massif(Maggetti 1994, Vogel 1995, Castelli 2000, Koch inprep.). A small section of the geomorphologic cartog-raphy of the inner Val Muragl is illustrated in Figure 2.

The mapping procedure applied here followed the “GMK 25-concept” (Leser & Stäblein 1975,Schoeneich 1993, cf. also Kneisel et al. 1998). Theconcept divides the landforms and the associatedprocesses (in a simplified way) into different processunits (glacial, periglacial, fluvial, gravitational, denuda-tional, biotic/organic and anthropogenic) according totheir predominance represented by a standardizedcolour system. In the order of significance, gravita-tional (rock falls from headwalls at high altitudes),denudational (valley slopes in general without clearlydeveloped landforms), glacial (morainic ridges oflateglacial or holocene age, glacier forefields, ice-marginal terraces) and periglacial zones (rockglaciers,protalus ramparts) are the most frequent geomorpho-logic units found in Val Muragl with respect to theirspatial distribution and importance in recent geomor-phologic activity (Fig. 3).

Fluvial processes (debris flows and alluvial fans) aremirrored by a large number of erosional scars and

debris flow channels depositing debris fans at the foot-zone of the slopes especially in the Val Champagna.

3 FULL ICE AGE CONDITIONS

During maximum glaciation (around 20 ka BP). ValMuragl and the entire region of the Upper Engadinwas part of a major centre and dome within the accu-mulation zone of the Ice-Age glaciers, receiving their

718

Figure 1. 3D-view of the Bernina region with Val Muragl inthe center. Satellite imagery ©ESA/Eurimage 1990–1994.Image processing by Dr. Urs Frei, Remote Sensing Laborato-ries RSL, Geography Department. University of Zurich.

Figure 2. Section (appr. 5 � 3 km) of the geomorpholog-ical map of Val Muragl and Val Champagna (Rothenbühler2000, simplified legend in German).

Figure 3. Oblique low angle view of the upper part of Val Muragl with the most pronounced landforms indicated(Photography: Chr. Rothenbühler, 2000).

precipitation predominantly from mediterraneansources in the south and flowing radially out to vari-ous directions (Florineth 1998). Only ridges aboveabout 2,600 to 3,000 m a.s.l. stuck out of the firn surface which may have been cold with mean annualfirn temperatures around �15 to �20°C (Blatter &Haeberli 1984). Deep penetration of subglacial per-mafrost, especially on valley slopes, and of continu-ous mountain permafrost on ice-free ridges andsummits must be assumed. However, polishing andstriations of high-altitude bedrock (on the roundedcrest between Val Muragl and Val Champagna, forinstance) indicates that temperate basal conditionsmust have existed in the glaciers during earlier andlater stages of ice build-up and vanishing. This leavesimportant questions concerning the timing, durationand maximum depth of subglacial permafrost forma-tion open and indicates high complexity of spatio-temporal permafrost development at depth.

4 LATEGLACIAL EVOLUTION

The Lateglacial decay of surface ice (20,000-10,000 yBP, uncalibr.) in and around the Bernina regionformed noticeable morainic systems near Cinuos-chel(Clavadel-stadial), Samedan (Daun-stadial) andPontresina (Egesen-stadial; Beeler 1977, Maisch 1981,Suter 1981, Suter & Gamper-Schollenberger 1982;Maisch 1992, 2000). Equivalent morainic series, cor-related by ELA-depressions and moraine geomor-phology (Fig. 4), can also be identified in adjacentvalleys of the Upper Engadin (Ivy-Ochs et al. 1996,Ohlendorf 1998).

According to Gamper & Suter (1982) andRothenbühler (2000), two main morainic series (andrelated subseries) can be mapped and used forpalaeoglaciological reconstructions of lateglacialretreat (or perhaps better “readvance”) stages in theVal Muragl (Fig. 5).

Calculations with the AAR-method (AccumulationArea Ratio of 0.67; cf. Gross et al. 1977) and inter-pretation of corresponding ELA-depressions as com-pared to the “1850-situation”, taken as reference forglaciological and chronological parallelism, can pro-duce surprisingly variable results.

In Figure 6 the ELA-variations of the “PuntMuragl”, the “Margun” and “1850-situation” (zero-line) and the “present-day glaciation” are displayed,reconstructed manually on topographic maps (scale1:25‚000) and edited by a group of 67 students. Thewide scattering of ELA-values illustrates the highlyvariable effect of individual interpretation andpalaeoglaciological reconstruction as well as of theinherent uncertainities of the AAR-method itself,which was found and set up as a simple empirical

“rule of thumb-approach” (Gross et al. 1977). Giventhe large variability by the method and taken the exist-ing ranges of ELA-depression values for theLateglacial stadials, there is no possibility for a clearand and strict decision on the question, whether the

719

Roseg

SamedanCinuos-chel

Pontre-sina Morteratsch 1850

Piz Bernina4049 m

LGM last glacial maximum

Ho

loce

ne

Lat

egla

cial

per

iod

a) Longitudinal valley profile

glacier advance period of 1850

stadial ofSamedan

(ca. 13’000 y BP)

stadial of

?

?

?

glacier as smallas in 1850

glacier frontposition unknown

stadial ofCinuos-che

(ca. 14’000 y BP)

retreat

glacierstoday

Holocene advanceperiods

SPACESPACE

TIM

ET

IME

b)Time/space-diagram of the glacier front position (Roseg/Tschierva and Morteratsch glacier)

10000 y BP

glacier advance periods("stadials", cool phases)

glacier retreat periods ("interstadials", warm phases)

reconstructed variations ofthe glacier front position

end moraine series

glacier front position

estimated ages 14C-years BP(before present, uncalibrated)

villages

y BP

Val MuraglVal Champagna

1850

Margun Punt Muragl

Val Languard

Berninapass

20000 y BP

real distancenot to scale stadial of

Pontresina(ca. 11’000 y BP)

actual glacier size

Figure 4. Generalized system of late-würmian glacierretreat, adapted for the Bernina region. a) longitudinal valleyprofile stretching from the stadial of Cinuos-chel up to therecent glaciers (in black) and b) Time/space diagram of theglacier front positions reconstructed by moraine correlation.

Piz Uter

Piz Vadret

Piz Muragl

Muottas Muragl

Piz Languard

Piz Albris

En / I

nn

Val Champagna

Val Muragl

Val Languard

0 1 2 3 km

785156

148795

Flaz

rivers

glacier positions

mountain peaks

contour lines of glacier surface topography (interval 100 m)

ELA (reconstructed, AAR 0.67)

3000

"Punt Muragl"

"Margun"

glacier in 1850

glacier in 1850

"Punt Muragl"

"Margun"

"1850-Little Ice Age"

ELA 2770 mELA 2650 m

ELA 2560 m

ELA 2630 m

ELA 2720 m

ELA 2840 m

ELA 2520 mELA 2680 m

ELA 2900 m

N

30

Figure 5. Reconstruction of the the ice surface topographyand the ELA (equilibrium line altitude) during the local gla-cier front positions of “Punt Muragl”, “Margun” and “1850”in the valleys of Champagna, Muragl and Languard.

situation “Punt Muragl” has to be interpreted as a(may be younger) phase of the “Samedan-stadial”(Daun; Suter & Gamper 1982) or as equivalent to the “Pontresina-stadial” (Egesen, Younger Dryas;Rothenbühler 2000). The age difference betweenthese two correlation possibilities would be at least2,000 years. During these lateglacial readvances ofsmall valley glaciers filling parts of Val Muragl, meanannual air temperatures were probably lower thantoday by at least 3°C and local limits of discontinuousmountain-permafrost occurrence were correspond-ingly depressed by some 500 m or more (Frauenfelderet al. 2001). With mean annual air temperaturesaround � 5 to � 10°C near the ELA, the lateglacialglaciers can be assumed to have been polythermal,with a temperate accumulation area (meltwater perco-lation and refreezing) and partially cold ablation areas(Frauenfelder et al. 2000). The exceptionally well-preserved orographic right-lateral moraines in the Val Muragl exhibit structures which indicate cohesivedeformation under conditions of ice-rich permafrost –a fact which appears plausible with the inferred ther-mal structure of the glacier tongues and ice marginsfrozen to their beds.

5 HOLOCENE AND LITTLE ICE AGE

Since the onset of the Holocene, climate, glaciers andpermafrost in the Alps are commonly assumed to havevaried within the extremes of conditions of the LittleIce Age (“1850”) and today, respectively. Despite therelative dryness of regional climate (appr. 900 mm

precipitation at 2000 m a.s.l.), the Bernina region(highest peak is Piz Bernina 4049 m) is one of themost densely glacierized mountain ranges in theEastern Swiss Alps (Fig. 7).

Glacier size and regional glacier distribution areclearly connected with mountain topography, thusinfluencing the altitude and extension of the accumu-lation zones of the existing glaciers (Maisch 1992).This combination produces a much stronger glacia-tion in the north facing valleys of the Bernina massif(Roseg, Morteratsch, Fex, Fedoz) which are muchmore sheltered against radiation input from sunlight.On the other hand glacier size tends to decreasetowards the outer edges of the Bernina mountainswhich offer only lower elevated cirque headwalls andprovide less favourable conditions for glacier feeding(Val Muragl, Val Languard). This decrease in glaciersize is accompanied by an increase in the relativeimportance of periglacial debris and discontinuouspermafrost. In fact, conspicuous bodies of debrisaccumulated in the form of periglacial debris conesand in the forefields of the remaining cirque glaciersat the head of the valleys. In Val Muragl area, theperiglacial debris cones started to creep and – over themillennia involved since deglaciation – developed intoone of the most spectacular rock glaciers in the Alps.Relative age dating with the Schmidthammer-methodclearly documents that the coarse blocks at the surfaceof this rock glacier creeping at characteristic rates ofseveral decimeters per year (Kääb & Vollmer 2001) is increasing along flowlines from top towards thefront. Relative ages remain intermediate between recentages of blocks freshly deposited at the foot of theheadwall and ages of rocks exposed in the moraines oflateglacial age. The polythermal structure of the his-torical/holocene and present-day cirque glacier leads toa patchy distribution of permafrost occurrence in the

720

-300

-200

-100

0

100

200

300

400

500

1 10 20 30 40 50 60 67number of students [n]

ELA 1850 (level of reference)mean: 147 m – 36

mean: 247 m – 43

mean: -153 m – 30

Margun

+

σ

σ

σ

+ σ

σ + σ −

−

−

present day

Punt Muragl

ELA depression

ELA rise

ELA

pos

ition

[m]

Figure 6. Variability of individual ELA-measurements(total sample n � 67) on the glacier front positions of “PuntMuragl”, “Margun”, “1850” and “present day”.

ITALY

Berninapass

Poschiavo

0 5 km 10

Chur

Pontresina

Samedan

St. Moritz

Val

Ros

eg

Upper

Val Fex2

5

10.5 km2

glaciersurface area

villages

lakes

glacier surface

areain 1850

glacier surfacearea today

area losssince 1850

glacier size

N

Mor

tera

tsch

Val Muragl

Val Languard

Val Fedoz

12

3

4

5

Enga

din

Val Poschiavo

Val Champagna

RosegTschiervaMorteratschCambrenaPalMuragl

1234

5

selected glaciers

6

6

Figure 7. Regional map of glaciers and glacier retreatsince 1850 in the Bernina region (after Maisch 1992).

highly elevated sediment bed of the forefield as a reflec-tion of highly complex glacier/permafrost-interactions(Kneisel et al. 2000). Part of this complexity is also thedirect displacement of debris through rock fall, debrisflow, avalanche transporation or permafrost creep tothe glacier forefield during times of reduced glacierarea (Maisch et al. 1999).

6 RECENT WARMING

The ice-decay since 1850 reveals a surprising varietyin individual glacier behaviour. In general, a signifi-cant inverse correlation of relative area loss with for-mer glacier size can be observed (Gross 1987, Maischet al. 2000). The group of small and tiny glaciers, likethey are overrepresented in the Val Muragl area, tendto disappear completely. In fact, only smallest andslightly cold ice bodies (“glacierets”) remain today inthe Val Muragl. Due to continuous glacier recessionand in a complementary way large areas covered withunstable material get exposed, building a pioneer like,geomorphic fresh and dynamic zone, usually called“glacier forefield”. Some of the forefields getting ice-free by glacier recession are exposed newly (or again)to climate conditions favourable for permafrost occur-rence (NFP 31 1998, Kneisel 1998, 1999, Kneisel et al.2000). A long tradition of rock-glacier investigations(Salomon 1929, Domaradzki 1951, Barsch 1973,Haeberli 1992, Frauenfelder & Kääb 2000, Kääb & Vollmer 2000, Arenson et al. 2003ab, Maurer et al.2003, Vonder Mühll et al. 2003) provides more andmore detail on the nearby rock glacier (mentionedabove), the frontal and marginal parts which are nowclose to the local permafrost limit and contain thinpermafrost at pressure melting temperature. Suchsigns of permafrost degradation contrast with possiblelocal aggradation of permafrost in parts of the newlyexposed glacier forefield.

7 PERSPECTIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The well-preserved remains of earlier glaciations andthe striking periglacial creep phenomena in the ValMuragl are highly representative landforms reflectingclimate-change effects on glaciers and permafrost indryer parts of the Alps and other cold mountain chainsof the world. Their combined existence within an eas-ily accessible catchment and especially the rich scien-tific documentation concerning their evolution andmutual interaction is quite unique. Beyond such geo-scientific aspects, the touristic potential and the sig-nificance of the phenomena to be seen and understoodin the area described constitute a high value to society.The Val Muragl with its moraines and rock glaciers,therefore, can be recommended to become a “geotope”

to be protected as an information site on high-mountainglaciers and permafrost. An integrated inventory,modelling and monitoring study is now underway aspart of the project GISALP within the NationalResearch Programme 48 “Landscapes and Habitats ofthe Alps” (SNF 2001).

REFERENCES

Arenson, L.U., Almasi, N. & Springman, S.M. 2003a.Shearing response of ice-rich rock glacier material.Thisvolume.

Arenson, L.U., Hawkins, P.G. & Springman, S.M. 2003b.Pressuremeter tests within an active rock glacier in theSwiss Alps. This volume.

Barsch, D. 1973. Refraktionsseismische Bestimmung derObergrenze des gefrorenen Schuttkörpers in verschiede-nen Blockgletschern Graubündens. Zeitschrift für Glet-scherkunde und Glazialgeologie 9(1–2): 143–167.

Beeler, F. 1977. Geomorphologische Untersuchungen amSpät- und Postglazial im Schweizerischen Nationalparkund im Berninapassgebiet (Südrätische Alpen). Ergeb-nisse der wissenschaftlichen Untersuchungen imSchweizerischen Nationalpark, XV, PhD.-thesis,Geography Dept., University of Zurich.

Blatter, H. & Haeberli, W. 1984. Modelling temperature dis-tribution in Alpine glaciers. Annals of Glaciology 5:18–22.

Castelli, S. 2000. Glazialmorphologische Kartierungen imGebiet zwischen Julierpass und Piz Corvatsch. Diplomathesis, Geography Dept., University of Zurich.

Domaradzki, J. 1951. Blockströme im Kanton Graubünden.Ergebnisse der wissenschaftlichen Untersuchungen desschweizerischen Nationalparks III(24): 177–235.

Florineth, D. 1998. Surface geometry of the Last GlacialMaximum (LGM) in the southeastern Swiss Alps(Graubünden) and its paleoclimatolological signifi-cance. Eiszeitalter und Gegenwart 48: 23–37.

Frauenfelder, R. & Kääb, A. 2000. Towards a paleoclimaticmodel of rock glacier formation in the Swiss Alps.Annals of Glaciology 31: 281–286.

Frauenfelder, R., Haeberli, W., Hoelzle, M. & Maisch, M.2001. Using relict rockglaciers in GIS-based modellingto reconstruct Younger Dryas permafrost distributionpatterns in the Err-Julier area, Swiss Alps. NorskGeografisk Tidsskrift 55: 195–202.

Gamper-Schollenberger, B. & Suter, J. 1982. Gletsch-erausdehnungen im Oberengadin (map). In M. Maisch& J. Suter (eds), Exkursionsführer Teil A: Ostschweiz.Hauptversammlung der Deutschen Quartärvereinigung(DEUQUA) in Zürich, 1982. Physische GeographieVol. 6, Zurich.

Gross, G. 1987. Der Flächenverlust der Gletscher in Österre-ich 1850–1920–1969. Zeitschr. für Gletscherkunde undGlazialgeologie, 2: 131–141.

Gross, G., Kerschner, H. & Patzelt, G. 1977. MethodischeUntersuchungen über die Schneegrenze in alpinenGletschergebieten. Zeitschr. für Gletscherkunde undGlazialgeologie XII(2): 223–251.

Haeberli, W. 1983. Permafrost-glacier relationships in theSwiss Alps today and in the past. Proceedings of theFourth International Conference on Permafrost:415–420.

721

Haeberli, W. 1992. Possible effects of climate change on theevolution of Alpine permafrost. Catena Supplement 32:23–35.

Haeberli, W., Kääb, A., Hoelzle, M., Bösch, H., Funk, M.,Vonder Mühll, D. & Keller, F. 1999. Eisschwund undNaturkatastrophen im Hochgebirge. SchlussberichtNFP 31, v/d/f Hochschulverlag ETH Zürich.

Ivy-Ochs, S., Schlüchter, C., Kubik, P.W., Synal, H.-A., Beer,J. & Kerschner, H. 1996. The exposure age of an Egesenmoraine at Julier Pass, Switzerland, measured with thecosmogenic radionuclides 10Be, 26Al and 36Cl. Eclogaegeol. Helv. 89(3): 1049–1063.

Kääb, A. & Vollmer, M. 2000. Surface geometry, thicknesschanges and flow fields on rock glaciers: automaticextraction by digital image analysis. Permafrost andPeriglacial Processes 11(4): 315–326.

Kneisel, C. 1998. Occurrence of surface ice and groundice/permafrost in recently deglaciated glacier forefields,St. Moritz area, Eastern Swiss Alps. In A.G. Lewkowicz& M. Allard (eds), 7th International Conference onPermafrost (Yellowknife, 23–27 June 1998), CollectionNordicana 57: 575–581. Centre d’Etudes Nordiques,Universitè Laval, Quebec.

Kneisel, C. 1999. Permafrost in Gletschervorfeldern. Eine ver-gleichende Untersuchung in den Ostschweizer Alpen undNordschweden. Trierer Geogr. Studien 22, 156 p.

Kneisel, C., Lehmkuhl, F., Winkler, S., Tressel, E. &Schröder, H. 1998. Legende für geomorphologischeKartierungen in Hochgebirgen (GMK Hochgebirge).Trierer Geographische Studien 18, 24 p.

Kneisel, C., Haeberli, W. & Baumhauer, R. 2000.Comparison of spatial modelling and field evidence ofglacier/permafrost-relations in an Alpine permafrostenvironment. Annals of Glaciology 31: 269–274.

Koch, R. (in prep.). Erfassung, Darstellung und Analyse derGeomorphologie im Berninagebiet (Oberengadin, GR)mit Hilfe von GIS. Diploma thesis, Geography Dept.,University of Zurich.

Leser, H. & Stäblein, G. 1975. Geomorphologische Kartierung.Richtlinien zur Herstellung geomorphologischer Karten1:25’000 (GMK 25). 2. Veränderte Auflage, BerlinerGeogr. Abhandlungen, Sonderheft: 1–39.

Maggetti, B. 1994. Geomorphologische und geochronologis-che sowiegletschergeschichtliche Untersuchungen imVal Fex (Graubünden). Diploma thesis, GeographyDept., University of Zurich.

Maisch, M., 1981. Glazialmorphologische undgletschergeschichtliche Untersuchungen im Gebietzwischen Landwasser- und Albulatal (Graubünden,Schweiz). Ph.D-thesis Univ. Zürich, PhysischeGeographie, Vol. 3, Zurich.

Maisch, M. 1992. Die Gletscher Graubündens. Rekonstruk-tion und Auswertung der Gletscher und derenVeränderungen seit dem Hochstand von 1850 im Gebietder östlichen Schweizer Alpen (Bündnerland undangrenzende Regionen). Physische Geographie, Vol.33, Zurich.

Maisch, M. 2001. The longterm signal of climate change in theSwiss Alps – Glacier retreat since the end of the Little IceAge and future ice decay scenarios. Geografia Fisisca eDinamica Quaternaria 23: 139–151.

Maisch, M., Burga, C. A. & Fitze, P. 1999. LebendigesGletschervorfeld. Von schwindenden Eisströmen,schuttreichen Moränenwällen und wagemutigenPionierpflanzen im Vorfeld des Morteratschgletschers.

Führer und Begleitbuch zum GletscherlehrpfadMorteratsch. Geogr. Institut der Univ. Zürich &Gemeinde Pontresina, 2. Auflage, 138 S.

Maisch, M., Haeberli, W., Hoelzle, M. & Wenzel, J. 1999.Occurrence of rocky and sedimentary glacier beds inthe Swiss Alps as estimated from glacier-inventory data.Annals of Glaciology 28: 231–235.

Maisch, M., Wipf, A., Denneler, B., Battaglia, J., & Benz, C. 2000. Die Gletscher der Schweizer Alpen.Gletscherhochstand 1850, Aktuelle Vergletscherung,Gletscherschwund-Szenarien. Schlussbericht NFP 31-Projekt Nr. 4031–033412, 2. Auflage, v/d/fHochschulverlag ETH Zürich.

Maurer, H.R., Springman, S.M., Arenson, L.U., Musil, M. &Vonder Mühll, D.S. 2003. Characterisation of poten-tially unstable mountain permafrost – a multidiscipli-nary approach. This Volume.

NFP 31 (Nationales Forschungsprogramm “Klimaänderun-gen und Naturkatastrophen”), 1998. GlaziologischeKarte Julier-Bernina (Oberengadin). v/d/f Hochschul-verlag ETH Zürich und AlpenRock (eds), map.

Ohlendorf, C. 1998. High Alpine lake sediments as chroni-cles for regional glacier and climate history in the UpperEngadine, southeastern Switzerland. Ph.D.-thesis No. 12705, ETH Zürich.

Rothenbühler, Chr. 2000. Erfassung und Darstellung derGeomorphologie im Gebiet Bernina (GR) mit Hilfe vonGIS. Diploma thesis, Geography Dept. University ofZurich.

Salomon, W. 1929. Arktische Bodenformen in den Alpen.Sitzungsberichte der Heidelberger Akademie derWissenschaften, Mathematisch-naturwissenschaftlicheKlasse 5, Nr. 31.

Schoeneich, P. 1993. Comparaison des systèmes de légendesfrancais, allemand et suisse – principe de la légendeIGUL. In P. Schoeneich & E. Reynard (eds), Cartogra-phie géomorphologique – Cartographie des risques.Actes de la Réunion annuelle des la Soc. Suisse deGéomorphologie, 19 au 21 juin 1992 aux Diablerets et àRanda. Publ. Institut de Géographie à Lausanne: 15–24.

SNF (Schweiz. Nationalfonds) 2001. Nationales Forschungs-programm 48: “Landschaften und Lebensräume derAlpen”. Liste der bewilligten Forschungsprojekte, 6 p.

Suter, J. 1981. Gletschergeschichte des Oberengadins:Untersuchung von Gletscherschwankungen in der Err-Julier-Gruppe. PhD.-thesis Geography Dept.,University of Zurich, Physische Geographie Vol. 2,Zurich.

Suter, J., Gamper-Schollenberger, B., Zoller, H., Heitz-Weniger, A. & Punchakunnel, P. 1982. Gletscher-,Vegetations- und Klimageschichte im Oberengadin. InM. Maisch & J. Suter (eds), Exkursionsführer: Teil AOstschweiz. Physische Geographie Vol. 6: 14–30,Zurich.

Vogel, H.H. 1995. Geomorphologische Kartierung sowiegletschergeschichtliche und geochronologischeUntersuchungen im Val Fedoz. Diploma thesis,Geography Dept., University of Zurich.

Vonder Mühll, D.S., Arenson, L.U. & Springman, S.M. 2003.Temperature conditions in two Alpine rock glaciers.This volume.

WWF & Naturf. Ges. des Engadins (SESN) 1998. Auf denSpuren des Klimawandels. Broschüre zum Klimawagim Oberengadin, 60 S.

722