Holocene glacial landscapes of the Balkans
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Holocene glacial landscapes of the Balkans
Philip Hughes
, James Allard
Jamie Woodward
, Richard J.J. Pope
Geography
Research output
Chapter in Book/Conference proceeding
Chapter
peer-review
Abstract
Much of the Holocene has been marginal for glacier survival and development in the mountains of the Balkans. There is some limited evidence for the presence of glaciers in the Early Holocene in Montenegro and Greece, possibly representing recessional or stillstand moraines of retreating Pleistocene glaciers. Glaciers are likely to have completely melted by the Middle Holocene or at least were smaller than in the Late Holocene, when the clearest evidence of glacier advance is recorded. In Montenegro, the largest Late Holocene glacier advance dates from the Late Antique Little Age at c.500–600 CE. During the later Little Ice Age (LIA; 1300–1850 CE) and into the 20th century, niche glaciers were also far more numerous than at present. This is not only clear from late-lying snow today but also from the presence of prominent unvegetated moraines with limited or no soil development close to cirque backwalls in many mountain areas. In Slovenia, evidence for larger LIA glaciers is documented by historical observations, including photographs. In Montenegro and Albania, geomorphological and lichenometric evidence shows that numerous glaciers were present in the LIA. In Bulgaria, small niche glaciers still survive today and were present through the Late Holocene. In some areas, including Albania, the discovery of numerous niche glaciers is relatively new to the scientific literature whereas in other parts of the Balkans, there has been increased recognition of the importance of small glaciers for several decades.
Original language
Title of host publication
European Glacial Landscapes
Subtitle of host publication
The Holocene
Editors
David Palacios, Philip Hughes, Vincent Jomelli, Luis Miguel Tanarro
Place of Publication
Amsterdam
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Chapter
25
Pages
493-512
Number of pages
20
ISBN (Electronic)
9780323997133
ISBN (Print)
9780323997126
DOIs
Publication status
Published -
3 Nov 2023
Keywords
Niche glacier
ice caves
Little Ice Age
Late Antique Little Ice Age
Montenegro
Albania
Greece
Bulgaria
Slovenia
Croatia
Bosnia
Serbia
Kosovo
North Macedonia
Access to Document
10.1016/B978-0-323-99712-6.00011-8
Licence: Unspecified
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RIS
Vancouver
Hughes, P.
, Allard, J.
, Woodward, J.
, & Pope, R. J. J. (2023).
Holocene glacial landscapes of the Balkans
. In D. Palacios, P. Hughes, V. Jomelli, & L. M. Tanarro (Eds.),
European Glacial Landscapes: The Holocene
(pp. 493-512). Elsevier BV.
Hughes, Philip
; Allard, James
; Woodward, Jamie
et al. /
Holocene glacial landscapes of the Balkans
. European Glacial Landscapes: The Holocene. editor / David Palacios ; Philip Hughes ; Vincent Jomelli ; Luis Miguel Tanarro. Amsterdam : Elsevier BV, 2023. pp. 493-512
@inbook{7c09f520b9904b998e949e6095b7ce9f,
title = "Holocene glacial landscapes of the Balkans",
abstract = "Much of the Holocene has been marginal for glacier survival and development in the mountains of the Balkans. There is some limited evidence for the presence of glaciers in the Early Holocene in Montenegro and Greece, possibly representing recessional or stillstand moraines of retreating Pleistocene glaciers. Glaciers are likely to have completely melted by the Middle Holocene or at least were smaller than in the Late Holocene, when the clearest evidence of glacier advance is recorded. In Montenegro, the largest Late Holocene glacier advance dates from the Late Antique Little Age at c.500–600 CE. During the later Little Ice Age (LIA; 1300–1850 CE) and into the 20th century, niche glaciers were also far more numerous than at present. This is not only clear from late-lying snow today but also from the presence of prominent unvegetated moraines with limited or no soil development close to cirque backwalls in many mountain areas. In Slovenia, evidence for larger LIA glaciers is documented by historical observations, including photographs. In Montenegro and Albania, geomorphological and lichenometric evidence shows that numerous glaciers were present in the LIA. In Bulgaria, small niche glaciers still survive today and were present through the Late Holocene. In some areas, including Albania, the discovery of numerous niche glaciers is relatively new to the scientific literature whereas in other parts of the Balkans, there has been increased recognition of the importance of small glaciers for several decades.",
keywords = "Niche glacier, ice caves, Little Ice Age, Late Antique Little Ice Age, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia",
author = "Philip Hughes and James Allard and Jamie Woodward and Pope, \{Richard J.J.\}",
year = "2023",
month = nov,
day = "3",
doi = "10.1016/B978-0-323-99712-6.00011-8",
language = "English",
isbn = "9780323997126",
pages = "493--512",
editor = "David Palacios and Philip Hughes and Vincent Jomelli and Tanarro, \{Luis Miguel\}",
booktitle = "European Glacial Landscapes",
publisher = "Elsevier BV",
address = "Netherlands",
Hughes, P
, Allard, J
, Woodward, J
& Pope, RJJ 2023,
Holocene glacial landscapes of the Balkans
. in D Palacios, P Hughes, V Jomelli & LM Tanarro (eds),
European Glacial Landscapes: The Holocene.
Elsevier BV, Amsterdam, pp. 493-512.
Holocene glacial landscapes of the Balkans.
Hughes, Philip
; Allard, James
; Woodward, Jamie
et al.
European Glacial Landscapes: The Holocene. ed. / David Palacios; Philip Hughes; Vincent Jomelli; Luis Miguel Tanarro. Amsterdam: Elsevier BV, 2023. p. 493-512.
Research output
Chapter in Book/Conference proceeding
Chapter
peer-review
TY - CHAP
T1 - Holocene glacial landscapes of the Balkans
AU - Hughes, Philip
AU - Allard, James
AU - Woodward, Jamie
AU - Pope, Richard J.J.
PY - 2023/11/3
Y1 - 2023/11/3
N2 - Much of the Holocene has been marginal for glacier survival and development in the mountains of the Balkans. There is some limited evidence for the presence of glaciers in the Early Holocene in Montenegro and Greece, possibly representing recessional or stillstand moraines of retreating Pleistocene glaciers. Glaciers are likely to have completely melted by the Middle Holocene or at least were smaller than in the Late Holocene, when the clearest evidence of glacier advance is recorded. In Montenegro, the largest Late Holocene glacier advance dates from the Late Antique Little Age at c.500–600 CE. During the later Little Ice Age (LIA; 1300–1850 CE) and into the 20th century, niche glaciers were also far more numerous than at present. This is not only clear from late-lying snow today but also from the presence of prominent unvegetated moraines with limited or no soil development close to cirque backwalls in many mountain areas. In Slovenia, evidence for larger LIA glaciers is documented by historical observations, including photographs. In Montenegro and Albania, geomorphological and lichenometric evidence shows that numerous glaciers were present in the LIA. In Bulgaria, small niche glaciers still survive today and were present through the Late Holocene. In some areas, including Albania, the discovery of numerous niche glaciers is relatively new to the scientific literature whereas in other parts of the Balkans, there has been increased recognition of the importance of small glaciers for several decades.
AB - Much of the Holocene has been marginal for glacier survival and development in the mountains of the Balkans. There is some limited evidence for the presence of glaciers in the Early Holocene in Montenegro and Greece, possibly representing recessional or stillstand moraines of retreating Pleistocene glaciers. Glaciers are likely to have completely melted by the Middle Holocene or at least were smaller than in the Late Holocene, when the clearest evidence of glacier advance is recorded. In Montenegro, the largest Late Holocene glacier advance dates from the Late Antique Little Age at c.500–600 CE. During the later Little Ice Age (LIA; 1300–1850 CE) and into the 20th century, niche glaciers were also far more numerous than at present. This is not only clear from late-lying snow today but also from the presence of prominent unvegetated moraines with limited or no soil development close to cirque backwalls in many mountain areas. In Slovenia, evidence for larger LIA glaciers is documented by historical observations, including photographs. In Montenegro and Albania, geomorphological and lichenometric evidence shows that numerous glaciers were present in the LIA. In Bulgaria, small niche glaciers still survive today and were present through the Late Holocene. In some areas, including Albania, the discovery of numerous niche glaciers is relatively new to the scientific literature whereas in other parts of the Balkans, there has been increased recognition of the importance of small glaciers for several decades.
KW - Niche glacier
KW - ice caves
KW - Little Ice Age
KW - Late Antique Little Ice Age
KW - Montenegro
KW - Albania
KW - Greece
KW - Bulgaria
KW - Slovenia
KW - Croatia
KW - Bosnia
KW - Serbia
KW - Kosovo
KW - North Macedonia
U2 - 10.1016/B978-0-323-99712-6.00011-8
DO - 10.1016/B978-0-323-99712-6.00011-8
M3 - Chapter
SN - 9780323997126
SP - 493
EP - 512
BT - European Glacial Landscapes
A2 - Palacios, David
A2 - Hughes, Philip
A2 - Jomelli, Vincent
A2 - Tanarro, Luis Miguel
PB - Elsevier BV
CY - Amsterdam
ER -
Hughes P
, Allard J
, Woodward J
, Pope RJJ.
Holocene glacial landscapes of the Balkans
. In Palacios D, Hughes P, Jomelli V, Tanarro LM, editors, European Glacial Landscapes: The Holocene. Amsterdam: Elsevier BV. 2023. p. 493-512 doi: 10.1016/B978-0-323-99712-6.00011-8