Factors controlling the water quality of rock glacier springs in European and American mountain ranges.

Rock glaciers (RGs) provide significant water resources in mountain areas under climate change. Recent research has highlighted high concentrations of solutes including trace elements in RG-fed waters, with negative implications on water quality. Yet, sparse studies from a few locations hinder conclusions about the main drivers of solute export from RGs.

The influence of atmospheric deposition and climate change driven catchment internal processes on the recovery from acidification of high-altitude Alpine lakes.

The impact of atmospheric deposition and environmental factors on catchment processes and water chemistry of 20 high-altitude Alpine lakes in Southern Switzerland was investigated over four decades. Through the analysis of input-output budgets of sulphur (S), nitrogen (N), base cations and alkalinity significant trends emerged. Notably, S and N input concentrations significantly declined since the 1980s, by approximately 78 % and 22 %, respectively, with N primarily declining after 2000.

Response of atmospheric deposition and surface water chemistry to the COVID-19 lockdown in an alpine area.

The effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on deposition and surface water chemistry were investigated in an area south of the Alps. Long-term data provided by the monitoring networks revealed that the deposition of sulfur and nitrogen compounds in this area has stabilized since around 2010; in 2020, however, both concentrations and deposition were significantly below the average values of the previous decade for SO and NO. Less evident changes were observed for NH and base cation.