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FS 3.168

Global mountain spring ecosystems

Details

Full Title
FS 3.168: A multidisciplinary approach to the science and conservation of global mountain spring ecosystems
Scheduled
TBA
Location
TBA
Convener
Marco Cantonati
Co-Conveners
Dean Jacobsen, Flavia Tromboni, Leopold Füreder, Ingrid Jüttner,
Assigned to Synthesis Workshop
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Thematic Focus
Conservation, Ecosystems, Socio-Ecology, Sustainable Development, Water Resources
Keywords
mountain spring ecosystems, appreciation, conservation, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary

Description

Though of vital importance as resources, for their ecosystem services, and for biodiversity conservation, as well as from societal and cultural standpoints, spring ecosystems have been largely neglected and are still insufficiently studied worldwide. Springs are particularly numerous and relevant to human communities in mountain areas. We strive to use the multi- and interdisciplinary context of IMC to discuss mountain spring ecosystems worldwide, highlighting their critical importance for biodiversity and ecosystem processes, while fostering greater societal and political appreciation, study, and conservation.

Submitted Abstracts

ID: 3.8426

Sustaining Himalayan Springs: Participatory Approaches to Springshed Management in Khirsu Block, Uttarakhand

Monika Roy

Abstract/Description

Springs serve as the vital freshwater sources in the Indian Himalayas, sustaining both ecological systems and human settlements. However, geomorphic changes, climate variability, and anthropogenic activities are altering the hydrological balance, leading to reduced spring discharge and seasonal drying. This study examines the geomorphological controls on spring sustainability in Khirsu Block, Pauri Garhwal, with a focus on terrain characteristics, land use changes, and hydrogeological dynamics. The research employs geomorphological mapping, slope and aspect analysis, elevation profiling, and land use land cover (LULC) change detection using remote sensing and GIS techniques. Field based GPS mapping, discharge measurements, and community surveys supplement the analysis. Findings reveal that spring distribution is closely linked to geological formations, slope orientation, and land use transformations. Springs situated along structural discontinuities and moderate slopes (15o – 30o) with north and northeast facing aspects exhibit relatively higher and sustained discharge rates. However, increasing rangelands, deforestation and expanding built up areas have reduced groundwater recharge potential, exacerbating water scarcity. The study highlights terrain instability, increased surface runoff and declining infiltration as key threats to the long-term sustainability of these springs. A participatory conservation model integrating hydrogeological assessment, community-based recharge techniques, and policy interventions is recommended to mitigate water stress and sustain these critical freshwater resources in the fragile Himalayan landscape.

ID: 3.9491

Springshed Management: An Analysis of Identified Springs at Khirsu and Pauri Block of Pauri Garhwal

Manjeet Singh

Abstract/Description

The Indian Himalayan region, home to approximately 50 million people and attracting around 100 million tourists annually, relies heavily on diverse water sources, particularly springs, for its water supply. These springs, known locally as Dharas, serve as essential resources for drinking and other daily needs, especially in states like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Nagaland, where a significant portion of the population depends on them. However, the sustainability and resilience of these springs are increasingly jeopardized by climate change, deforestation, and human activities, leading to a substantial decline in their discharge rates. This research paper aims to identify the potential recharge zone of springs in the Himalayan region using geomorphic feature, LULC and rainfall data. Utilizing methodologies like spatial mapping of geomorphic features, and community-based conservation strategies, the study identifies critical recharge areas and highlights the importance of implementing artificial rainwater harvesting techniques and promoting Afforestation and Reforestation activities in identified recharge areas. The findings underscore the urgent need for protective measures to preserve these vital water sources, which are crucial for the livelihoods and well-being of Himalayan communities, particularly in the face of ongoing environmental changes.

ID: 3.9738

Mountain Springs in Nepal: Physiochemical and Biological Changes Over Six Years

Bhumika Thapa
Jacobsen, Dean; Pant, Ramesh Raj

Abstract/Description

Mountain springs are vital for biodiversity. In many rural areas of the Himalayas, springs are also important water sources and have cultural significance for local people. However, these aquatic ecosystems are increasingly facing depletion, leading to growing water scarcity. The combination of natural factors, human activities and climate change is intensifying the problem. Yet, there is a lack of comprehensive research on the extent of these impacts. This study investigates the physiochemical and biological changes in springs in Nepal’s middle hills region over a six-year period, examining how both environmental shifts and human activities are affecting these vital water sources and their ecosystems. The findings highlight the current status of springs and offer crucial insights for the development of policies aimed at conserving these water resources in the Himalayas.

ID: 3.10293

Water quality assessment of springs originating from rock glaciers: results from a multi-year survey in the Western Alps, Italy

Michela Rogora
Musazzi, Simona; Tartari, Gabriele; Orru', Arianna; Giacomotti, Paola; Paro, Luca

Abstract/Description

Springs are a fundamental part of the mountain landscape, providing ecosystems services and valuable water resources. Among them, springs originating from rock glaciers (RGs) and permafrost-related areas are still understudied ecosystems, often due to their limited accessibility. Intact RGs are considered important water storage because they contain permafrost ice volumes. Their relevance as water resources in alpine basins for multiple use is predicted to increase with respect to glaciers under climate change scenarios. In this respect, a proper evaluation of the quality of RG outflows is needed. Moreover, RG springs represent unique habitats, with an important role in biodiversity conservation. One of the peculiar features of springs originating from RGs is the constantly low water temperature, considered as a distinct signal of the presence of ice, and suggesting a possible role of these ecosystems as climate refugia. Studies performed in different regions of the Alps have shown how RG outflows may have sharply different chemical characteristics, mainly depending on the interaction of ice and bedrock lithology. A few studies have reported critical issues, such as the presence of high concentrations of trace metals, pointing to water quality below drinking water standards. Here we present the results of a chemical survey performed on five springs from intact RGs in 2020-2024 in the Piedmont region, Western Alps, Italy, within the INTERREG project RESERVAQUA. The survey aimed to characterize and assess the water quality of the selected springs based on major ions, nutrients, and trace metals. Assemblage composition of epilithic diatoms was also analysed in a subgroup of sites, to evaluate water quality through a sensitive and widely used biological indicator. All the investigated sites were characterized by low to moderate ion content, low nutrients and organic carbon concentrations and trace metals close or below the detection limit. Lithology was the main driver of spring water chemistry, with meteo-climatic factors playing a role in seasonal and interannual variability. The results of this study prompt the need for shared protocols and joint monitoring programs on these sensitive ecosystems, possibly involving sites all over the Alps, and integrating chemical and biological indicators.

ID: 3.10757

Long-term trends in mountain forest spring vegetation exposed to acidification and drought

Vincent Wilkens
Beierkuhnlein, Carl

Abstract/Description

Large parts of Central European mountains are formed by siliceous rocks. These mountains have been exposed to severe acid precipitation during the second half of the 20th century resulting in extensive forest decline. Soils on siliceous parent material were sensitive to acidification, particularly as most forest ecosystems were dominated by conifers. Mostly paleozooic siliceous metamorphic rocks are very dense and do not provide substantial aquifers. These periglacial mountains were not glaciated during the Pleistocene but were exposed to permafrost and solifluction. In a legacy of these processes, infiltrated water in forest catchments is conducted downhill as interflow close to the surface with short residence times and clearly limited catchments. Springs and their stenoecious plant communities are closely linked to the biogeochemical processes in these catchments. With the end of the Cold War and German reunification, environmental policy and technology rapidly reduced acid precipitations. However, there was no rapid recovery of pH in the discharge of these springs. During the last decades, an additional stressor came along with climate change and increasing fluctuations in precipitation patterns. Severe droughts, such as in 2003 and 2018, were directly reflected in spring vegetation and hydrochemistry. Here, we present results from long-term surveys of springs in the Frankonian Forest and Fichtel Mountains, highlighting their importance as an integrative monitoring system for environmental changes.

ID: 3.11963

Long-term research on springs and springbrooks in the UNESCO Biosfera Engiadina Val Müstair (CH)

Stefanie Von Fumetti
Abderhalden, Angelika

Abstract/Description

Evidence-based long-term data on how alpine headwaters react to climatic changes are rare and hardly exist for groundwater-fed springs. A long-term research was therefore implemented in 2019 at 15 springs, seven springbrooks and three brooks in the UNESCO Biosfera Engiadina Val Müstair. The goal is to gain empirical data on hydro-ecological aspects over several decades to understand if a) the environmental conditions in groundwater-fed headwaters change over time and b) how these changes influence species composition. First results confirm environmental stability typical for groundwater-fed systems. A certain seasonal variability of the discharge and the water temperature possibility indicates an influence of permafrost or snow meltwater. The species assemblages differ significantly between sites and species richness is higher in the springbrooks. Elevation and the availability of wood are thereby of special importance for the species composition, and eDNA-Metabarcoding underlines the importance of non-biting midges also in springs. In the Swiss National Parc, we also have the unique opportunity to compare data from 1937 and 2024 along a ~200 m stretch of four springbrooks. The water temperature stayed stable or even decreased over the 80-year period, indicating, again, a possible influence of permafrost. The species composition changed slightly with rhithral species such as Amphinemura sulcicollis being more abundant in 2024. The data gained in the UBEVM provide a fundamental basis for the interpretation of changes identified on a long-term basis in springs and springbrooks in the Central Alps.

ID: 3.12271

Alpine Springs are often underestimated: Science and awareness raising

Angelika Abderhalden
Hofstetter, Eliane; von Fumetti, Stefanie

Abstract/Description

Springs are vital sources of drinking water for both humans and animals, yet they are highly sensitive ecosystems impacted by human activities. These habitats offer unique environmental conditions that support numerous specialized and endangered species. Despite their importance, public awareness of springs as valuable habitats remains limited. In the Alps, scientific data on spring ecology often comes from research in protected areas. In the UNESCO Biosfera Engiadina Val Müstair, the knowledge gained from applied spring research has been used to raise awareness of ecologically significant springs and promote their conservation. Touristic regions offer a unique opportunity to educate the public. This presentation will explore two approaches on how scientific knowledge can be used to raise awareness of spring habitats. So far, two spring trails have been developed in the tourist destination of Samnaun. A sustainability trail in Scuol is currently being added. These trails offer tourists and the local population exciting, practical experiences that promote respect and the sustainable use of the springs. As the children of today are the decision-makers of tomorrow, we are also developing educational materials specifically designed to teach schoolchildren about the importance of springs. Through these initiatives, we aim to contribute to the long-term, sustainable protection of Alpine springs by inspiring both current and future generations to appreciate and safeguard these essential ecosystems by translating and disseminating science results.

ID: 3.12833

Hidden Carbon Hotspots: The Role of Alpine Springs in the Global CO₂ budget

Flavia Tromboni
Lorke, Andreas; Mendoza-Lera, Clara; Piana, Lucia; Grandi, Giulia; Bertuzzo, Enrico; Bernal, Susana; Grossart, Hans-Peter; Cantonati, Marco

Abstract/Description

Spring ecosystems play a crucial role in the global carbon budget, often exhibiting high CO₂ concentrations due to groundwater inputs enriched with CO2, e.g. via soil respiration and rock weathering. Despite their obvious importance, springs remain underrepresented in carbon cycle assessments, leading to an incomplete understanding of their role in regulating carbon fluxes at local, regional, and global scales. The magnitude of CO₂ concentrations in springs depends on several factors, including lithology, aquifer type, and hydrological connectivity. However, little research has quantified CO₂ fluxes from mountain springs and their variability. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a year-long study of four alpine springs in the Adamello Brenta Nature Park (Italian Alps), sampled CO₂ concentrations across different seasons and modelled CO₂ fluxes and emissions to assess both spatial and temporal variability. Our findings reveal high CO₂ fluxes in some alpine springs and substantial heterogeneity among spring types, with geomorphic and geological characteristics playing a key role in shaping this variability. This suggests that alpine springs contribute significantly and in diverse ways to regional carbon budgets, with broader implications for carbon cycling in mountainous landscapes. We argue that mountain spring ecosystems should be recognized as hidden carbon hotspots, playing a crucial – yet often overlooked – role in carbon cycling. Springs conservation is essential for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem stability, and for ensuring their role in global carbon regulation, as these ecosystems can influence carbon storage, sequestration, and fluxes across aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

ID: 3.13059

Ecohydrogeological characterization of spring ecosystems to inform the selection of strategic zones / main aquifer types to support conservation and long-term monitoring: The case study of the Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy)

Marco Cantonati
Piana, Lucia; Angeli, Nicola; Dinelli, Enrico; Filippini, Maria; Gargini, Alessandro; Greggio, Nicolas; Mustoni, Andrea; Petraglia, Alessandro; Atia Saber, Abdullah; Spitale, Daniel; Tomaselli, Marcello; Tromboni, Flavia; Segadelli, Stefano

Abstract/Description

Springs are keystone ecosystems with unique characteristics, that are particularly numerous and diversified in mountain landscapes. Despite their enormous importance for nature conservation, they are underrecognized as natural systems, pervasively used and often destroyed, to an extent that there is a long-time ongoing silent global crisis of spring demise. In the frame of our efforts to foster the recognition of springs as ecosystems, in a case study in the Northern Apennines (Emilia-Romagna Region, particularly the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park), we identified five main strategic zones / main aquifer types to support spring conservation in the Emilia-Romagna Region: ophiolithic ridge, turbidite sandstone ridge, Triassic karst, shallow-marine arenite springs, and fontanili (semi-natural lowland springs typical of the Po floodplain). In each of these strategic zones, after hydrogeological characterization, at least five springs were surveyed and sampled for hydrochemistry, selected indicators and biota (benthic diatoms developing on the main substrata and possible dominant macroalgae and cyanoprokaryotes, vegetation including bryophytes and with cover estimation of the species). These data will be used to refine the definition of the five strategic zones. Moreover, representative springs were selected for a long-term ecological research programme, that builds on a long-term monitoring of springs (and high-elevation lakes) in the Adamello-Brenta Nature Park which is collecting chemical and biological data on an annual basis since about 30 years. The springs in the Northern Apennines were selected in a way to enhance comparability with those of the south-eastern Alps in terms of morphological type, discharge, elevation, mineralization level etc. The new programme (starting 2025) will allow to sample ten springs (5 in the Alps and 5 in the Apennines) every five years, complemented by the sampling of a core group of 5 springs (2 Alps, 3 Apennines) in the central year of the five-year period. Preliminary data suggest relevant trends in discharge (Apennines), temperature and alkalinity (Alps). The main goal is to keep using springs as sentinel environments of the effects of environmental change and land-use, in a time of ever-increasing threats due to climate change effects and augmented exploitation of aquatic ecosystems.

ID: 3.13229

Springs Above the Tree-line (SAT): An international collaborative scientific network to foster high-elevation springs as the last frontier of spring ecosystem conservation

Lucia Piana
Segadelli, Stefano; Angeli, Nicola; Beierkuhnlein, Carl; Chattová, Barbora; Cid-Rodríguez, María; Dinelli, Enrico; Gargini, Alessandro; Greggio, Nicolas; Hájek, Michal; Holway, Joseph H.; Jacobsen, Dean; Kapfer, Jutta; Leira, Manel; Mustoni, Andrea; Peszek, Łukasz; Rybak, Mateusz; Petraglia, Alessandro; Spitale, Daniel; Stevens, Larry; Thapa, Bhumika; Tomaselli, Marcello; Tromboni, Flavia; Cantonati, Marco

Abstract/Description

High-elevation springs represent unique ecosystems and key ecological hotspots, that provide critical insights into hydrology, biodiversity, and climate change impacts. The Springs Above the Tree-line (SAT) project is an international, collaborative initiative aimed at collecting and analysing scientific data from high-elevation, remote mountain springs. The project focuses on hydrochemistry, diatoms, and vegetation (including bryophytes and cover values) to assess ecological patterns across multiple mountain regions, creating a network dedicated to long-term ecological monitoring and comparative analyses of mountain springs. Fieldwork began in 2023 with the sampling of five Arctic springs in Norway (Tromsø) and five springs in the northern Apennines. In summer 2024, five additional springs in the southeastern Alps were studied in the Adamello-Brenta Nature Park; in summer 2025 sampling will expand the dataset further, with confirmed sites in Spain, and additional potential sites in the western and eastern Carpathians, North America (Arizona) and Himalaya. The target sites in each SAT area include five high-elevation springs located above the natural tree line, with a focus on rheocrenes and rheohelocrenes characterized by small discharges (typically <1 L s⁻¹) and electrical conductivity between 25 and 250 µS cm⁻¹. The parameters measured in the field are pH, electrical conductivity, discharge, water temperature, alkalinity, and oxygen levels. The SAT project provides valuable comparative data on high-mountain spring ecosystems, contributing to a better understanding of biodiversity, hydrology, and climate-driven changes in these fragile environments. By fostering an open, cooperative research network, SAT aims to advance knowledge on high-elevation freshwater ecosystems ecology while promoting long-term ecological monitoring across diverse mountain landscapes.

ID: 3.13318

Structure of the tychoplanktonic and epipelic diatom communities in the Zelenci spring

Igor Zelnik
Videska, Anastasija; Ger, Mateja; Zelnik, Igor

Abstract/Description

Authors: Anastasija Videska, Mateja Germ, Igor Zelnik
The seasonal dynamic of diatom communities was studied in the limnocrene spring Zelenci, located at the foothills of the Julian Alps (Slovenia). The research was conducted between November 2023 and October 2024 at four sampling sites, where tychoplanktonic and benthic samples were collected. A plankton net was used in the open water part of the limnocrene spring for the collection of tychoplankton samples, while epipelon samples were obtained from the soft substrate in its shallow areas. At all sampling sites, selected abiotic factors were measured. A total of 167 diatom species were identified, peaking in June 2024 when their density was the highest. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index was relatively high throughout the year in most of the samples, especially in the epipelic ones, where the similarity of the diatom communities between the samples was greater and more consistent. As the water level increased, the diversity index of the tychoplankton rose consistently, likely due to greater activity of the underwater springs, which brought diatoms up to the water column, and vice versa. Previous studies conducted at this site in 2014 and 2015 indicate that the trophic index is now considerably higher in certain months, suggesting that the spring is occasionally enriched with nutrients from the catchment area. Concentrations of NO₃⁻ and NH₄⁺ were slightly elevated in the spring and summer months, whereas the concentrations of orthophosphate were mostly below the detection limit. Planktonic species were found only in the tychoplankton community. High-profile species were mostly found in the epipelon samples due to their size and fragileness. Motile and low-profile species were dominant in the epipelon. However, they were also abundant in the tychoplanktonic samples, indicating that the species diversity in the tychoplankton is increasing due to the influence of the underwater springs. Achnanthidium minutissimum and Navicula cryptocephala reached the highest abundance in most of the samples, while the most species-rich genera were: Navicula, Gomphonema and Nitzschia. The high diversity of diatom communities in the Zelenci spring, is another good reason to preserve this valuable ecosystem and prevent further nutrient enrichment due to mass tourism or agriculture.

ID: 3.13361

Springs as climate refugia in a semi-arid mountainous ecosystem in Idaho, U.S.A.

Grace Peven
Eitel, Jan; Link, Timothy; Estey, Eli; Engels, Mary

Abstract/Description

Climate refugia are areas that remain relatively stable amid climate variability and change, making them increasingly prioritized worldwide for safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services. Wet and cool microenvironments often serve as climate refugia in semi-arid regions. However, springs—locations where groundwater reaches the Earth’s surface – remain underexplored in climate refugia science. This study investigated the potential of spring ecosystems as climate refugia in a semi-arid mountainous region of central Idaho, U.S.A. Using high-resolution PlanetScope imagery (2017–2024), we derived seasonal phenophases from a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series to assess ecological stability at 40 springs and surrounding non-spring areas. Springs were considered climate refugia if they had lower phenological variability and sensitivity to interannual climate variability relative to non-springs. We found that springs exhibited significantly lower interannual variability in end of growing season (EOS) timing (24 days less than non-springs). Higher annual climate water balance, reflecting greater precipitation relative to potential evapotranspiration, corresponded with later EOS timing for both springs (p < 0.001) and non-springs (p 0.05) associations with topographic factors, underscoring their independence from topographically driven refugia. Our findings highlight springs as climate refugia, due to their buffering of water limitations that stabilize late season phenology. Under climate change, water deficits will become more severe and accelerate the depletion of summer soil moisture in arid and semi-arid regions of the globe, making climate refugia like springs increasingly important. Future research should examine groundwater recharge processes to monitor the inputs to spring refugial stability across a range of climate conditions and geographies.

FS 3.167: Advancements in monitoring snow and glaciers in mountain regions using satellite data

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#IMC: September 14 - 18 2025

FS 3.168

Global mountain spring ecosystems

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