Impacts of Climate Warming on Alpine Glacier Tourism and Adaptive Measures: A Case Study of Baishui Glacier No. 1 in Yulong Snow Mountain, Southwestern China

Shijin Wang; Yuanqing He; Xiaodong Song

doi:10.1007/s12583-010-0015-2

Volume 21 Issue 2

Apr 2010

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Journal of Earth Science > 2010 > 21(2): 166-178.

Shijin Wang, Yuanqing He, Xiaodong Song. Impacts of Climate Warming on Alpine Glacier Tourism and Adaptive Measures: A Case Study of Baishui Glacier No. 1 in Yulong Snow Mountain, Southwestern China. Journal of Earth Science, 2010, 21(2): 166-178. doi: 10.1007/s12583-010-0015-2

Citation:

Shijin Wang, Yuanqing He, Xiaodong Song. Impacts of Climate Warming on Alpine Glacier Tourism and Adaptive Measures: A Case Study of Baishui Glacier No. 1 in Yulong Snow Mountain, Southwestern China. Journal of Earth Science, 2010, 21(2): 166-178. doi: 10.1007/s12583-010-0015-2

Citation:

Shijin Wang, Yuanqing He, Xiaodong Song. Impacts of Climate Warming on Alpine Glacier Tourism and Adaptive Measures: A Case Study of Baishui Glacier No. 1 in Yulong Snow Mountain, Southwestern China. Journal of Earth Science, 2010, 21(2): 166-178. doi: 10.1007/s12583-010-0015-2

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Impacts of Climate Warming on Alpine Glacier Tourism and Adaptive Measures: A Case Study of Baishui Glacier No. 1 in Yulong Snow Mountain, Southwestern China

doi: 10.1007/s12583-010-0015-2

Shijin Wang^{1, 2
,
,},
Yuanqing He^{1, 3},
Xiaodong Song⁴

1.
State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Yulong Snow Mountain Glacial and Environmental Observation Station, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
2.
Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
3.
Institute of Environment and Climate Change Research in Western China, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
4.
Department of Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA

Funds:

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 40971019

the National Natural Science Foundation of China J0630966

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 40801028

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 90511007

the National Basic Research Program of China 2007CB411501

the Special Grant for Postgraduate Research, Innovation and Practice

the West Light Foundation of Chinese Academy of Sciences O828A11001

the Fund from the State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences

the Fund from Lijiang City Government

the Major Directionality Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences KZCX-YW-317

More Information

Corresponding author: Wang Shijin, xiaohanjin@126.com
Received Date: 30 Oct 2009
Accepted Date: 10 Jan 2010
Publish Date: 01 Apr 2010

Abstract

Abstract

Alpine glaciers usually feature with best hydrothermal condition in mountain climate, and present beautiful glacier scenery, various glacier landforms, rich biodiversity, and easier accessibility, compared with continental glaciers or ice sheets. Nevertheless, Alpine glaciers are more sensitive to climate warming, and climate warming has seriously affected Alpine glaciers and surrounding environment. The quality and attractiveness of Alpine glaciers to tourism has been and will continue to be diminished with tourists' visitation and local economic development. At present, it has become a primary problem that Alpine glacier tourism adapts to climate warming. Based on this reason, the purpose of this article is to take Baishui (白水) Glacier No. 1 as an example to outline the possible impacts of climate warming on Alpine glacier tourism and put forward some adaptive measures and strategies aligned with climate warming. Specific measures are as follows: (1) optimize the space layout of glacier tourism area; (2) improve glacier tourism and environmental protection planning; (3) adopt multidimensional protective measures; (4) strengthen scientific research of glacier and environment protection; (5) develop glacier tourism products by multi-directions; (6) integrate regional tourism resources; (7) reinforce public environmental education.
- Alpine glacier,
- global warming,
- Baishui Glacier No. 1,
- impact and adaptation

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