A recent history of deglaciation and vegetation establishment in a contrasted geomorphological context, Glacier Blanc, French Alps

This paper combines a new chronosequence of deglaciation from 1952 to 2015 for Glacier Blanc, French Alps, with an analysis of the proglacial area greening trend. Deglaciated landscapes are ideal natural arenas to investigate geoecological processes, and the Glacier Blanc is an interesting case as it offers a contrasted geomorphological context. The relationships between vegetation and glaciological, geomorphological and hydrological features have first been assessed by revising the existing chronosequence of deglaciation by geo-referencing 12 historical images which has allowed the production of a dense high resolution glacier outline sequence since 1952. Geomorphological and hydrological features have been mapped by photo-interpretation of historical images. The spatial distribution of vegetation and greening trends were assessed using a 2015 high resolution infra-red images and 35-years of Landsat images from 1984 to 2019. The main map illustrates the spatial intertwining of geomorphological and hydrological features with vegetation primary succession in a deglaciated landscapes.