Small catchments: remote sensing approach for environmental research in the High Arctic

This study examines the morphometric characteristics and environmental changes in 143 small catchments within Wedel Jarlsberg Land, southern Svalbard, focusing on the influence of topography on glacier retreat, lake evolution, and vegetation dynamics. The catchments analysed varied in size, with 65% smaller than 4 km2. Elevation ranged from 1.9 to 1200 m a.s.l., and the catchments exhibited significant topographic variability, including steep slopes and varying exposures. Glaciers in the study area have undergone a 30% reduction in area from 1936 (228.34 km2) to 2020 (158.26 km2). This retreat has led to the expansion of glacial lakes, particularly within moraines, with a general trend towards increasing numbers and sizes of lakes over time. Vegetation changes were assessed using normalized difference vegetation index data from 1979 to 2020, revealing few increasing trends. Topographical features, including mean elevation, slope and catchment size, were analysed to understand their impact on glacial retreat and vegetation growth. The study found that mean slope and aspect had the strongest influence on vegetation dynamics, and that mean elevation and slope values have an impact on glacial retreat in the High Arctic.