Global warming-the slopes of the Alps are covered with cacti instead of snow – #Global #warmingthe #slopes #Alps #covered #cacti #snow
Due to global warming, prickly pear cacti (Opuntia cacti) have grown on the slopes of the Alps in Valais, Switzerland.
Experts consider this a threat to biodiversity, since this type of cacti already makes up a third of the vegetation.
About cacti report According to geology professor Peter Baumgartner, who was commissioned to prepare, the cacti in question can easily withstand temperatures down to -15 ° C, but this type of cacti needs dry places and “snow he doesn’t like his cover”.
According to a recent study by Italian scientists, snow It covers the Alps for about a month, which is less than the historical average “unprecedented in the last six centuries”.
According to the Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, since 1970, the number of snow days in the mountains above 800 meters has halved. In Switzerland, warming has already accelerated to 2.4°C.
The information also emphasizes that this type of cacti, which threatens biodiversity, was brought to Switzerland from North America near the end of the 18th century. The expansion of cacti is observed in two other cantons of Switzerland, as well as in the valleys of Italy.
It is even reported that a campaign to clean cacti will be launched soon. But it is also noted that this type of cacti cannot be completely destroyed, but only their spread can be limited.