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Dive into the research topics where Cristina García-Hernández is active.

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Featured researches published by Cristina García-Hernández.


Science of The Total Environment | 2017

Spatial characterization of glacial and periglacial landforms in the highlands of Sierra Nevada (Spain)

Pedro Palma; Michael G. Oliva; Cristina García-Hernández; A. Gómez Ortiz; Jesús Ruiz-Fernández; Ferran Salvador-Franch; Montserrat Salvà Catarineu

Sierra Nevada constitutes the southernmost and highest massif in the Iberian Peninsula, with elevations exceeding 3000m. Two large glacial advances were recorded during the Last Glaciation and several minor advances occurred until the Early Holocene. Since then, periglacial activity has prevailed above 2500m. Here, we present a new and more accurate geomorphological map of the highlands of Sierra Nevada, integrating in a GIS environment i) high resolution satellite imagery, ii) topographic data, and iii) field observations. This approach has allowed a better characterization of the spatial extent of cold-climate morphogenic processes and associated landforms formed during the Last Glaciation and subsequent deglaciation. Despite its extension and high altitude, the steep relief of Sierra Nevada and its southern location conditioned a significantly lower glaciated surface (104.6km2) with respect to other Iberian massifs. We have also inferred the paleoclimatic conditions of the study area through the calculation of Equilibrium Line Altitudes (ELAs). The distribution of the lowest moraines suggests an ELA for the maximum glacial extent at 2525m in the northern slope and 2650m in the southern side, increasing towards the east. Local ELA differences are related to: (i) the influence of the warmer Mediterranean Sea in contrast to the cooler Atlantic Ocean, (ii) the climate with more continental characteristics on the northern slope, and (iii) the microscale control of the local topography. Mean annual air temperatures in the ice-free summit plateaus were between -4/-6°C during the maximum local glacial extent, determining permafrost conditions with intense periglacial dynamics. Rock glaciers and protalus lobes developed until 2500m, the lowest boundary for permafrost regime. The distribution of other glacial and periglacial landforms within the limits of the maximum ice extent provides evidence to better understand the extent of subsequent glacial stages and post-glacial landscape evolution in Sierra Nevada.


Science of The Total Environment | 2017

Topographic and geomorphologic controls on the distribution of vegetation formations in Elephant Point (Livingston Island, Maritime Antarctica)

Jesús Ruiz-Fernández; Marc Oliva; Cristina García-Hernández

This article focuses on the spatial distribution of vegetation formations in Elephant Point, an ice-free area of 1.16km2 located in Livingston Island (South Shetland Islands, Antarctica). Fieldwork carried out in January 2014 consisted of floristic surveys and designation of a vegetation map. We have examined these data in a GIS environment together with topographical and geomorphological features existing in the peninsula in order to infer the factors controlling vegetation distribution. This has allowed quantifying the total area covered by the four different vegetation formations distributed across the peninsula, proliferating mainly on bedrock plateaus and Holocene raised beaches. Grass formation is essentially composed of Deschampsia antarctica, distributed almost exclusively on raised beaches, and covering 4.1% of the ice-free surface. The remaining three formations are fundamentally composed of cryptogam species. The first of which is fruticose lichen and moss formation, present on high bedrock plateaus and principally formed by lichens such as Usnea aurantiaco-atra. The next is the crustose lichen formation, spreading on bedrock plateaus near the coast populated by bird colonies. In this case, ornitocoprophilous lichens such as Caloplaca regalis, Xanthoria elegans and Haematomma erythromma are predominant. Together, both formations have colonised 5.1% of the peninsula. The last variety, moss carpet and moss cushion formation, occupies 1.4% of the deglaciated surface, spreading primarily in flooded areas, stabilised talus slopes, and bedrock plateaus as well. Therefore, the total surface colonised by vegetation is 12.2ha, which comprises 10.5% of the peninsula. Due to the retreat of the Rotch Dome glacier, 20.1ha remain ice-free since 1956 (17.3% of the deglaciated area). Ever since, even though the Antarctic Peninsula has registered one of the most significant temperature rises on Earth, vegetation has only colonised 0.04ha of this new space, which merely represents 0.3% of the vegetated area in Elephant Point.


Quaternary Science Reviews | 2016

Environmental evolution in the Picos de Europa (Cantabrian Mountains, SW Europe) since the Last Glaciation

Jesús Ruiz-Fernández; Marc Oliva; Anabela Cruces; Vera Lopes; M. C. Freitas; César Andrade; Cristina García-Hernández; José Antonio López-Sáez; Miguel Geraldes


Catena | 2017

Soil temperatures in an Atlantic high mountain environment: The Forcadona buried ice patch (Picos de Europa, NW Spain)

Jesús Ruiz-Fernández; Marc Oliva; Filip Hrbáček; Gonçalo Vieira; Cristina García-Hernández


Global and Planetary Change | 2017

Reforestation and land use change as drivers for a decrease of avalanche damage in mid-latitude mountains (NW Spain)

Cristina García-Hernández; Jesús Ruiz-Fernández; Covadonga Sánchez-Posada; Susana Pereira; Marc Oliva; Gonçalo Vieira


Boletin De La Asociacion De Geografos Espanoles | 2018

El episodio de movimientos en masa asociado a los temporales de nieve de 1888 en el Macizo Asturiano

Cristina García-Hernández; Jesús Ruiz-Fernández; Marc Oliva; David Gallinar


computational intelligence and games | 2017

An extreme event between The Little Ice Age and the 20th century: the snow avalanche cycle of 1888 in the Asturian Massif (Northern Spain)

Cristina García-Hernández; Jesús Ruiz-Fernández; C. Sánchez-Posada; S. Pereira; M. Oliva


Vegueta: Anuario de la Facultad de Geografía e Historia | 2017

La Playa d’El Gavieiru (Asturias, Noroeste de España) como enclave geomorfológico de interés didáctico / An interesting geomorphological setting from the educational point of view: The Beach of Gavieiru (Asturias, North-western Spain)

Cristina García-Hernández; Jesús Ruiz-Fernández; Antonio Fernández Fernández; David Gallinar


Espacio, Tiempo y Forma. Serie VI, Geografía | 2017

Serrano Cañadas, Enrique: Islas de hielo. Naturaleza, presencia humana y paisaje en las Islas Shetland del Sur, Antártida. Valladolid, Universidad de Valladolid, Secretariado de Publicaciones e Intercambio Editorial, 2008, 248 págs.

Jesús Ruiz-Fernández; Cristina García-Hernández


Cuaternario y Geomorfología | 2017

El efecto de los cambios en la cubierta vegetal sobre la evolución de los daños por aludes en el Macizo Asturiano

Cristina García-Hernández; Jesús Ruiz-Fernández; Susana Pereira

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José Antonio López-Sáez

Spanish National Research Council

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M. Oliva

University of Barcelona

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