Contenu du sommaire

Abstract. — The mountainous province of Sondrio, situated in the upper north of Lombardy, is a region where summer tourism is not concentrated and where no great international resort can be found. However, for a few years, it has been awakening to some new and wide winter ambitions. Not withstanding true improvements, the progresses would be much better, had the province not been so poorly connected to the urbanized and rich neighbouring regions.

Summary. — This biogeographical study of Calfeisental, a tiny valley in the eastern part of the Swiss Alps, is an attempt to apply the concept of the geographical ecosystem in a high-mountain area. The author establishes the altitudinal zones and divides the valley into three principal écorégions (regions based on the geographical ecosystem) and 17 sub-regions. He examines the bio-physical character of each ecoregion, the value of each in the present pastoral economy, and the causes of the differences between regions. Finally, he suggests some implications of this kind of study for planning and for the future development of Calfeisental.

Abstracts. — Cerdagne, Alps of Nice, Upper Durance, Engadine. A comparative climatological outline. The author investigates one by one the climatic elements relating to the 4 above-mentioned regions. He establishes that : - with respect to temperatures the first two areas are very much alike; the upper Durance records the ampler oscillations, Engadine the sharper colds; — as regards the total amount of precipitation, the Alpes of Nice get a maximum while the three others areas are much drier; — as regards the regime the Alps of Nice and the Upper Durance have a maximum flow in autumn; they have a minimum in summer, yet this is far less marked in the Upper Durance; Engadine and Cerdagne definitely have a summer maximum; — as for snowfalls the Alps of Nice and Engadine get the most, but Engadine keeps its coat of snow much longer and much more uniformly; — as for insolation Cerdagne and Upper Durance are at the top, while as for relative humidity they record the lowest. Such analogies and differences are ascribable to latitude, situation in relation to the sea, and to the topographical features, as shown in the chart of the conditions determined by atmospheric circulation. Hence the place of each region in the schemes of a climatical classification : Engadine : central-european intra-alpine climate; Upper Durance : peripheral-mediterranean intra-alpine climate; Alps of Nice : climate of the mediterranean ligurian-type mountains; Cerdagne : peripheral-mediterranean south Pyrenean climate.