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We present a 1:15,000 geomorphological map of the Maladeta massif in the Central Pyrenees. Our methodology includes fieldwork, the analysis of aerial photographs from 1956 to 2015, and the use of drone flights from 2020 to 2023. The study area consists mainly of granodiorite but also has outcrops of limestone, shales, and quartzites at lower elevations. The landscape of the Maladeta massif is primarily shaped by glacial and periglacial processes, with fluvial, karstic, and hillslope dynamics manifesting in the lower regions. The assessment of moraine thickness has facilitated the determination of maximum glacier thickness during the Little Ice Age (LIA) and has shown that there is no correlation between ice thickness and glacier extent. After the LIA, the massif experienced a continuous glacier retreat. Currently, only 21.4% of the glacier area observed in 1956 remains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfires are widely recognized as a cause of mechanical damage to rocks. Nevertheless, previous research has neglected how wildfires might impact sport climbing areas. In Spain, two large wildfires affected two climbing areas between 2020 and 2021. This paper addresses the rock mechanical effects of wildfires that could lead to safety issues, such as rock falls, climbing hold deterioration, and climbing anchor damage. In this study, the Non-Destructive Techniques (NDTs) of Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) and Schmidt Hammer (SH) were used, and two types of measurements were carried out: randomized grid measurements and measurements along the climbing routes. Two phenomena were recognized: (a) thermal breakdown and (b) mineralogical changes. The results of using the SH show a relationship between the decrease in the rebound value and the observed mechanical damage. Field observations showed mechanical weathering, such as cracking, spalling, granular disaggregation, and thermochemical weathering with different temperature thresholds. Observed thermochemical reactions included reddening, CaCO3 calcination, rock decomposition, and quartz cracking. The set of changes involves a major rock outcrop transformation and an acceleration of fire-induced weathering processes. Both areas exhibited more effects at the bottom of the wall. Furthermore, in this paper, we explore how iconic climbing routes can be considered a form of cultural heritage and the consequences of their loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antarctica has many sites containing geological features of global scientific importance. The identification of Geosites can also assist Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties (ATCPs) when conducting Environmental Impact Assessments for activities in Antarctica, and in the identification of vulnerable geological locations requiring greater management or protection. Crucially, the location contains fossil evidence that the extinction at high latitudes was just as extensive as in lower latitude sites closer to the impact site, and that the effects of the event were truly global. [Extracted from the article]

Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.