High Mountain Range Research Articles

Understanding Dynamics of Land Cover Changes Using GIS Technique in a River Catchment with High Altitude Differences – an Analysis from Kosovo

This article analyses Land Cover Changes in the Lumbardhi of Prizreni (LP) River catchment in southern Kosovo. As a landlocked country, Kosovo has highly diverse landform features. LP River catchment is located in Sharri's transboundary high mountain range and the southern part of Dukagjini Plain. In the last two decades, the landscape has experienced a transformation in land cover changes, especially in the increasing of artificial surfaces in the plains. Using GIS techniques, data were calculated for the selected years, and their dynamics were visualised for the last two decades. The analysis shows a decrease in agricultural land and complex cultivation patterns (-806 ha), an increase in artificial surface, especially discontinuous urban fabric (+354 ha), and small changes in forest and seminatural areas, which are primarily included in "Sharri" National Park.

Checklist of Myxomycetes (Amoebozoa) of the Polish Tatra Mts

The Tatra Mts are the highest mountain range in the Carpathians and are an important biodiversity region for many organisms. Plants, animals, and fungi are better studied in this region, while myxomycetes still remain understudied. This study presents the most up-to-date checklist of myxomycetes in the Polish Tatra Mts. The list is based on the published literature data and new records from the years 2000-2019. Overall, 85 species are reported, four are new to Poland (<i>Arcyria</i> cf. <i>helvetica</i>, <i>Cribraria macrospora</i>, <i>Fuligo</i> cf. <i>licentii</i>, and <i>Nannengaella</i> cf. <i>mellea</i>), and 30 taxa (species or varieties) are reported for the first time from the study area.

The impact of climate change on the taxonomic composition of the Zagatala State Nature Reserve

Zagatala State Nature Reserve is one of the first reserves created in the South Caucasus. The territory of this reserve, organized in 1929, is 47349 ha. The fact that the Zagatala Reserve is bordered by the Lagodekhi Reserve (Georgia) and the Tiyarta Ban (Russia) further increases its natural conservation importance. The main four factors that influence the climate of the reserve are geographical latitude, the protection of the area from the north by mountain ranges, the presence of a strongly fragmented relief and the height amplitude of the area to be high (up to 360-3600 m). Because the soil is rich and the relief is complex, the flora and vegetation are also diverse. Only 1.6% of its area covered by forest is mainly coniferous Pinus hamata (Steven) Sosn., Taxus baccata L., Juniperus oblonga M.B. species. Pinus hamata (Steven) Sosn., which grows naturally only in Balakenchay basin in Azerbaijan it is sparsely distributed in the not very high mountain range up to 1000 m in height between Balakenchay and Filizchay, at an altitude of 1200 m above sea level. In the Zagatala State Nature Reserve, the main composition of the flora is petrophytes, i.e., rock plants consisting of stony soil.

Evaluating wind profiles in a numerical weather prediction model with Doppler lidar

Abstract. We use Doppler lidar wind profiles from six locations around the globe to evaluate the wind profile forecasts in the boundary layer generated by the operational global Integrated Forecast System (IFS) from the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). The six locations selected cover a variety of surfaces with different characteristics (rural, marine, mountainous urban, and coastal urban). We first validated the Doppler lidar observations at four locations by comparison with co-located radiosonde profiles to ensure that the Doppler lidar observations were of sufficient quality. The two observation types agree well, with the mean absolute error (MAE) in wind speed almost always less than 1 m s−1. Large deviations in the wind direction were usually only seen for low wind speeds and are due to the wind direction uncertainty increasing rapidly as the wind speed tends to zero. Time–height composites of the wind evaluation with 1 h resolution were generated, and evaluation of the model winds showed that the IFS model performs best over marine and coastal locations, where the mean absolute wind vector error was usually less than 3 m s−1 at all heights within the boundary layer. Larger errors were seen in locations where the surface was more complex, especially in the wind direction. For example, in Granada, which is near a high mountain range, the IFS model failed to capture a commonly occurring mountain breeze, which is highly dependent on the sub-grid-size terrain features that are not resolved by the model. The uncertainty in the wind forecasts increased with forecast lead time, but no increase in the bias was seen. At one location, we conditionally performed the wind evaluation based on the presence or absence of a low-level jet diagnosed from the Doppler lidar observations. The model was able to reproduce the presence of the low-level jet, but the wind speed maximum was about 2 m s−1 lower than observed. This is attributed to the effective vertical resolution of the model being too coarse to create the strong gradients in wind speed observed. Our results show that Doppler lidar is a suitable instrument for evaluating the boundary layer wind profiles in atmospheric models.

High-resolution debris-cover mapping using UAV-derived thermal imagery: limits and opportunities

Abstract. Debris-covered glaciers are widespread in high mountain ranges on earth. However, the dynamic evolution of debris-covered glacier surfaces is not well understood, in part due to difficulties in mapping debris-cover thickness in high spatiotemporal resolution. In this study, we present land surface temperatures (LSTs) of supraglacial debris cover and their diurnal variability measured from an unpiloted aerial vehicle (UAV) at a high (15 cm) spatial resolution. We test two common approaches to derive debris-thickness maps by (1) solving a surface energy balance model (SEBM) in conjunction with meteorological reanalysis data and (2) least squares regression of a rational curve using debris-thickness field measurements. In addition, we take advantage of the measured diurnal temperature cycle and estimate the rate of change of heat storage within the debris cover. Both approaches resulted in debris-thickness estimates with an RMSE of 6 to 8 cm between observed and modeled debris thicknesses, depending on the time of the day. Although the rational curve approach requires in situ field measurements, the approach is less sensitive to uncertainties in LST measurements compared to the SEBM approach. However, the requirement of debris-thickness measurements can be an inhibiting factor that supports the SEB approach. Because LST varies throughout the day, the success of a rational function to express the relationship between LST and debris thickness also varies predictably with the time of day. During the period when the debris cover is warming, LST is heavily influenced by the aspect of the terrain. As a result, clear-sky morning flights that do not consider the aspect effects can be problematic. Our sensitivity analysis of various parameters in the SEBM highlights the relevance of the effective thermal conductivity when LST is high. The residual and variable bias of UAV-derived LSTs during a flight requires calibration, which we achieve with bare-ice surfaces. The model performance would benefit from more accurate LST measurements, which are challenging to achieve with uncooled sensors in high mountain landscapes.

Sunda subduction drives ongoing India-Asia convergence

The Himalaya and the Tibetan plateau, the highest mountain range on Earth, have been growing continuously for the last 55 Myr since India collided with Eurasia. The forces driving this protracted mountain building process are still not fully understood. Although subduction zones are considered the main driving force for plate tectonics, mantle flow and plate boundary migration, their role in driving the Indian indentation and the northward movement of the collisional plate boundary is yet to be tested with geodynamic models. Here, we use four-dimensional geodynamic physical models to show that active subduction of the Indo-Australian plate along the Sunda subduction zone is probably the main driver of the India-Asia convergence, Indian indentation, and the consequent growth of the Himalaya-Tibet mountains, and also the present-day eastward crustal displacement of southeast Asia. Our experiments show that at least 880 km of northward indentation of India would not have ensued in the absence of the lateral subduction zones. Our experiments with lateral subduction zones show that subduction of the Indian continental lithosphere is maximum close to the eastern and western syntaxes, which ranges between 450 and 500 km. Based on our model results we propose that the protracted growth of collisional mountains on Earth, like the Himalaya, is highly dependent on nearby active subduction zones.

What weather variables are important for wet and slab avalanches under a changing climate in a low-altitude mountain range in Czechia?

Abstract. Climate change impact on avalanches is ambiguous. Fewer, wetter, and smaller avalanches are expected in areas where snow cover is declining, while in higher-altitude areas where snowfall prevails, snow avalanches are frequently and spontaneously triggered. In the present paper, we (1) analyse trends in frequency, magnitude, and orientation of wet- and slab-avalanche activity during 59 winter seasons (1962–2021) and (2) detect the main meteorological and snow drivers of wet and slab avalanches for winter seasons from 1979 to 2020 using machine learning techniques – decision trees and random forest – with a tool that can balance the avalanche-day and non-avalanche-day dataset. In terms of avalanches, low to medium–high mountain ranges are neglected in the literature. Therefore we focused on the low-altitude Czech Krkonoše mountain range (Central Europe). The analysis is based on an avalanche dataset of 60 avalanche paths. The number and size of wet avalanches in February and March have increased, which is consistent with the current literature, while the number of slab avalanches has decreased in the last 3 decades. More wet-avalanche releases might be connected to winter season air temperature as it has risen by 1.8 ∘C since 1979. The random forest (RF) results indicate that wet avalanches are influenced by 3 d maximum and minimum air temperature, snow depth, wind speed, wind direction, and rainfall. Slab-avalanche activity is influenced by snow depth, rainfall, new snow, and wind speed. Based on the balanced RF method, air-temperature-related variables for slab avalanches were less important than rain- and snow-related variables. Surprisingly, the RF analysis revealed a less significant than expected relationship between the new-snow sum and slab-avalanche activity. Our analysis allows the use of the identified wet- and slab-avalanche driving variables to be included in the avalanche danger level alerts. Although it cannot replace operational forecasting, machine learning can allow for additional insights for the decision-making process to mitigate avalanche hazard.

Rapid Warming in the Australian Alps from Observation and NARCliM Simulations

The Australian Alps are the highest mountain range in Australia, which are important for biodiversity, energy generation and winter tourism. Significant increases in temperature in the past decades has had a huge impact on biodiversity and ecosystem in this region. In this study, observed temperature is used to assess how temperature changed over the Australian Alps and surrounding areas. We also use outputs from two generations of NARCliM (NSW and Australian Regional Climate Modelling) to investigate spatial and temporal variation of future changes in temperature and its extremes. The results show temperature increases faster for the Australian Alps than the surrounding areas, with clear spatial and temporal variation. The changes in temperature and its extremes are found to be strongly correlated with changes in albedo, which suggests faster warming in cool season might be dominated by decrease in albedo resulting from future changes in natural snowfall and snowpack. The warming induced reduction in future snow cover in the Australian Alps will have a significant impact on this region.

Origin of Lower Cretaceous quartzose arenites in northern India and the Indus Basins of Pakistan—The result of provenance composition, weathering or diagenesis?

AbstractLower Cretaceous (Aptian‐Albian) sandstones of the Ghaggar‐Hakra Formation in the Barmer Basin of northwest Rajasthan, India, have a complex depositional history which is confusing given they are quartzose arenites. The heavy mineral grains are very well‐rounded, and the assemblage is dominated by zircon and rutile grains suggesting that the sediments have been recycled multiple times, whilst the presence of staurolite indicates a metapelite provenance component. Petrographical analysis suggests that extreme diagenesis cannot account for the quartzose arenite composition, despite Early Cretaceous soil formation and at least two periods of subsequent telogenetic modification. An alternative explanation to extreme chemical weathering in the provenance area is that the Ghaggar‐Hakra sandstones are multi‐cycle sediments derived, at least in part, from the quartzose arenites of the Cambrian Jodhpur Group. This analysis suggests that variations in detrital mineralogy across the Western India Rift System and Indus Basins are the result of transcontinental fluvial transport systems sourcing sediment from specific basement highs (Nagar Parker High, Devikot High, Deodar Ridge and Aravalli Mountain Range) mixed with varying proportions of sediment derived from sandstones of the Jodhpur Group. Consequently, we suggest that Cretaceous fluvial systems were controlled by the local palaeogeographies within the failed rifts of the Barmer and Cambay Basins and that both basins formed barriers to sediment transport from the Aravalli Mountain Range across the northwest Indian plate and into surrounding basins.

Genetic Evaluation in Natural Populations of the Threatened Conifer Amentotaxus argotaenia (Hance) Pilg. (Taxaceae) Using Microsatellites

Amentotaxus argotaenia (Hance) Pilg. is a threatened conifer with a wide distribution range from North to Central Vietnam due to habitat loss and over-exploitation. To provide information for its conservation and sustainable management, in the present study, genetic diversity and population genetic structure for 200 trees from eight populations, representing the natural distribution range of this species were estimated using nuclear microsatellites. The results showed a moderate genetic diversity of A. argotaenia (HO = 0.331, HE = 0.358). Significant heterozygosity deficits were detected in three populations in the Northeast area. Genetic differentiation was low in the same distribution area and high in different areas. However, the gene flow among the studied populations was relatively high (Nm = 1.17). Habitat fragmentation, geographical distance and high mountain range can be the major factors that reduce gene exchange between different areas. Various clustering analyses distinguished three major genetic groups related to the three distribution areas of this species in Vietnam. Based on the study results, we propose that some populations could be prioritized for in situ conservation due to their high genetic diversity with high allelic richness or private alleles, meanwhile other populations should be collected for ex situ conservation as genetic resources in the future.

Co-evolution of the Cenozoic tectonics, geomorphology, environment and ecosystem in the Qinling Mountains and adjacent areas, Central China

The Qinling Mountains stretching from east to west in Central China are an important geological and geographical boundary in the China Continent and even the East Asia Continent. The mountains were originally formed by the collision between the North and South China Blocks during the Paleozoic and Triassic, and overprinted by the Late Mesozoic intracontinental orogeny. Since the Cenozoic, the Qinling Mountains have experienced rapid uplift, forming a great and high mountain range, which has become the geographic boundary between the Northern China and Southern China. It has an important impact on the north-south climate differentiation in the China Continent, and plays a decisive role in the north-south differentiation of ecological environment, economy, and culture. It has also profoundly affected the natural environment and biodiversity pattern in China and even East Asia. This contribution provides an overview of the relationship between the Cenozoic tectonic uplift, geomorphic evolution and biodiversity in the Qinling Mountains, as well as its boundary effect on climatic and environmental changes. It describes the topographic changes under the control of tectonics, as well as the responses of climate, environment and biological evolution to the topographic changes. Due to the high mountain topography, the Qinling Mountains act as a climate barrier between the Northern and Southern China Continents. It shows the vertical climate zoning, and separates a temperate monsoon climate to the north and a subtropical monsoon climate to the south. The unique geographical location and diverse climate types make the Qinling Mountains a unique area of biodiversity in the world. All the available data indicate the co-evolution between the Cenozoic tectonics, geomorphology, environment and ecosystem in the Qinling Mountains and adjacent areas.

The digital cartographic reconstruction of the 1897 ‘Mátra Guide’ (Hungary)

Abstract. The Mátra Mts has been one of the most frequented tourist destinations since the second half of the 19th century. This area – the highest mountain range in Hungary – offers a wide variety of free-time activities, geographical and cultural values. Because of these attractions, the tourism importance of the Mátra Mts has been recognised relatively early. The first tourist association was established in 1877 by Kolos Hanák and István Széky. They published the ‘Mátra Guide’ in the same year and reissued it in 1897 with minor revisions. This publication presents the natural-cultural values and the tourism infrastructure of the surrounding area. They also describe interesting hiking routes all around the Mátra. Although the most important sights were illustrated, no cartographic representation was published. In this study we processed the content of the book: every localizable site and tourism facility were visualised applying GIS techniques. A base map of relief, watercourses, road network and settlements were edited using the 2nd military survey topographic maps of Habsburg Empire (to present former conditions), the 1933 ‘Mátra’ hiking map and hillshading (generated from SRTM). The digitized tourism elements from the book were visualised on this ‘historical hiking map’ using Leaflet. As the final online map is available to everybody, the early condition and infrastructure of tourism can be easily examined. This work contributes to the visual heritage preservation of the Mátra Mts: it may strengthen the knowledge on tourism history and digital cartographic solutions.

Control of low frequency noise from an environmental test facility

Environmental test chambers are used in the automotive industry to verify the resilience of vehicles. In just a few hours it is possible to take a car from mid-winter in the artic, via a high mountain range, to mid-summer in a desert. Powerful ventilation systems are used to change the temperature, pressure and humidity of the air in the chamber, and the variable speed blowers are a major source of low frequency noise, which can cause significant disturbance at neighbouring properties if there are gaps in silencer performance. This paper details a study to assess the attenuation requirements for a system to meet a standard criterion for low frequency far-field noise levels, and to select a reactive silencer system to achieve that specification under all circumstances. The system used standard silencer components where possible, but needed to take account of long pipe runs through the facility, with tailpipe resonances being a particular issue, and was further constrained by space and loading limits for the building. Design layouts were verified using the Actran FE code, taking account of interactions with existing silencers and transfer functions to the far-field, in order to have very high confidence of a successful outcome.

Diversity of Essential Oils and the Respective Hydrolates Obtained from Three Pinus cembra Populations in the Austrian Alps

Pinus cembra, stone pine, is an Alpine coniferous tree rich in aromatic compounds. Twigs with needles are used commonly to produce essential oils for various purposes in pharmacy, food industry, and cosmetics. Hydrolates as byproducts of hydrodistillation encounter increasing interest owing to their aromatic properties. The variabilities in the compositions of essential oil and the related hydrolates are studied in samples from individual trees growing on three sites in the Austrian high mountain range. The essential oils have been obtained by steam distillation. All essential oils contained monoterpene hydrocarbons as main compounds, especially α-pinene (36–37%), β-phellandrene (27–30%), and β-pinene (7–9%). In contrast, the volatiles in the corresponding hydrolates were dominated by oxidized compounds as α-terpineol (28–34%), terpinen-4-ol (6–8%), and verbenone (6–7%). The pinene rich essential oils might be used in pharmacy as pinene containing oils from other Pinus species, while the hydrolates are of interest for cosmetics and other well-being promoting products.

Measuring precipitation in Eastern Himalaya: Ground validation of eleven satellite, model and gauge interpolated gridded products

Precipitation plays a key role in shaping land surface processes in Himalaya. It is also the most challenging meteorological variable to model in climate change studies due to inadequate ground data. Gridded Precipitation Products (GPPs) are useful alternatives to ground data but require validation, especially in topographically complex and wet Eastern Himalaya. This study presents a fine-scaled ground validation of eleven GPPs, including five satellite-based (GPM-IMERGV06, TRMM-3B42V7, TRMM-3B42V7RT, CHIRPS-2.0 and PERSIANN-CCS), four reanalysis model-based (ERA5, ERA5-Land, AgERA5, and WRF) and two gauge-interpolated (IMD-0.25° and APHRODITE-2V18) GPPs in Eastern Himalaya. Hourly precipitation data from 27 rain gauges (Gauges) from Sikkim, representing the Eastern Himalayan climatology, is used to statistically validate the GPPs and assess their ability to capture diurnal and seasonal patterns, and extreme events.Overall, GPM-IMERG, WRF, and IMD-0.25° outperformed the other satellite, model, and interpolated GPPs, respectively, in comparison to Gauges. Near real-time TRMM-3B42RTV7 performed better than TRMM-3B42V7 for high-intensity precipitation and large storms, but not in overall performance. CHIRPS-2.0 and PERSIANN-CCS showed the least detectability and highest errors; however, PERSIANN-CCS was better at reproducing known spatial patterns in ground precipitation. The GPPs underestimated (overestimated) precipitation frequencies and volumes below (above) 3000 masl, and high (low) intensities. The highest detectability and lowest errors were observed at mid-elevation (1000-2000 masl), and in monsoon (JJASO) and summer (MAM), whereas winter (NDJF) precipitation was overestimated with high false hits. Strong diurnal cycles in precipitation were observed in Gauges with peaks around late-night-early morning (2300–0300 h) in monsoon and afternoon-evening (1600–1900 h) in summer. Satellite GPPs captured the diurnal cycle in Gauges, albeit with subdued amplitudes, whereas model GPPs failed. Owing to their superior performance and fine spatiotemporal resolutions, GPM-IMERG and WRF are recommended for hydrological studies in Eastern Himalaya. The three ERA5-based products (ERA5, ERA5-Land, AGERA5), along with TRMM-3B42RTV7 and IMD-0.25°, showed the lowest bias in tracking large storms (longer than 5 days) and are advocated for understanding extreme events and in geohazard applications. IMD-0.25° is recommended for precipitation trend and variability analysis, albeit with suitable bias-correction to address the negative biase at high elevations and the positive bias in trans-Himalayan regions. The study improves our understanding of remotely-sensed and spatially-gridded precipitation in the world's highest mountain range, where ground observations are likely to be inadequate for years to come.

Spring diet differs among age-sex classes in Atlas Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia lervia) in a fenced nature reserve, Morocco

Abstract Atlas Barbary sheep, Ammotragus lervia lervia, are the only wild caprinid of Northwest Africa. Some studies have investigated their feeding ecology, but there is no information on intraspecific dietary variation. Therefore, we determined the spring diet and its variation between age-sex classes in Atlas Barbary sheep within a fenced nature reserve in the Western High Atlas mountain range, Morocco. We used faecal microhistological analysis to assess diet composition based on a reference epidermis catalogue. The habitat was a highly diversified open mixed forest with 61 identified species (55 genera; 24 families). The herbaceous layer was dominated by grasses, mainly Stipa capensis. Atlas Barbary sheep revealed to be opportunistic grazers, consuming 44 forage species; grasses and forbs constituted 87% of the overall diet. There were significant intraspecific dietary differences. Rams showed a more diverse (42 species) and distinct diet compared to those of ewes (22 species) and juveniles (lambs + yearlings) (only 10 species). All sex-age classes were mostly grazers, adults feeding on grasses and forbs in similar proportions, whereas juveniles feeding basically on grasses (more than 70% of their diet) and almost no forbs. Ewes and juveniles feed on browse at a higher proportion than rams do. Our findings would be useful for the restoration and management of the habitat and food resources within the reserve.

Changes in plant diversity in a water-limited and isolated high-mountain range (Sierra Nevada, Spain)

Climate change impacts are of a particular concern in small mountain ranges, where cold-adapted plant species have their optimum zone in the upper bioclimatic belts. This is commonly the case in Mediterranean mountains, which often harbour high numbers of endemic species, enhancing the risk of biodiversity losses. This study deals with shifts in vascular plant diversity in the upper zones of the Sierra Nevada, Spain, in relation with climatic parameters during the past two decades. We used vegetation data from permanent plots of three surveys of two GLORIA study regions, spanning a period of 18 years (2001–2019); ERA5 temperature and precipitation data; and snow cover durations, derived from on-site soil temperature data. Relationships between diversity patterns and climate factors were analysed using GLMMs. Species richness showed a decline between 2001 and 2008, and increased thereafter. Species cover increased slightly but significantly, although not for endemic species. While endemics underwent cover losses proportional to non-endemics, more widespread shrub species increased. Precipitation tended to increase during the last decade, after a downward trend since 1960. Precipitation was positively related to species richness, colonisation events, and cover, and negatively to disappearance events. Longer snow cover duration and rising temperatures were also related to increasing species numbers, but not to cover changes. The rapid biotic responses of Mediterranean alpine plants indicate a tight synchronisation with climate fluctuations, especially with water availability. Thus, it rather confirms concerns about biodiversity losses, if projections of increasing temperature in combination with decreasing precipitation hold true.

Pseudoperonospora humuli might be an introduced species in Central Europe with low genetic diversity but high distribution potential

The downy mildew pathogen Pseudoperonospora humuli is a major disease of cultivated and wild hop (Humulus lupulus) in many hop-growing areas of the world. Despite its frequent occurence and economic impact, so far very little is known with respect to its population structure, which would be a prerequisite for understanding population dynamics and for successful resistance breeding efforts. We collected a set of 70 P. humuli samples in five European countries (Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy) around the Alps, a high mountain range and a known major hurdle for dispersal, and examined them with microsatellite markers. For this purpose we developed a set of new markers and used them along with markers published for P. humuli by other authors. While the 11 microsatellites that were reported as polymorphic for North America did not show variation for the European samples, the five markers newly established in this study were variable and could be used to investigate the population structure of hop downy mildew in Europe. The overall genetic variation found in European populations was low, with only few heterozygous loci detected. Overall, 20 multilocus genotypes were observed, which clustered into 2 or 4 groups, depending on clustering criteria. We observed a random distribution of genotypes on the surveyed area in line with predominant selfing and long range dispersal. Thus, our investigations suggest that Pseudoperonospora humuli forms a large, potentially panmictic population with little local adaptation and frequent long-distance exchanges. This suggests that a wide array of Pseudoperonospora humuli strains should be used in any resistance breeding programs. In addition, the low degree of variation in Europe in contrast to North America suggests that, in line with its report in Europe as late as the 1930‘s, hop downy mildew might be an introduced species in Europe. Whether the introduction occurred from North America or from East Asia needs to be clarified in future studies.

Phylogeographical structure of a narrow endemic plant in an isolated high-mountain range

Phylogeographical structure of a narrow endemic plant in an isolated high-mountain range

2000\xa0Year-old Bogong moth (Agrotis infusa) Aboriginal food remains, Australia

Insects form an important source of food for many people around the world, but little is known of the deep-time history of insect harvesting from the archaeological record. In Australia, early settler writings from the 1830s to mid-1800s reported congregations of Aboriginal groups from multiple clans and language groups taking advantage of the annual migration of Bogong moths (Agrotis infusa) in and near the Australian Alps, the continent’s highest mountain range. The moths were targeted as a food item for their large numbers and high fat contents. Within 30 years of initial colonial contact, however, the Bogong moth festivals had ceased until their recent revival. No reliable archaeological evidence of Bogong moth exploitation or processing has ever been discovered, signalling a major gap in the archaeological history of Aboriginal groups. Here we report on microscopic remains of ground and cooked Bogong moths on a recently excavated grindstone from Cloggs Cave, in the southern foothills of the Australian Alps. These findings represent the first conclusive archaeological evidence of insect foods in Australia, and, as far as we know, of their remains on stone artefacts in the world. They provide insights into the antiquity of important Aboriginal dietary practices that have until now remained archaeologically invisible.