海螺沟冰川末端前，近２０００ｍ冰川退却迹地植被原生演替经历了：裸地－草本地被、柳－沙棘－水冬瓜、水冬瓜、云冷杉－桦－杜鹃及云冷杉五个发展阶段。据树木年轮推测，１７０年来冰川末端位置变化显著。植被发展过程、冰川退却速度与气候变化密切相关。与冰川退却对气候变化的响应相比，植被对气候变化的响应更为敏感。 更多还原
 

Hailougou Glacier is located at the cast slope of Mt. Gongga in western Sichuan Proince. A vegetation inverstigation on foreland area has been done along the glacial valley within about 2000m form the glacier tongue. 13 plots distributed from the end of the glacier (altitude from 2950m to 2800m) have been carefully studied.
Further study indicates that the vegetaion primary succession on foreland area has experinenced 5 stages: 1. bare land-herds lasting 8-15a; 2. Salix-Hippophas-Populus lasting about 35a; 3. Populus lasting about 60a; 4. Picea, Abies-Betula-Rhododendron lasting about 30a; 5. Picea-Abies as a climax in the succession.
1920s is a turning point in the process of deglcaiation. During about 100a before 1920, the glacier retreated by 6m/a; but in the following 70a, it obviously accelerated by 20m/a, which also can be reflected by the distribution of end moraines.
Corresponded analysis also revealed the similarities of the change tendancy both in rate of deglaciation and total basal area of vegetaion. Wintin the distance of 1400-2000m from the glacier tongue, the glacier retreated slowly, while the total basal area of plants kept changing fast; but in the area within 0-1400m from the glacier tongue, the glacier began to accelarately retreat, as the change of total basal area of plant turned to slow down. In addition, evidences also show that the responsebility of forest ecosystem is more sensitive to the climatic change than that of the glacier.