Final answer:
Alpine glaciers have a significant impact on the landscape through the process of erosion and deposition, leaving behind features such as moraines. Glacier retreat, largely due to climate change, also alters the physical environment and contributes to global changes such as sea level rise and increased seismic activity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alpine glaciers, such as the ones in Switzerland's Aletsch Glacier or those mentioned in Glacier National Park (GNP), undergo significant changes during the melting process. When alpine glaciers melt, they lead to a variety of physical changes in the environment. One notable impact is on the landscape, where glaciers scratch and grind down rocks. They transport materials like gravel and boulders from mountains to plains, often depositing them far from their origins as the ice recedes and melts. This process leaves behind formations such as moraines, which are mounds of rock and soil that indicate the glacier's maximum extent.
Globally, glaciers are retreating due to climate change and rising temperatures. The loss of glaciers affects local ecosystems, water availability, and contributes to rising sea levels. The physical environment is altered by the loss of these ice masses, which also contributes to faster melt rates and increased seismic activity in places like Greenland.