Changes in runoff from major alpine watersheds on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau: A review

IF 4.7 2区地球科学 Q1 WATER RESOURCES

Journal of Hydrology-Regional Studies Pub Date : 2025-06-09 DOI:10.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102514

Guohui Li , Zongxing Li , Baoqing Zhang , Zongjie Li

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Study region

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP).

Study focus

Water resources in QTP are increasingly vulnerable to climate change, yet comprehensive understanding of runoff dynamics and their drivers remains limited. This study systematically evaluates: (1) shifts in runoff recharge mechanisms under climate warming, (2) the relative contributions of precipitation, groundwater, and cryospheric meltwater to runoff generation, and (3) the differential impacts of climate change versus anthropogenic activities on hydrological processes.

New hydrological insights

(1) Rainfall dominates runoff generation in most high-elevation watersheds when only precipitation and snowmelt inputs are considered, while groundwater contributes significantly to runoff generation in specific watersheds (e.g., SLR, YAR) during certain periods when groundwater inputs are added for consideration. (2) Runoff depths generally increased, though localized declines occurred in some Riverside Corridor basins, coinciding with cryospheric retreat and altered precipitation regimes. (3) Climate change surpassed anthropogenic factors as the primary driver of streamflow changes in the SLR and YER basins from the mid-20th to early 21st century, highlighting a regional tipping point in hydrological controls. The findings underscore the vulnerability of the Plateau’s water resources to warming and advocate for basin-specific adaptive management strategies.

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青藏高原主要高寒流域径流变化研究进展

研究区域：青藏高原。研究重点：青藏高原水资源越来越容易受到气候变化的影响，但对径流动态及其驱动因素的全面了解仍然有限。本研究系统评估了：(1)气候变暖下径流补给机制的变化；(2)降水、地下水和冰冻圈融水对径流生成的相对贡献；(3)气候变化与人类活动对水文过程的差异影响。(1)当只考虑降水和融雪输入时，大多数高海拔流域的产流主要是降雨，而在考虑地下水输入时，地下水在特定时期对特定流域（如SLR， YAR）的产流贡献显著。(2)径流深度总体增加，但部分河滨走廊流域出现局部下降，与冰冻圈退缩和降水格局改变相一致。(3) 20世纪中期至21世纪初，气候变化超过人为因素，成为SLR和YER流域流量变化的主要驱动因素，凸显了区域水文控制的引爆点。研究结果强调了青藏高原水资源对气候变暖的脆弱性，并主张采取针对流域的适应性管理策略。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Hydrology-Regional Studies Earth and Planetary Sciences-Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)

CiteScore

6.70

自引率

8.50%

发文量

284

审稿时长

60 days

期刊介绍： Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies publishes original research papers enhancing the science of hydrology and aiming at region-specific problems, past and future conditions, analysis, review and solutions. The journal particularly welcomes research papers that deliver new insights into region-specific hydrological processes and responses to changing conditions, as well as contributions that incorporate interdisciplinarity and translational science.