Abstract
Glacier- and snowpack-derived meltwaters are threatened by climate change. Features such as rock glaciers (RGs) are climatically more resilient than glaciers and potentially contain hydrologically valuable ice volumes. However, while the distribution and hydrological significance of glaciers is well studied, RGs have received comparatively little attention. Here, we present the first near-global RG database (RGDB) through an analysis of current inventories and this contains >51,000 RGs. Using the RGDB, we identify key data-deficient regions as research priorities (e.g., Central Asia). We provide the first approximation of near-global RG water volume equivalent and this is 62.02 ± 12.40 Gt. Excluding the Antarctic and Subantarctic, Greenland Periphery, and regions lacking data, we estimate a near-global RG to glacier water volume equivalent ratio of 1:618. Significant RG water stores occur in arid and semi-arid regions (e.g., South Asia East, 1:57). These results represent a first-order approximation. Uncertainty in the water storage estimates includes errors within the RGDB, inherent flaws in the meta-analysis methodology, and RG thickness estimation. Here, only errors associated with the assumption of RG ice content are quantified and overall uncertainty is likely larger than that quantified. We suggest that RG water stores will become increasingly important under future climate warming.
Highlights
Glacier- and snowpack-derived meltwaters are threatened by climate change
The systematic meta-analysis undertaken here has enabled the first near-global RG database (RGDB) to be developed. This is based on the present state-of-knowledge of systematic rock glaciers (RGs) inventory studies
This work focuses on RGDB coverage and enables identification of priority regions for systematic RG inventory studies, both at the RGI regional- and local- scales
Summary
Glacier- and snowpack-derived meltwaters are threatened by climate change Features such as rock glaciers (RGs) are climatically more resilient than glaciers and potentially contain hydrologically valuable ice volumes. In semi-arid and arid high mountain systems glaciers and seasonal snowpack form natural buffers to hydrological seasonality, as seasonal meltwater contributions smooth the effects of highly variable summer precipitation and associated irregular runoff[1,2,3]. Long-term glacier and seasonal snowpack changes are expected to impact significantly hydrological resources stored within high mountain systems[9]. Effective water resource management in terms of climate change adaptation strategies is critical This is hampered by an incomplete understanding of all components of the hydrological cycle in high mountain systems. To date RG distribution has only been researched at regional scales (e.g., European Alps, PermaNET26)
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