Rock glaciers and mountain hydrology: A review

摘要: Abstract In mountainous regions, climate change threatens cryospheric water resources, and understanding all components of the hydrological cycle is necessary for effective resource management. Rock glaciers are climatically more resilient than contain potentially hydrologically valuable ice volumes, yet have received less attention, even though rock glacier importance may increase under future warming. synthesising data from a range global studies, we provide first comprehensive evaluation role played by glaciers. We evaluate significance over temporal spatial scales, alongside complex multiple processes with which can interact diurnally, seasonally, annually, decadally both at local regional extents. report that although no global-extent, complete inventory exists currently, recent research efforts greatly elaborated coverage. Using these papers, synthesise information on distribution, morphometric characteristics, surface subsurface features, ice-storage flow dynamics, chemistry, resilience, their contribution. identify discuss long-, intermediate- short-term timescales storage, allowing balanced assessment contrasting perspectives regarding relative glacier-derived contributions compared to other sources. show further empirical observations required gain deeper glaciers, in terms (i) genesis geomorphological dynamics (ii) total ice/water volume; (iii) discharge; (iv) quality. Lastly, hypothesise decadal longer timescales, warming, degradation within represent an increasing contribution downstream thus increased while stores persist.