Despite only representing about 25% of continental land, mountains are an essential part of the global ecosystem. They are also recognised as the source of much of the world's fresh water supply. A significant portion of the global population relies on their water supply, with around 26% living in mountain communities and 40% living in the downstream plains. Mountains are particularly sensitive to climate variability and change due to the heterogeneity of elevation-dependent hydro-meteorological conditions. This makes them unique areas for identifying and monitoring the effects of global change.
This session will bring together the scientific community developing hydrology research on mountain ranges across the globe to share results and experiences. We invite contributions addressing past, present and future changes in mountain hydrology due to changes in climate and/or land use, how these changes affect local and downstream territories, and adaptation strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of mountain ecosystem services, with a special focus on water cycle regulation and water resources generation. Example topics of interest to this session are:
- Sources of information for evaluating past and present conditions (in either surface and/or groundwater systems).
- Methods for differentiating climatic and anthropogenic drivers of hydrological change.
- Modelling approaches to assess hydrological change.
- Evolution, forecasting and impacts of extreme events.
- Case studies on adaptation to changing water resources availability.