Impact of global mountain forest loss pattern on the delivery of water

Abstract:

Mountain forests are of significant hydrological importance in aspect of regulating riverflow, recharging atmospheric moisture and changing rainfall pattern. Under climate change and anthropogenic pressures, such mountain forests are currently experiencing severe loss in many parts of the world and therefore many processes of transferring water have been changed. However, how such mountain forest loss influences land-climate exchange with respect to topography remains unclear. In this study, we firstly investigate inter-annual variations in historical hydrological data (precipitation and evaporation) within global mountain tower units and their dependent downstream areas. Then we assess hydrological impacts of mountain forest loss along elevational and slope gradients by combining with the global mountain forest loss pattern. Our study will help to explain the extent to which rainfall relies on vegetation evaporation and to which mountain forest cover change impacts moisture recycling between highlands and lowlands.