Bioscience Evidence 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 161-171 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 161 Review Article Open Access Winter Snowpack and Its Role in Water Resource Management and Ecosystem Function Shiying Yu, Jiayao Zhou Institute of Life Science, Jiyang College of Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji, 311800, China Corresponding author email: jiayao.zhou@jicat.org Bioscience Evidence, 2024, Vol.14, No.4 doi: 10.5376/be.2024.14.0018 Received: 16 Jun, 2024 Accepted: 22 Jul., 2024 Published: 08 Aug., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Yu and Zhou, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Yu S.Y., and Zhou J.Y., 2024, Winter snowpack and its role in water resource management and ecosystem function, Bioscience Evidence, 14(4): 161-171 (doi: 10.5376/be.2024.14.0018) Abstract Winter snowpack plays a crucial role as a key water resource storage form in many regions worldwide, significantly impacting the water cycle, agriculture, industry, and ecosystem health. However, climate change is profoundly affecting the formation processes, characteristics, and regional distribution of snowpacks, posing new challenges for water resource management and ecosystem functions. This study reviews current research on winter snowpack, exploring its essential role in water storage and release, soil moisture maintenance, habitat provision, and nutrient cycling, with case studies illustrating the effectiveness of snowpack-dependent management systems. Additionally, the study analyzes the impact of climate change on snowpack dynamics, presents the latest advancements in monitoring and modeling technologies, and proposes sustainable management strategies and policy recommendations. The research aims to provide scientific evidence and strategic guidance for more effective water resource management and ecological conservation in the future. Keywords Winter snowpack; Water resource management; Ecosystem function; Climate change; Monitoring and modeling 1 Introduction Winter snowpack refers to the snow accumulation in mountainous regions during the winter months, acting as a natural reservoir that stores water in its frozen form and gradually releases it as meltwater during the spring and summer. This process is crucial for maintaining hydrological balance and directly impacts the health of ecosystems and human activities (Vano et al., 2020; Singh et al., 2022). Particularly in the western United States, winter snowpack is a more important component of water storage than man-made reservoirs, playing a significant role in hydropower generation, agricultural irrigation, and urban water supply (Pelak et al., 2022). The dynamics of snowpack determine the timing and quantity of water availability, making it critical for effective water resource management (Mote et al., 2018; Livneh and Badger, 2020). Additionally, snowpack influences ground temperature, light conditions, and moisture availability, which in turn affect vegetation, interactions between plants and animals, and microbial activities, thereby having a profound impact on the entire ecosystem (Rixen et al., 2022). However, climate change poses significant challenges. Rising temperatures are leading to reduced snow accumulation and earlier snowmelt, disrupting the long-established seasonal rhythms, and threatening ecosystems and human societies (Qin et al., 2020). These changes not only increase the unpredictability of droughts but also jeopardize the water security of millions of people (Livneh and Badger, 2020; Vano et al., 2020). Moreover, the decline in snowpack is accelerating global warming through reduced albedo effects (Irannezhad et al., 2022). This study systematically reviews the current research progress on winter snowpack, focusing on its role in water resource management and ecosystem function, analyzing the impact of climate change on snowpack dynamics, and exploring the latest advances in monitoring and modeling technologies as well as sustainable management strategies and policy recommendations. The goal is to provide scientific evidence and strategic guidance for more effective water resource management and ecological conservation in the context of climate change.
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