Accelerated Himalayan river meandering and dynamics due to climate change

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Lin, Zhipeng; Han, Zhongpeng; Montgomery, David R.; Ul Hussan, Waqas; Iversen, Lars Lonsmann; Bendixen, Mette; Xu, Xu; Yao, Ling; Bai, Yalige; Wang, Xinhang; Huang, Er; Liu, Xingnian; Wang, Chengshan
• 署名单位: Sichuan University; China University of Geosciences; China University of Geosciences; University of Washington; University of Washington Seattle; McGill University; McGill University; China University of Geosciences; Chinese Academy of Sciences; Institute of Geographic Sciences & Natural Resources Research, CAS; Nanjing Institute of Geology & Paleontology, CAS
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.adg8401
• 发表日期: 2026-05-14
• 页码: eadg8401
• 关键词: leaf-area index; organic-carbon; CHANNEL MIGRATION; self-organization; erosion; precipitation; permafrost; basin; temperature; EVOLUTION

摘要

River meandering and migration are fundamental processes worldwide, and the high Himalayas offer an opportunity to test whether river morphodynamics are shifting in response to a rapidly changing climate. We used remote-sensing imagery and field observations to quantify river meandering and associated dynamics for three major river basins over four decades. Between 1980-2000 and 2000-2020, rates of unconfined migration, cutoff, avulsion, and transitions between single- and multithread channel patterns roughly doubled. We ascribe this acceleration in channel morphodynamics to cryosphere degradation under climate warming, which amplifies meltwater and sediment fluxes and destabilizes frozen riverbanks. Our findings highlight the Himalayan uplands as a sentinel region for detecting climatic signals in fluvial systems, providing critical insights into climate-driven geomorphological and biogeochemical responses and informing adaptation strategies for riverine ecosystems and downstream communities.