In glacierized catchments, elevation is correlated with meltwater through its association with temperature, precipitation, and glacier hypsometry. The revelation of the altitudinal distribution of meltwater, unattended and not fully understood in previous work, might provide a better understanding of climate change impacts on glacio‐hydrology. Here, critical zone approach was defined and applied in 12 glacierized catchments of the Tien Shan–Pamir–Karakorum Mountains, Central Asia using manually calibrated glacier‐enhanced Soil and Water Assessment Tool model over 1966–2005. The critical zone, a sequence of elevation bands with above‐average snow and glacier melt, contributes maximum meltwater to total runoff. The critical zone shared 37%–95% (average = 80%) of meltwater contributions to total runoff, although its size was only 13%–30% of the total elevational relief. The critical zone controlled 76% and 82% variability in relative changes of glacier area and total runoff at the catchment scale, respectively. The increase in temperature was identified as the dominant driver for variations in total runoff in all catchments except Vakhsh and Yurungkash, where precipitation change remained dominant. Overall, glacier hypsometry limited the first‐order control of meltwater distributions on glacio‐hydrology. It is concluded that critical zone approach can interpret the proxy role of elevation to affect water availability under climate and glacier area change in glacierized catchments.

中文翻译：

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中亚冰川集水区融水的垂直分布及其对水文学的影响

在冰川集水区，高程通过与温度，降水和冰川湿度的关系而与熔体水相关。融化水的高度分布的启示，在以前的工作中没有人照料且未得到充分理解，可能会更好地了解气候变化对冰川水文学的影响。在这里，使用手动校准的冰川增强的土壤和水评估工具模型，在中亚的天山-帕米尔-卡拉科鲁姆山脉的12个冰川集水区中定义并应用了临界区方法，该过程在1966-2005年期间使用。临界区是一道海拔高于平均水平的雪和冰川融化的高程带，它为总径流量贡献了最大的融水。临界区占总径流量的融水贡献为37％–95％（平均= 80％），尽管它的大小仅占总海拔缓解的13％–30％。在流域尺度上，临界区分别控制了冰川面积和总径流量相对变化的76％和82％。温度的升高被确定为除Vakhsh和Yurungkash以外所有流域总径流量变化的主要驱动因素，在Vakhsh和Yurungkash那里降水变化仍然占主导地位。总体而言，冰川湿压法限制了冰川水文学对融水分布的一阶控制。结论是，临界区方法可以解释海拔的代理作用，以影响气候和冰川化流域冰川面积变化下的水供应。温度的升高被认为是除Vakhsh和Yurungkash以外所有流域总径流量变化的主要驱动因素，在Vakhsh和Yurungkash那里降水变化仍然占主导地位。总体而言，冰川湿压法限制了冰川水文学对融水分布的一阶控制。结论是，临界区方法可以解释海拔的代理作用，以影响气候和冰川化流域冰川面积变化下的水供应。温度的升高被认为是除Vakhsh和Yurungkash以外所有流域总径流量变化的主要驱动因素，在Vakhsh和Yurungkash那里降水变化仍然占主导地位。总的来说，冰川湿度法限制了冰川水文学对融水分布的一阶控制。结论是，临界区方法可以解释海拔的代理作用，以影响气候和冰川化流域冰川面积变化下的水供应。