Original Article Total bilirubin is associated with all-cause mortality in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome: a retrospective study Zhoude Zheng, Zhen’ge Chang, Yuxiong Chen, Jia Li, Tingting Huang, Yilin Huang, Zhongjie Fan, Jinming Gao

The impact of global climate change on glaciers has drawn significant attention; however, limited research has been conducted to comprehend the consequences of glacier melting on the associated formation and evolution of glacial lakes. This study presents a semi-automated methodology developed on the cloud platforms Google Earth Engine and Google Colab to effectively detect dynamic changes in the glaciers as well as glacial and non-glacial lakes of the Cordillera Real, Bolivia, using over 200 Landsat images from 1984 to 2021. We found that the study area experienced a rise in temperature and precipitation, resulting in a substantial decline in glacier coverage and a simultaneous increase in both the total number and total area of lakes. A strong correlation between glacier area and the extent of natural glacier-fed lakes highlights the significant downstream impact of glacier recession on water bodies. Over the study period, glaciers reduced their total area by 42%, with recent years showing a deceleration in glacier recession, aligning with the recent stabilization observed in the area of natural glacier-fed lakes. Despite these overall trends, many smaller lakes, especially non-glacier-fed ones, decreased in size, attributed to seasonal and inter-annual variations in lake inflow caused by climate variability. These findings suggest the potential decline of natural lakes amid ongoing climate changes, prompting alterations in natural landscapes and local water resources. The study reveals the response of glaciers and lakes to climate variations, including the contribution of human-constructed water reservoirs, providing valuable insights into crucial aspects of future water resources in the Cordillera Real.

Andean glaciers have been rapidly retreating, yet the hydrological connections between glaciers and glacial lakes remain inadequately understood. This study aims to elucidate these connections in the Cordillera Real, Bolivia, using Landsat-5 and Landsat-8 imagery from 1984 to 2021. Glacier and lake areas were mapped, and the hydrological linkages between these features were evaluated through catchment-scale analysis. Our results show that lakes in close proximity to glaciers exhibit a higher correlation with glacier retreat, indicating a direct impact of glacier melt on these water bodies. In contrast, lakes farther from glaciers were more influenced by non-glacial factors. The spatiotemporal analysis revealed significant warming, especially at higher elevations, and increased evaporation rates, with higher rates on the eastern side. Although overall precipitation increased, it was insufficient to sustain downstream lakes. This research highlights the impending reduction in water resources due to global warming, which is expected to lead to higher evaporation rates and increased loss of glacier meltwater during transport. The accelerated melting of glaciers, coupled with changes in precipitation patterns, threatens the stability of water supplies in the region. Our research underscores the urgent need for comprehensive monitoring and sustainable water management strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on glacial and hydrological systems in the Andean region.