Which mechanism causes increased stream discharge variability in regions transitioning from glacial to fluvial drainage patterns?

💡 Explanation

When glacial ice melts, meltwater pulse diminishes, causing a shift from snowmelt-dominated to rainfall-dominated hydrology because snow melts more slowly than rain runoff accumulates. Therefore, stream discharge becomes increasingly influenced by variable precipitation, rather than evapotranspiration, increased vegetation, or reduced baseflow, which have different effects on water balance.

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