Delineation of boundary between tropical/subtropical in the middle section for eco-geographic system of South China

This paper discusses division on tropical/subtropical boundary of middle section in South China. This discussion results in new understanding on eco-geographic regions and their boundaries, especially on gradual changes of natural conditions between eco-geographic regions. It analyzes results of the same area by other researchers, clarifies differences and causes of the differences for the results. Boundaries of eco-geographic regions cannot be drawn as a line as changes from tropical to subtropical are gradual. Therefore, for an eco-geographic region like tropical zone, definite boundaries must be mapped while gradual changes are considered. Temperature, vegetation and soil are the indexes to divide tropical and subtropical. After indexes of tropical zone are confirmed, data of annual average index reflect general state of the tropical zone. Line from such data is called “tropical boundary”. On the other hand, affected by the monsoon climate, some years are hotter and some are cooler. In hotter years, temperature of north area of tropical boundary reaches tropical state whereas in cooler years, such area moves southward. Boundary of the hottest year is called annual tropical line and that of the coolest year true tropical line. Temperatures in areas south to annual tropical line can probably reach tropical in some years. Temperatures in areas south to real tropical line reach tropical every year. The area from true tropical to annual tropical is called tropical fluctuating zone. Therefore, new concepts of tropical, annual tropical, true tropical and tropical fluctuating zone are formed to understand tropical area from a new point of view in the paper. Based on the indexes of climate, vegetation and soil, boundaries of tropical, annual tropical, true tropical and tropical fluctuating zone of the study area are established. The tropical fluctuating zone explains different locating of different researchers. The paper also puts forward a new method to display boundary for eco-geographic regions.     

Delineation of boundary between tropical/subtropical in the middle section for eco-geographic system of South China

Eco-geographic system is a hierarchic regional system that is divided or combined according to comparison and integrated analysis on geographic regions related to biological and non-biological factors, and differentiation of the earth surface. Eco-geographic system serves as a scientific basis that is significant for regional corresponding to global change, establishment of environmental monitoring network, setting up ecological observation stations, rational natural resources use, land managem…     

中国热带特征及其区域分异

受季风气候和海陆分布的影响,中国热带不如其他热带国家那样典型,热带界线也不够规则和明显,大致有如下特点:(1)热带地区分散,不连续;(2)东西跨度大,从台湾到滇南热带的跨度长达2500km,而面积只有80000km~2;(3)北部热带界线从形态上呈断续和凹凸状;(4)东段和西段自然条件差异大,东部为丘陵、台地、海岸带、岛屿、半岛、海洋,橡胶主要种在丘陵、台地上;西部为内陆、高山、深谷、坝子,橡胶作物主要种在山坡和坝子上。根据自然和社会条件的不同,将中国热带从东到西分为四个区:(1)台湾南部;(2)海南和雷州半岛;(3)滇南;(4)南海诸岛。     

中国内陆热带地区近40年气候变化特征

用西双版纳6个气象站40余年观测资料,探讨中国内陆热带地区气候变化特征及趋势。结果表明:西双版纳地区的平均气温、平均最低气温、平均最高气温总体上呈逐年增暖的趋势,其中平均气温上升率0.016 5～0.033 4℃/a,平均最低气温上升率0.008 6～0.038 7℃/a,平均最高气温上升率-0.001 4～0.018 6℃/a;降水长期变化特征则较复杂,规律不如气温明显,但总体趋势减少,年降水量变化主要决定于雨季降水量变化;相对湿度呈现逐年降低趋势。说明该地区气候向干热型转变。     

Climatological characteristics of the tropics in China： climate classification schemes between German scientists and Huang Bingwei

Reviewing some important German scientists who have developed climatic regionalization schemes either on a global or Chinese scale, their various definitions of the tropical climate characteristics in China are discussed and compared with Huang Bingwei‘s climate classification scheme and the identification of the tropical climate therein. It can be seen that, due to different methodological approaches of the climatic regionalization schemes, the definitions of the tropics vary and hence also their spatial distribution in China. However, it is found that the tropical climate type occupies only a peripheral part of southern China, though it firmly represents a distinctive type of climate that is subsequently associated with a great economic importance for China. As such, the tropical climate type was mostly identified with its agro-climatological significance, that is by giving favourable growing conditions all-year round for perennial crops with a great heat demand. Tropical climate is, hence, conventionally regarded to be governed by all-year round summer conditions “where winter never comes“.     

Climatological characteristics of the tropics in China: climate classification schemes between German scientists and Huang Bingwei

Reviewing some important German scientists who have developed climatic regionalization schemes either on a global or Chinese scale, their various definitions of the tropical climate characteristics in China are discussed and compared with Huang Bingwei's climate classification scheme and the identification of the tropical climate therein. It can be seen that, due to different methodological approaches of the climatic regionalization schemes, the definitions of the tropics vary and hence also their spatial distribution in China. However, it is found that the tropical climate type occupies only a peripheral part of southern China, though it firmly represents a distinctive type of climate that is supsequently associated with a great economic importance for China. As such, the tropical climate type was mostly identified with its agro-climatological significance, that is by giving favourable growing conditions all-year round for perennial crops with a great heat demand. Tropical climate is, hence, conventionally regarded to be governed by all-year round summer conditions "where winter never comes".     

From vulnerability to immunization—A genealogy of early attempts to deal with the climate

In an age of anthropogenic climate change, risk and vulnerability have become common parlance. Yet the histories of both concepts are bound up in the colonial project. This article attempts to give a brief genealogy of these concepts by considering their evolution within early colonial attempts to deal with the dangers and threats posed by a tropical climate. This article argues that British and French colonial writers and administrators began to understand the dangers associated with colonizing distant lands as distinct risks associated with living in a tropical climate. Tropical fevers, ecological devastation, famine and revolt in particular spurred on the development of new knowledge, which advanced understandings of the effects of the tropical climate both on European health and long‐term colonial ambitions. In turn the concept of a pernicious tropical climate that posed a biological threat to the health of Europeans came to play a major role in configuring prevailing notions of race, health and morality. Risk and vulnerability have been key discursive features of new knowledges and governmental technologies crafted in the context of colonialism to secure European rule over distant lands and people.     

中国热带气候特征

Reviewing some important German scientists who have developed climatic regionalizationschemes either on a global or Chinese scale, their various definitions of the tropical climatecharacteristics in China are discussed and compared with Huang Bingwei's climate classificationscheme and the identification of the tropical climate therein. It can be seen that, due to differentmethodological approaches of the climatic regionalization schemes, the definitions of the tropics varyand hence also their spatial distribution in China. However, it is found that the tropical climate typeoccupies only a peripheral part of southern China, though it firmly represents a distinctive type ofclimate that is subsequently associated with a great economic importance for China. As such, thetropical climate type was mostly identified with its agro-climatological significance, that is by givingfavourable growing conditions all-year round for perennial crops with a great heat demand. Tropicalclimate is, hence, conventionally regarded to be govemed by all-year round summer conditions "wherewinter never comes".     

Accuracy assessment of the Mexican National Forest Inventory map: A study in four ecogeographical areas

The accuracy of the Mexican National Forest Inventory (NFI) map is derived in four distinct ecogeographical areas, using an assessment design tailored for the project. A main achievement of the design was to integrate the high diversity of classes encompassed at the most detailed subcommunity level of the classification scheme within a cost‐controlled statistically sound assessment. A hybrid double sampling strategy was applied to the 2.5 million‐ha study area. A total of 5955 reference sites were verified against their NFI map label. The availability of detailed quasi‐synchronous reference data for the 2000 Landsat‐derived NFI and the high diversity of mapped classes allowed a careful thematic analysis on the selected regions, relevant for national extrapolation. Global accuracy estimates of 64–78 per cent were registered among the four ecogeographical areas (two with mainly temperate climate and the other two with mainly tropical climate), with the lower accuracy levels found in areas more densely covered with forests. According to the estimates, the NFI map tends to underestimate the presence of temperate forest (especially oak) and overestimate the presence of tropical forest in the areas investigated. The analysis of confusions reveals difficulties in unambiguously interpreting or labelling forests with secondary vegetation, herbaceous and/or shrub‐like vegetation as well as distinguishing between aquatic vegetation types. The design proved useful from the perspective of accuracy assessments of regional maps in biodiverse regions.     

THE TROPICS: ENVIRONMENTS AND HUMAN IMPACTS UNDERSTOOD AND REINTERPRETED

In the 1950s, few people had travelled widely through different parts of the tropics and interpretations on tropical landforms, soils, vegetation and climate largely rested on impressions gained from residence or long sojourns in particular tropical countries. Most academic geography on the tropics was then written by expatriates and lacked the perspective gained from long experience of tropical regions. Particular problems of understanding arose as people attempted to extrapolate from one part of the tropics to another. Since then, understanding has advanced enormously, largely through the efforts of tropical scientists working in their own institutions and through the greater technological ability to study tropical lands both remotely and through easier field access. The establishment of a number of field stations, aimed primarily at the biological sciences, but also facilitating the work of geographers, has been a major stimulus to this effort. Concerns over practical issues, particularly local development and global climatic change have prompted new avenues of research, many of which have been assisted by the great increase in data collection in tropical countries. For the future, South-South dialogue between tropical physical geographers is needed to improve their ability to ask meaningful questions so that they can contribute to teach the rest of their discipline more about serious applied and applicable geography.     

Quantifying precipitation extremes and their relationships with large-scale climate oscillations in a tropical country,Singapore: 1980–2018

Extreme precipitation indices (EPIs) were defined to quantify the precipitation extremes in Singapore, a typical tropical country situated near the equator. The paper investigated the spatial and temporal variability of precipitation extremes based on seventeen EPIs using non-parametric Mann-Kendall test and Sen’s slope, and further explored the linear and nonlinear relationships between precipitation extremes and four large-scale global climate oscillations using correlation and wavelet analysis, during the period of 1980–2018 in Singapore. The results indicated that the trends of precipitation extremes varied for different EPIs, regions and stations. Increasing trends dominated thirteen out of seventeen EPIs. The trends of EPIs were scattered and irregularly distributed. The cross-correlation analysis between different EPIs demonstrated that annual total precipitation on wet days (PRCPTOT) was strongly correlated with other EPIs. The result of composite analysis indicated that El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) exerted stronger impacts on southwest monsoon season (SMS) precipitation than PRCPTOT and northeast monsoon season (NMS) precipitation. The SMS precipitation composite suggested that ENSO created more influence on dry spells than wet spells. The linear and nonlinear relationships revealed that all climate oscillations were negatively correlated with precipitation. The wavelet coherence and phase differences were consistent with the results of correlation analysis, indicating possible prediction of precipitation extremes using climate oscillations as potential predictors.     

基于HadCM3模式的我国主要气候区划界线时空预测研究

气候区域分异规律及其时空演变研究是气候变化研究的核心内容之一。以1951-2014年中国气象数据和基于HadCM3模式的1950-2059年气象模拟数据为数据源来分析中国主要气候区划界线的时空变化趋势。结果表明：我国寒温带界线北移,且速度呈加快趋势;中温带和暖温带的北部界线向北移动,且东段界线的移动趋势较明显;亚热带北部界线已越过秦岭-淮河一线,且其东段北移趋势较明显;热带范围逐渐向北扩张。东北地区由湿润转干燥,达到干湿并存的状态;河西走廊、青藏高原和新疆地区总体上呈转湿趋势,虽北方半干旱区有部分区域转换为干旱区,但未出现明显的移动;华北平原等地区的湿润-半湿润界线和干湿区分界线均向西北方向移动;南方湿润区的干湿状况未发生显著变化。     

中国草地农业气候分区及其饲草栽培适宜性

为了草地农业区域优化发展,依W Koppen世界气候分类途径,进行了中国气候分类及草地农业气候分区,依据相应途径,制作了中国饲草寒冷度分区图和中国饲草炎热度分区图,分析了各饲草气候区适宜的饲草作物种类及管理对策。中国气候及草地农业气候有17个类型,归并为6个饲草气候系统,中国饲草寒冷度分11个区,中国饲草炎热度分8个区。每个气候系统及寒冷度分区和炎热度分区内,分别有适宜的饲草作物,其评价标准为：生态适应、生长状态正常、发挥潜在遗传产量、有经济效益。干旱饲草气候系统发展低密度放牧饲养,湿润饲草气候系统发展规模化集约饲养,为中国草地畜牧业生产模式的基本理论选择。     

使用微树芯方法监测树木径向生长变化的研究综述

在全球气候变化背景下,明确评估树木生长对气候变化的响应机制,包括年际、年内径向生长变化及其物候现象,是深刻了解现在森林生态系统中树木生长状况及精准模拟其未来生长态势所必须的前提条件。另外,研究年内树木径向生长与气候因子的关系将会更加丰富当前从传统树轮气候学或树轮生态学研究中所得到的认识。然而,目前在高分辨率水平上（年内）直接观测树木径向生长变化对气候因子响应过程的方法或手段仍然有限。其中,微树芯方法以其独特的优势而得到了广泛的应用,尤其是在欧洲及北美加拿大地区,但在热带及亚洲的研究还相对较少。涉及内容除其最直接的监测树木径向生长变化外,也开展了不同方面的对比研究,如分析年龄效应、海拔效应、健康状况等对树木生长的影响。此外,研究者也在部分区域尝试了控制对比试验,如探讨了人为增温/冷却、干旱胁迫、森林抚育间伐措施是如何影响树木径向生长变化的。本文就以上各方面进行了详细评述。     

1991—2010年全球湖泊表面温度效应的时空格局及生物物理因子拆分

量化湖泊与邻近陆地的表面温度差异,拆分生物物理因子对其贡献是明确湖泊气候效应的基础。本文基于耦合CLM4.5的CESM模式模拟的1991—2010年全球气候数据,分析了全球湖泊表面温度效应（湖泊与邻近陆地的表面温度差异）的时空格局,利用IBPM因子拆分理论量化了生物物理因子对其贡献。结果表明：① 湖泊表面温度效应的季节变化明显,但年际变化不显著,北半球湖泊最强增温（4.37 K）和降温效应（-0.99 K）分别出现在9月和4月。② 除干旱区湖泊呈降温效应外,其他气候区的湖泊以增温效应为主,热带湖泊增温效应最强。③ 湖泊表面温度效应的生物物理主控因子随气候区改变,湖陆之间的蒸发差异是干旱区湖泊呈降温效应的主控因子,较低的对流散热效率是热带和温带湖泊呈增温效应的主控因子,反照率差异和冰雪融化潜热分别对寒带、极地湖泊表面温度效应的正贡献和负贡献最大。全球尺度上,湖陆之间的对流效率差异（3.77±0.13 K）和蒸发差异（-2.01±0.1 K）对湖泊表面温度效应的正、负贡献最大。     

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF TROPICAL LATIN AMERICA: THE SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL HETEROGENEITY OF ENVIRONMENTS

For the past 40 years, studies of physical geography in tropical Latin America have concentrated on the spatial and temporal diversity of biophysical environments and biota. Environmental heterogeneity arises from historical and present-day interaction between climatic, geomorphologic, edaphic, and biogeographic systems. Recent research emphasizes three major themes involving these systems: Quaternary climate change; human-altered biophysical environments; and geomorphologic activity. Findings on these themes are evaluated with respect to the tropical highlands, the tropical lowlands and related extra-tropical areas. Research on physical geography in Latin America promises numerous contributions toward a better understanding of environmental conservation.     

全新世中国东部亚热带地区气候变迁的古生物学证据

中国东部亚热带地区全新世期间的气候波动频繁,引起哺乳动物群的多次迁徙。该时期哺乳动物群的常见种属多见于亚热带地区,仅少数种属如貘、犀、长臂猿和亚洲象等在自然状态下主要分布于热带―中亚热带南部地区,指示了具热带气候性质的中亚热带南部的森林环境。文章在确定中国东部全新世不同阶段此类动物群的种属构成与分布特征的基础上,主要根据热带种的迁徙和分布特征,初步推断各阶段亚热带地区的气候变迁状况如下：盛冰期之后的冰消期,温度逐渐回升,14 000―12 000 a BP时,热带种分布北界大致南移2°,指示1月平均气温较今低3~5℃;12 000―8 500 a BP为升温期,气候转暖,热带种分布北界达中亚热带南部,逐渐类似于现今气候;8 500―5 000 a BP为大暖期,热带种分布北界抵秦岭―淮河一线,北移约6°,指示1月气温较今高约7~9℃;5 000―3 000 a BP为降温期,热带种分布北界位于秦岭―淮河以南的长江流域,北移约4°,指示1月气温较今高约5~6℃;3 000 a BP以来,气候逐渐变冷。这些变化体现了中国东部亚热带地区在全新世时期发生了多次较大的气候和生物气候带变迁事件。     

Tropical Deforestation and Climate Change: What Does the Record Reveal?

Tropical deforestation is widely believed to directly influence the climate at a number of scales. Yet while much has been written about the tropical forest-climate relationship, there is little empirical evidence showing if and how local and regional climates are modified by deforestation. This study presents the results of an analysis of deforestation and climate change in a rain forest in southern Mexico. Records from 18 climate stations in the Selva Lacandona of Chiapas, Mexico were examined and related to an analysis of deforestation based on Landsat images. The area surrounding some stations has been deforested since the stations were established, while the area surroundings others has remained forested. Strong climatic trends were generally evident at the deforested stations, including decreases in the average daily maximum temperature and temperature range. No precipitation changes were observed. A comparison of the results with microclimatic experiments and modeling studies suggests that the climatic impacts of deforestation are overgeneralized at the local scale. Landscape heterogeneity appears to influence the biophysical mechanisms linking tropical forests and climate, and should be explicitly represented in modeling studies.     

基于地理探测器的中国陆地热带北界探讨（英文）

The influence of monsoon climatic characteristics makes the tropics of China different from those of other parts of the world. Therefore, the location of the northern boundary of China's tropical zone has been one of the most controversial issues in the study of comprehensive physical regionalisation in China. This paper introduces developments in the study of the northern boundary of China's tropical zone, in which different scholars delimit the boundary with great differences based on different regionalisation objectives, indexes, and methods. The main divergence of opinion is found in different understandings of zonal vegetation, agricultural vegetation type, cropping systems, tropical soil type and tropical characteristics. In this study, we applied the Geo Detector model, which measures the spatial stratified heterogeneity, to validate the northern boundaries of the tropical zone delimited by six principal scholars. The results show that the mean q-statistic value of the higher latitude boundary delimited by Ren Mei'e is the largest(q=0.37), suggesting that, of the rival views, it best reflects the regional differences between China's tropical and subtropical zones, but it is not necessarily suitable for guiding the development of tropical agriculture. The mean values of the q-statistics of Zheng Du's line and Yu Xianfang's line around the Leizhou Peninsula at a lower latitude were smaller, at 0.10 and 0.08 respectively, indicating that the regional differences were smaller than those of Ren Mei'e's boundary. Against the background of global climate change, the climate itself is changing in fluctuation. It is, thus, worth our further research whether the northern boundary of the tropical zone should not be a fixed line but rather should fluctuate within a certain scope to reflect these changes.     

基于模式优选的21世纪中国气候变化情景集合预估

未来气候变化情景预估是制定气候变化应对和适应策略的科学基础。本文利用参与耦合模式比较计划第五阶段（CMIP5）的30个气候模式的模拟数据,通过评估各模式对历史气候变化的模拟能力,筛选出模拟区域气候变化的最优模式组合,进而建立偏最小二乘回归（PLS）集合预估模型,据此利用最优模式模拟结果预估区域温度和降水变化情景。通过与历史数据的对比,研究发现本文基于最优模式建立的PLS集合预估模型不仅优于传统的多模式集合平均,而且也优于利用全部模式建立的PLS集合预估模型,体现了模式优选过程的重要性。本文基于优选模式的PLS集合预估模型预估结果表明：① 21世纪各区域温度将持续上升,且冬半年升温速率总体大于夏半年,北方地区升温速率总体高于南方地区;RCP 4.5排放情景下温度上升先快后慢,转折点出现在21世纪中期,RCP 8.5排放情景下,呈持续增加趋势,至21世纪末的升温幅度约为RCP 4.5情景的2倍。② 21世纪各区降水变化均呈显著增加趋势,并表现出高排放情景大于低排放情景,少雨区大于多雨区的特征,但是降水增加过程伴有明显的年代际波动。对比发现,传统的等权重集合平均全部模式（EMC）方法预估的中国夏季变暖速率高于冬季,且降水基本呈线性增加,有悖于全球变暖的基本特征及中国降水具有鲜明的年代际变化特征的基本认识。因而,本文预估的温度和降水变化特征均更符合中国气候变化的基本规律。