Climatic trends over the Tibetan Plateau during 1971-2000

Trends of annual and monthly temperature, precipitation, potential evapotranspi-ration and aridity index were analyzed to understand climate change during the period 1971–2000 over the Tibetan Plateau which is one of the most special regions sensitive to global climate change. FAO56–Penmen–Monteith model was modified to calculate potential evapotranspiration which integrated many climatic elements including maximum and mini-mum temperatures, solar radiation, relative humidity and wind speed. Results indicate gen-erally warming trends of the annual averaged and monthly temperatures, increasing trends of precipitation except in April and September, decreasing trends of annual and monthly poten-tial evapotranspiration, and increasing aridity index except in September. It is not the isolated climatic elements that are important to moisture conditions, but their integrated and simulta-neous effect. Moreover, potential evapotranspiration often changes the effect of precipitation on moisture conditions. The climate trends suggest an important warm and humid tendency averaged over the southern plateau in annual period and in August. Moisture conditions would probably get drier at large area in the headwater region of the three rivers in annual average and months from April to November, and the northeast of the plateau from July to September. Complicated climatic trends over the Tibetan Plateau reveal that climatic factors have nonlinear relationships, and resulte in much uncertainty together with the scarcity of observation data. The results would enhance our understanding of the potential impact of climate change on environment in the Tibetan Plateau. Further research of the sensitivity and attribution of climate change to moisture conditions on the plateau is necessary.     

Paleocurrent and fabric analyses of the imbricated fluvial gravel deposits in Huangshui Valley, the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, China

Gravel deposits on fluvial terraces contain a wealth of information about the paleofluvial system. In this study, flow direction and provenance were determined by systematic counts of more than 2000 clasts of imbricated gravel deposits in the Xining Region, northeastern Tibetan Plateau, China. These gravel deposits range in age from the modern Huangshui riverbed to Miocene-aged deposits overlain by eolian sediments. Our major objectives were not only to collect first-hand field data on the fluvial gravel sediments of the Xining Region, but also to the reconstruct the evolution of the fluvial system. These data may offer valuable information about uplift of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau during the late Cenozoic era. Reconstructed flow directions of the higher and lower gravel deposits imply that the river underwent a flow reversal of approximately 130–180°. In addition, the lithological compositions in the higher gravel deposits differ significantly from the lower terraces, suggesting that the source areas changed at the same time. Eolian stratigraphy overlying the gravel deposits and paleomagnetic age determination indicate that this change occurred sometime between 1.55 Ma and 1.2 Ma. We suggest that tectonic activity could explain the dramatic changes in flow direction and lithological composition during this time period. Therefore, this study provides a new scenario of fluvial response to tectonic uplift: a reversal of flow direction. In addition, field observation and statistical analyses reveal a strong relationship between rock type, size and roundness of clasts.     

Modeling Aboveground Biomass Using MODIS Images and Climatic Data in Grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau

Accurate quantification of aboveground biomass of grasslands in alpine regions plays an important role in accurate quantification of global carbon cycling. The monthly normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), enhanced vegetation index (EVI), mean air temperature (Ta), ≥5℃ accumulated air temperature (AccT), total precipitation (TP), and the ratio of TP to AccT (TP/AccT) were used to model aboveground biomass (AGB) in grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau. Three stepwise multiple regression methods, including stepwise multiple regression of AGB with NDVI and EVI, stepwise multiple regression of AGB with Ta, AccT, TP and TP/AccT, and stepwise multiple regression of AGB with NDVI, EVI, Ta, AccT, TP and TP/AccT were compared. The mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean squared error (RMSE) values between estimated AGB by the NDVI and measured AGB were 31.05 g m^-2 and 44.12 g m^-2, and 95.43 g m^-2 and 131.58 g m^-2 in the meadow and steppe, respectively. The MAE and RMSE values between estimated AGB by the AccT and measured AGB were 33.61g m^-2 and 48.04 g m^-2 in the steppe, respectively. The MAE and RMSE values between estimated AGB by the vegetation index and climatic data and measured AGB were 28.09 g m^-2 and 42.71 g m^-2, and 35.86 g m^-2 and 47.94 g m^-2, in the meadow and steppe, respectively. The study finds that a combination of vegetation index and climatic data can improve the accuracy of estimates of AGB that are arrived at using the vegetation index or climatic data. The accuracy of estimates varied depending on the type of grassland.     

青藏高原念青唐古拉峰地区气候特征初步分析

利用青藏高原念青唐古拉峰地区扎当冰川垭口(30°28.07′N,90°39.03′E,5 800 m a.s.l.)、南坡(30°22.87′N,90°40.36′E,5 100 m a.s.l.)和北坡(30°29.06′N,90°37.46′E,5 400 m a.s.l.)三台自动气象站一年的近地层观测资料,分析了该地区温度、湿度、风速风向和辐射等气象要素的季节变化特征,探讨了南、北坡局地气候差异形成的原因。结果表明:垭口、南坡、北坡年平均气温分别为-6.9℃、-1.1℃和-3.4℃;北坡(扎当冰川)消融期气温直减率大,年平均值为0.87℃/100 m;海拔越高,气温日较差、气温直减率波动越大;垭口相对湿度最大,饱和水汽压最小;该地区相对湿度与海拔呈正向关系,而饱和水汽压与之呈反向关系;该地区局地环流特征明显;总辐射5月出现最大值,南坡辐射比北坡小,与大气所含水汽、天空云量、下垫面性质差异等因素有关。     

青藏高原大湖期

青藏高原湖盆中古湖岸线分布广泛,从最高湖岸线的分布确定的大湖期湖泊面积,一般比现代湖泊面积大数倍至十多倍.据高原不同地区的十多个湖泊沉积测年数据分析,大湖期的年代大致相近,在40～25ka BP居多,有的可能延续至20ka BP,与深海氧同位素3阶段、末次冰期间冰段相当.该时期高原环境特别湿润.大湖期的形成与该时期亚洲夏季风特别强盛有关.     

西藏高原降水变化趋势的气候分析

利用西藏1971~2000年月降水量、降水日数资料,分析了近30年高原降水的变化趋势。结果发现,西藏大部分地区年降水量变化为正趋势,降水倾向率为1.4~66.6 mm/10a,而阿里地区呈较为明显的减少趋势。年降水日数变化阿里地区、林芝地区东部为负趋势,正趋势以那曲地区中西部、昌都地区北部最为明显。20世纪70年代高原西部为正距平、东部为负距平,20世纪80年代大部分地区为负距平,20世纪90年代高原西部为负距平,东部为正距平。近30年来西藏高原平均年、四季降水量均呈增加趋势,年降水量以19.9 mm/10a的速率增加,尤其是20世纪90年代增幅较大,1992年以来春、夏季降水明显增加。阿里地区出现了暖干化趋势。年降水异常偏涝年主要出现在20世纪80和90年代。     

青藏高原大湖期

青藏高原湖盆中古湖岸线分布广泛,从最高湖岸线的分布确定的大湖期湖泊面积,一般比现代湖泊面积大数倍至十多倍。据高原不同地区的十多个湖泊沉积测年数据分析,大湖期的年代大致相近,在４０￣２４ｋａ ＢＰ居多,有的可能延续至２０ｋａ ＢＰ,与深海氧同位素３阶段、末次冰期间冰段相当。时期高原环境特别湿润。大湖期的形成与该时期亚洲夏季风特别强盛有关。     

中国黄土高原土壤湿度的气候响应

利用中国黄土高原59个气象站1961—2002年月降水量和29个农业气象观测站从建站到2002年逐年4—10月旬土壤重量含水率资料,分析了黄土高原土壤湿度的地域和时间分布特征以及土壤湿度对生态的影响。结果表明：①黄土高原4—10月土壤湿度与降水量的地理分布有较好的一致性,两者都从东南向西北减少。受六盘山和太行山阻挡东南季风影响,在陇中和晋中黄土高原出现一条南北向的干舌;黄土高原半干旱气候区降水和土壤湿度等值线梯度大,气候变化敏感。②采用年降水量和变差系数把中国黄土高原土壤湿度划分为5个气候区域：草原化荒漠带土壤严重失墒区,荒漠草原带土壤失墒区;草原带土壤失墒区;森林草原带土壤湿度周期亏缺区;森林带土壤湿度周期亏缺区。前3个气候区位于黄土高原中北部,经雨季之后,土壤水分不能得到有效恢复,土壤经常处于重旱或轻旱状态。后2个气候区位于黄土高原南部,经雨季之后,土壤水分能得到有效恢复,土壤有季节性缺水现象。③影响土壤湿度的主要因素是降水,但气温也有不可忽视的作用。近20 a来,中国黄土高原降水减少,气温升高,土壤湿度有下降的趋势。     

论青藏高原范围与面积

长期以来 ,种种因素导致学者们对青藏高原确切范围的认识和理解存在差异。根据青藏高原相关领域研究的新成果和多年野外实践 ,从地理学角度 ,充分讨论了确定青藏高原范围和界线的原则与涉及的问题 ,结合信息技术方法对青藏高原范围与界线位置进行了精确的定位和定量分析。得出 :青藏高原在中国境内部分西起帕米尔高原 ,东至横断山脉 ,横跨 31个经度 ,东西长约 2 94 5km ;南自喜马拉雅山脉南缘 ,北迄昆仑山 -祁连山北侧 ,纵贯约 13个纬度 ,南北宽达 15 32km ;范围为 2 6°0 0′12″N～ 39°4 6′5 0″N ,73°18′5 2″E～ 10 4°4 6′5 9″E ,面积为 2 5 72 4× 10 3km2 ,占我国陆地总面积的 2 6 8%。     

我国北方沙尘天气的气候成因分析

本研究的范围在30°N以北地区,站点340个.通过采用区域平均及相关分析的方法,将中国北方沙尘(扬沙+沙尘暴)事件的年、季特征及其关系较为密切的地面气象要素包括降水、温度、风(风速、大风日数、风速≥5 m/s的日数)、湿度、蒸发量作了详细、综合的相关、对比分析.结果表明:春季多降水对沙尘天气的发生可以起到明显的抑制作用...     

Climatic implications of hydrologic changes in two lake catchments on the central Tibetan Plateau since the last glacial

The numerous and widespread lakes of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) constitute the largest group of alpine lakes on Earth. Some of the lakes are fed mainly by glacier meltwater and others by precipitation and groundwater. Past changes in the environments of these lakes differed because of differences in lake hydrological regimes and the complex pattern of climate change on the TP. Here we present records of scanning XRF, inorganic carbon (IC) concentration n-alkanoic acid average chain length (ACL) and percent aquatic inputs (Paq) in sediment cores from two non-glaciated lakes on the central TP (Dagze Co and Jiang Co), which span the past 19,000 years. We used these measures to investigate past changes in catchment hydrology, climate and environment. Variations in the concentration of Ti and other lithogenic elements at the two sites were influenced mainly by surface runoff, which is supported by the variation of IC, Ca/(Al, Ti, Fe) (reflecting authigenic carbonate precipitation), Rb/Sr (a chemical weathering proxy), and ACL and Paq. We attribute variations in surface runoff to changes in the precipitation/evaporation ratio, caused by the pattern of climate change on the central TP since the late Pleistocene. During the late Pleistocene, stronger runoff (indicated by higher Ti, higher Rb/Sr and Paq, lower IC, Ca/(Al, Ti, Fe) and ACL) likely resulted from lower temperatures. Lower runoff during the Holocene may reflect intensified evaporation caused by higher temperatures. Comparison with records from glaciated lakes in the region reveals opposite trends in catchment hydrology. Overall, our results suggest that since the late Pleistocene the central TP was influenced mainly by the Indian Summer Monsoon.     

Erosions on the southern Tibetan Plateau: Evidence from in-situ cosmogenic nuclides 10Be and 26Al in fluvial sediments

Investigating topographic and climatic controls on erosion at variable spatial and temporal scales is essential to our understanding of the topographic evolution of the orogen.In this work,we quantified millennial-scale erosion rates deduced from cosmogenic 10Be and 26Al concentrations in 15 fluvial sediments from the mainstream and major tributaries of the Yarlung Zangbo River draining the southern Tibetan Plateau (TP).The measured ratios of 26Al/10Be range from 6.33 ± 0.29 to 8.96 ± 0.37,suggesting steady-state erosion processes.The resulted erosion rates vary from 20.60 ± 1.79 to 154.00 ± 13.60 m Myr-1,being spatially low in the upstream areas of the Gyaca knickpoint and high in the downstream areas.By examining the relationships between the erosion rate and topographic or climatic indices,we found that both topography and climate play significant roles in the erosion process for basins in the upstream areas of the Gyaca knickpoint.However,topography dominantly controls the erosion processes in the downstream areas of the Gyaca knickpoint,whereas variations in precipitation have only a second-order control.The marginal Himalayas and the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin (YZRB) yielded significantly higher erosion rates than the central plateau,which indicated that the landscape of the central plateau surface is remarkably stable and is being intensively consumed at its boundaries through river headward erosion.In addition,our 10Be erosion rates are comparable to present-day hydrologic erosion rates in most cases,suggesting either weak human activities or long-term steady-state erosion in this area.     

西藏日喀则地区生态安全评价与生态环境建设

用生态安全的PSR(压力-状态-响应)概念模型和层次分析法建立西藏日喀则地区生态安全评价体系,综合评价全区生态安全现状。结果表明,日喀则地区生态环境系统安全状况目前已退化到中警状态,生态环境问题已成为制约当地经济发展和社会进步的主要因素。同时,分别计算出全区18县市各自的生态安全指数值,结果显示,除吉隆县属预警状态,其余17县市都为中警状态,且区域相对差异极为明显,东部生态安全问题更为突出。文章根据日喀则地区不同生态环境要素的区域差异以及生态安全建设的需要,提出五大生态环境建设区以满足日喀则地区改善生态安全现状的需要。同时详述了各生态环境建设区的生态环境特征、存在问题和治理方向。     

近三十年青藏高原内流区湖泊岸线形态的时空演变

湖泊岸线形态是描述和定量表达湖泊空间分布特征的重要维度。近年来,受气候暖湿化影响,青藏高原内流区湖泊总体呈现快速扩张趋势,湖泊的动态变化不仅体现在面积、水位、水量等水文参数上,还引起湖泊形态的显著变化。基于多期湖泊分布数据,结合分形和景观生态学理论,构建了湖泊岸线形态特征量化的指标体系,对1990年以来,青藏高原内流区湖泊岸线形态的时空变化特征及其影响因素进行定量分析。结果表明：① 近三十年来青藏高原内流区湖泊的分形维数和岸线发育系数总体呈上升趋势,湖泊的近圆率在此期间呈下降趋势,湖泊长宽比指数则无明显变化。② 青藏高原内流区湖泊岸线形态的总体演变特征受到地质构造的控制,体现出一定空间自相关性,断陷湖区的湖泊岸线形态及其变化要明显复杂于坳陷湖区。区域湖泊岸线的变化幅度大致从东北向西南递减,变化幅度在可可西里地区、羌塘高原中部以及羌塘高原东南部3个区域存在空间自相关性。③ 湖泊岸线形态的变化受岸线周边的地形影响,湖滨地形落差较大的区域,湖泊岸线相对稳定,变化速度较慢。岸线指数的变化量与岸线周边1 km缓冲区内的平均高差存在幂函数关系。④ 该区域湖泊岸线形态的变化和湖泊面积的变化幅度也存在一定相关性,当湖泊处于扩张阶段时,湖泊的分形维数和岸线发育系数总体呈现增加趋势,反之减少。本研究揭示了气候暖湿化背景下青藏高原内流区湖泊岸线形态的变化格局与影响特征,讨论了湖泊岸线形态及其变化格局与湖区的地质构造,气候与水文等多个要素间的关系,丰富了湖泊动态变化研究的视角与方法,为深入理解青藏高原湖泊对气候变化的响应特征,监测湖泊变化对湖盆地貌、水系连通度以及湖滨带生态环境等影响提供了科学参考。     

藏西南高原植被覆盖时空变化及其与气候因素和人类活动的关系

研究基于MODIS-NDVI数据和气象数据,利用趋势分析、相关分析及残差分析等方法,分析了2000―2020年藏西南高原植被NDVI在不同时段的时空变化特征及气候因素和人类活动对植被NDVI的影响,结果表明：近20 a来藏西南高原植被NDVI呈增加趋势,不同时段植被NDVI增长速率存在显著差异,主要表现为秋季>生长季>夏季>全年>春季>冬季;不同时段植被NDVI的分布格局虽存在差异,但高原东部植被覆盖度明显高于西部地区;高原大部分区域植被状态基本稳定,局部明显改善,部分区域有所退化;年际尺度上,气温和降水的增加导致植被NDVI升高,季节尺度上,春季、秋季和冬季气温升高导致植被NDVI升高,降水的增加导致植被NDVI下降,夏季和生长季气温升高导致植被NDVI下降,降水升高导致植被NDVI增加;人类活动对高原大部分区域呈正面影响,局部地区呈负面影响,集中分布在半农半牧和纯牧业县区。     

第4届青藏高原国际学术研讨会在拉萨市召开

Organized and hosted by Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, the 4th International Symposium on the Tibetan Plateau was held in Lhasa, China on August 4-7, 2004.     

青藏高原高寒区生态脆弱性评价

在分析青藏高原高寒生态系统形成机制的基础上,构筑了3个层次、10个指标的脆弱性评价指标体系,系统评估了青藏高原生态脆弱性及其区域差异。研究结果表明：青藏高原中、重度以上脆弱区的面积较大,占区域总面积的74．79％。微度、轻度脆弱区主要分布在雅鲁藏布江大拐弯处、藏东南海拔3000m以下的山地、祁连山南坡的西北段和昆仑山北...     

Impacts of snow cover and frozen soil in the Tibetan Plateau on summer precipitation in China

This paper presents an analysis of the mechanisms and impacts of snow cover and frozen soil in the Tibetan Plateau on the summer precipitation in China, using RegCM3 version 3.1 model simulations. Comparisons of simulations vs. observations show that RegCM3 well captures these impacts. Results indicate that in a more-snow year with deep frozen soil there will be more precipitation in the Yangtze River Basin and central Northwest China, western Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang, but less precipitation in Northeast China, North China, South China, and most of Southwest China. In a less-snow year with deep frozen soil, however, there will be more precipitation in Northeast China, North China, and southern South China, but less precipitation in the Yangtze River Basin and in northern South China. Such differences may be attributed to different combination patterns of melting snow and thawing frozen soil on the Plateau, which may change soil moisture as well as cause differences in energy absorption in the phase change processes of snow cover and frozen soil. These factors may produce more surface sensible heat in more-snow years when the frozen soil is deep than when the frozen soil is shallow. The higher surface sensible heat may lead to a stronger updraft over the Plateau, eventually contributing to a stronger South Asia High and West Pacific Subtropical High. Due to different values of the wind fields at 850 hPa, a convergence zone will form over the Yangtze River Basin, which may produce more summer precipitation in the basin area but less precipitation in North China and South China. However, because soil moisture depends on ice content, in less-snow years with deep frozen soil, the soil moisture will be higher. The combination of higher frozen soil moisture with latent heat absorption in the phase change process may generate less surface sensible heat and consequently a weaker updraft motion over the Plateau. As a result, both the South Asia High and the West Pacific Subtropical High will be weaker, hence causing more summer precipitation in northern China but less in southern China.