Comparison of dryland climate change in observations and CMIP5 simulations

A comparison of observations with 20 climate model simulations from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, Phase5(CMIP5) revealed that observed dryland expansion amounted to 2.61 × 106km2 during the 58 years from 1948 to 2005,which was four times higher than that in the simulations(0.55 × 106km2). Dryland expansion was accompanied by a decline in aridity index(AI)(drying trend) as a result of decreased precipitation and increased potential evapotranspiration across all dryland subtype areas in the observations, especially in the semi-arid and dry subhumid regions. However, the CMIP5multi-model ensemble(MME) average performed poorly with regard to the decreasing trends of AI and precipitation. By analyzing the factors controlling AI, we found that the overall bias of AI in the simulations, compared with observations, was largely due to limitations in the simulation of precipitation. The simulated precipitation over global drylands was substantially overestimated compared with observations across all subtype areas, and the spatial distribution of precipitation in the MME was largely inconsistent in the African Sahel, East Asia, and eastern Australia, where the semi-arid and dry subhumid regions were mainly located.     

Sensitivity of Potential Evapotranspiration Estimation to the Thornthwaite and Penman–Monteith Methods in the Study of Global Drylands

Drylands are among those regions most sensitive to climate and environmental changes and human-induced perturbations.The most widely accepted definition of the term dryland is a ratio,called the Surface Wetness Index(SWI),of annual precipitation to potential evapotranspiration(PET)being below 0.65.PET is commonly estimated using the Thornthwaite(PET Th)and Penman–Monteith equations(PET PM).The present study compared spatiotemporal characteristics of global drylands based on the SWI with PET Th and PET PM.Results showed vast differences between PET Th and PET PM;however,the SWI derived from the two kinds of PET showed broadly similar characteristics in the interdecadal variability of global and continental drylands,except in North America,with high correlation coefficients ranging from 0.58 to 0.89.It was found that,during 1901–2014,global hyper-arid and semi-arid regions expanded,arid and dry sub-humid regions contracted,and drylands underwent interdecadal fluctuation.This was because precipitation variations made major contributions,whereas PET changes contributed to a much lesser degree.However,distinct differences in the interdecadal variability of semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions were found.This indicated that the influence of PET changes was comparable to that of precipitation variations in the global dry–wet transition zone.Additionally,the contribution of PET changes to the variations in global and continental drylands gradually enhanced with global warming,and the Thornthwaite method was found to be increasingly less applicable under climate change.     

我国干旱半干旱区气候变化特征及其对干湿波动的影响

气候干湿状况是表征区域气候特征的重要指标,是在全球气候变暖背景下,水循环与陆面蒸散发作用的综合结果。本文从湿润度指数入手,结合降水与潜在蒸散的时空变化,分析了我国干旱半干旱区气候特点与干湿变化特征及对土壤湿度的影响。分析发现：近50年来,我国干旱与半干旱区均呈变湿趋势。干旱区与半干旱区潜在蒸散与降水月差值在年内出现时间上存在不一致,且干旱区明显大于半干旱区;3～9月为干旱气候区潜在蒸散与降水差值大值期,3～6月半干旱区潜在蒸散明显大于降水,7月起差值明显减小。作用分析表明,在干旱区,降水对湿润度指数的影响更大,而对于半干旱区,降水与潜在蒸散作用相当。长期以来,我国整个干旱与半干旱区大部分土壤湿度在逐渐变干,尤其是农业耕作层的浅层土壤,几乎全区域一致呈现变干趋势,说明我国干旱半干旱区农牧业生产存在较大的潜在干旱风险。     

Progress in Semi-arid Climate Change Studies in China

This article reviews recent progress in semi-arid climate change research in China.Results indicate that the areas of semiarid regions have increased rapidly during recent years in China,with an increase of 33%during 1994-2008 compared to 1948-62.Studies have found that the expansion rate of semi-arid areas over China is nearly 10 times higher than that of arid and sub-humid areas,and is mainly transformed from sub-humid/humid regions.Meanwhile,the greatest warming during the past 100 years has been observed over semi-arid regions in China,and mainly induced by radiatively forced processes.The intensity of the regional temperature response over semi-arid regions has been amplified by land-atmosphere interactions and human activities.The decadal climate variation in semi-arid regions is modulated by oceanic oscillations,which induce land-sea and north-south thermal contrasts and affect the intensities of westerlies,planetary waves and blocking frequencies.In addition,the drier climates in semi-arid regions across China are also associated with the weakened East Asian summer monsoon in recent years.Moreover,dust aerosols in semi-arid regions may have altered precipitation by affecting the local energy and hydrological cycles.Finally,semi-arid regions in China are projected to continuously expand in the 21st century,which will increase the risk of desertification in the near future.     

基于两种潜在蒸散发算法的SPEI对中国干湿变化的分析

利用美国普林斯顿大学高分辨率的全球陆面同化数据集和美国国家环境预测中心的辐射再分析数据,根据Thornthwaite和Penman-Monteith公式分别计算了1948～2008年中国区域潜在蒸散发量;而后,使用降水和两套潜在蒸散发数据分别计算得到标准化降水蒸散发指数SPEI(Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index),并以此研究了1949～2008年中国区域干湿变化时空特征以及两种SPEI结果之间的差异;最后,给出了两种SPEI在中国的适用区域。结果表明:两种SPEI均显示中国地区整体上存在变干趋势,季节上以春季的变干趋势最为显著;空间上表现为以长江为界的南涝北旱,显著变干的区域有内蒙古中部、华北、东北以及四川东部地区,显著变湿的地区主要位于新疆北部和西部。同时,各种不同等级干旱也呈增加趋势,其中以中等干旱增加最为显著。1990年代中后期以来是中等和极端干旱发生最多的时期,空间上与SPEI显著减小的区域相对应。两种SPEI在 冬、春季差异最大,这主要是由于期间两种潜在蒸散发的计算结果之间存在很大差异。在Penman-Monteith公式中,由于空气动力项对冬、春季北方潜在蒸散发的贡献显著增加,基于该公式的SPEI相对而言能更合理地描述干湿变化特征。     

The potential of vegetation feedback to alleviate climate aridity over the United States associated with a 2×CO2 climate condition

This study examines the potential impact of vegetation feedback on changes in summer climate aridity over the contiguous United States (US) due to the doubling of atmospheric CO₂ concentration using a set of 100-year-long climate simulations made by a global climate model interactively coupled with a dynamic vegetation model. The Thornthwaite moisture index (I _m ), which quantifies climate aridity on the basis of atmospheric water supply (i.e., precipitation) and atmospheric water demand (i.e., potential evapotranspiration, PET), is used to measure climate aridity. Warmer atmosphere and drier surface resulting from increased CO₂ concentration increase climate aridity over most of the contiguous US. This phenomenon is due to larger increments in PET than in precipitation, regardless of the presence or absence of vegetation feedback. Compared to simulations without active dynamic vegetation feedback, the presence of vegetation feedback significantly alleviates the increase in aridity. This vegetation-feedback effect is most noticeable in the subhumid regions such as southern, midwestern and northwestern US, primarily by the increasing vegetation greenness. In these regions, the greening in response to warmer temperatures enhances moisture transfer from soil to atmosphere by evapotranspiration (ET). The increased ET and subsequent moistening over land areas result in weaker surface warming (1–2?K) and PET (3–10?mm?month^?1), and greater precipitation (4–10?mm?month^?1). Collectively, they result in moderate increases in I _m . Our results suggest that moistening by enhanced vegetation feedback may prevent aridification under climatic warming especially in areas vulnerable to climate change, with consequent implications for mitigation strategies.     

1960—2016年中国北方半干旱区盛夏降水时空变化及其水汽输送特征分析

基于气象台站降水观测资料,本文分析了1960—2016年半干旱区盛夏（7、8月）降水量时空变化特征,探讨了典型降水量时空分布型与大气环流及水汽输送的关系。结果表明,1960—2016年半干旱区7月和8月降水量的主导空间模态均可归纳为“区域一致型”和“区内反向型”。“区域一致型”时间序列显示1960—2016年7、8月降水量均呈减少趋势,但8月减少趋势更明显。这一时间序列与大气环流及水汽通量输送之间相关性分析显示,欧亚遥相关以及中纬度西风气流与7月降水量变化密切相关;而西太平洋副热带高压是影响半干旱区8月降水量变化的主要原因。相较而言,“区内反向型”年际变率较小但年代际变化明显,当北方半干旱区受反气旋性环流控制时,易形成北方半干旱区西部地区降水偏多而东部地区偏少的格局。     

中国主要河流流域极端降水变化特征

利用中国1956-2008年逐日降水量资料,以全国主要河流流域为研究区域,分析了年最大日降水量、年暴雨（日降水量≥50.0 mm）日数的多年平均状况及长期变化趋势。分析表明,近53年,全国平均年最大日降水量没有明显的线性变化趋势,但全国范围内多数气象站点年最大日降水量呈现出增加趋势,并存在南方流域增加、北方流域减少的变化趋势,这种变化特征在2001年以来表现更加突出。全国平均年暴雨日数呈不显著的增多趋势,20世纪90年代最多,70年代最少。空间上,我国南北方流域年暴雨日数呈现相反的变化特征,南方流域多呈上升趋势,北方流域呈减少趋势。     

末次间冰期亚洲中部干旱区干湿变化的模拟研究

利用国际古气候模拟对比计划第四阶段的多模式结果,分析了末次间冰期亚洲中部干旱区的干湿变化及机制。多模式集合平均结果表明,末次间冰期亚洲中部干旱区年降水减少0.7%,其中中亚地区的年降水减少2.8%,新疆地区年降水增加1.8%。水汽收支方程表明,末次间冰期中亚地区在雨季(冬春季)的降水变化主要与垂直动力项有关,新疆地区在雨季(夏季)的降水变化主要与垂直动力与热力项有关。此外,基于Penman-Montieth方法计算的亚洲中部干旱区的干旱指数在末次间冰期减小约10.2%,表明末次间冰期亚洲中部干旱区气候明显变干且存在旱区扩张的现象,这主要受到潜在蒸散变化的调控。潜在蒸散的增加进一步受到有效能量增加与地面风速增大的调控。本研究从模拟的角度揭示了末次间冰期亚洲中部干旱区干湿变化的可能特征及机制,在一定程度上有助于理解旱区气候在增暖情景下对轨道参数的响应特征。     

近30年京津冀地区冰雹的气候特征和突变分析

基于1979—2008年京津冀地区175个气象站的冰雹观测资料,应用气候趋势系数、倾向率、集中度和集中期,以及连续功率谱等方法,分析了京津冀地区及4个划分关键区冰雹发生的多时间尺度变化特征和变化趋势,并运用蒙特卡罗方法检验了气候趋势系数的显著性。结果表明：近30年该地区的冰雹有明显减少趋势,北部地区比南部地区减少幅度要大,山地区域比平原地区减少幅度大;基本上都存在2.0～2.5年的变化周期,该地区冰雹的发生具有准两年周期振荡的特征;南部平原冰雹发生的集中度最大,该区冰雹在年内发生时间最为集中;南部平原集中期较早,出现在6月初,其他几个关键区冰雹主要发生在6月底到7月初。应用气候要素累计距平曲线、Yamamoto方法进行了气候突变分析,结果表明京津冀地区冰雹在1993年发生了减少的突变,山地区域尤为显著。     

2001—2010年青藏高原干湿格局及其影响因素分析

基于RFE2.0模型和Penman-Monteith模型,采用潜在蒸散降水比分析了2001—2010年青藏高原生长季(5—9月)干湿气候的时空变化格局,并对其影响因素进行了探讨。结果表明:(1)干旱和半干旱区占整个青藏高原区域的67%,主要集中在高原中部及中部以北;(2)2001—2010年有25%的区域在逐渐变干,北部干旱程度总体上在逐渐减轻,南部及东南部有变干倾向;(3)降水是导致高原区域干湿气候空间格局差异的主要因素,高原干湿气候对潜在蒸散变化的敏感性最强。     

Investigation of temporal and spatial climate variability and aridity of Iran

The aim of this research is to study the spatial and temporal variability of aridity in Iran, through analysis of temperature and precipitation trends during the 48-year period of 1961–2008. In this study, four different aridity criteria have been used to investigate the aridity situation. These aridity indexes included Lang’s index or rain factor, Budyko index or radiational index of dryness, UNEP aridity index, and Thornthwaite moisture index. The results of the analysis indicated that the highest and lowest mean temperatures occurred in July and January respectively in all locations. Among the study locations, Ahvaz with 37.1 °C and Kermanshah with 20.2 °C has the highest and lowest in July. For January, the highest was 12.4 °C for Ahvaz and the lowest was ?4.5 °C for Hamedan and Kermanshah together. The range of monthly mean temperature of study locations indicated that the maximum and minimum difference between day and night temperatures, almost in all study locations, occurred in September and January, respectively, and the highest and lowest fluctuation of temperature was observed in Kerman and Tehran. The temperature anomalies showed that the most significant increasing temperature occurred at the beginning of twenty-first century (2000–2008) in all locations. The long-term mean of monthly rainfall showed that, in most study locations, the maximum and minimum of mean precipitation occurred in winter and summer, respectively. Rasht with 1,355 mm had the highest and Yazd with 55 mm had the lowest of total precipitation compared with other locations. According to precipitation anomalies, all locations experienced dry and wet periods, but generally dry periods occurred more often especially in the beginning of twenty-first century. According to applied different aridity indexes, all the study locations often experienced semi-arid to arid climate, severe water deficit to desert climate, arid to hyperarid climate, and semi-arid climate during the study period.     

中国干旱半干旱区洪涝灾害的初步分析

中国干旱半干旱区的洪涝灾害是一个尚未引起人们重视的重大科学问题,这主要是因为干旱半干旱区对洪涝灾害的防范意识比较薄弱。而极端降水事件的次数、强度和持续时间与干旱半干旱区的洪涝灾害有密切联系,直接影响该区域洪涝灾害及其次生地质灾害的次数与严重程度。以干旱半干旱区的极端降水事件为切入点,分析了中国干旱半干旱区的极端降水事件次数和极端降水量的变化特征,旨在为干旱半干旱区的洪涝灾害研究提供科学依据。结果表明,进入21世纪以来,中国110°E以西的干旱半干旱区极端降水事件的日数有所增多,而110°E以东的区域日数都有所减少。干旱半干旱区极端降水量的变化也呈现出西增东减的分布,大部分干旱半干旱区的极端降水量变化占总降水量变化的40%以上,一部分地区能达到50%,甚至100%-200%。从季节变化来看,春季天山以北、新疆南部、甘肃敦煌和内蒙古包头以北地区极端降水量增加较多,夏季110°E以西的干旱半干旱区极端降水量均增大明显,秋季陕西榆林、内蒙古鄂尔多斯、包头和呼和浩特等地极端降水量增大较明显。     

中国干湿状况和干湿气候界限变化研究

选取全国616个地面气象台站1975-2004年的地面资料,通过Penman-Monteith公式计算的参考蒸散确定湿润指数（W）,按W为0．03、0．2、0．5和1．0把中国分为极干旱、干旱、半干旱、半湿润和湿润5个干湿区,给出了湿润指数的变化趋势和变异状况的地理分布,讨论了湿润指数的年代际变化特征。结果表明：湿润状况显著增加的地区主要为新疆西北部和中国的西南部,干旱化显著的地区主要在青海的东部、甘肃的南部和四川北部;干湿状况变化从中国的东部向西部逐渐增大,中国的西南地区干湿状况最为稳定;20世纪80年代初全国的平均干湿状况发生变化,由干旱趋向湿润,30a来半湿润、湿润地区干湿状况年际变化大,半干旱区和湿润区增多,半湿润区减少。     

Changes in Climate Regionalization Indices in China during 1961–2010简

The regionalization of climate in China is based on a three-level classification in terms of lasting days for accumulated temperature （AT）,aridity index,and July mean temperature.Based on daily meteorological observational data from 756 stations,trends and interdecadal variation in indices for classifying temperature zones,moisture regions and climatic subregions in the period 1961-2010 are discussed.Results reveal that the nationwide AT ≥ 10℃C （AT10） and its lasting days are basically increasing,while aridity in northern Xinjiang is decreasing.The increasing trend of July mean temperature in North China is found to be notably larger than in South China.In terms of their national averages,a marked step increase of AT10 and its lasting period,as well as July mean temperature occurred around 1997,while the aridity index presents no such clear change.By comparing regionalization areas for 1998-2010 with those for 1961-97,it is found that the semi-humid,semi-dry and dry regions in the sub-temperate zone,as well as the humid region in the middle subtropical zone,have experienced substantial shrinkage in terms of area.In contrast,the areas of semi-dry and dry regions in the warm temperate zone,as well as the humid region in the south subtropical zone,present drastically increasing trends.Owing to the influence of such step changes that took place in 1997,that particular point in time should be given close attention in future studies regarding the regionalization of climate in China.     

近40年河北省地表干燥度的时空变化

利用河北省1970-2007年48个气象台站逐日资料, 采用Penman-Monteith模型计算潜在蒸散量, 由潜在蒸散量和降水量之比构建干燥度指数, 并采用Kriging插值法进行空间插值以分析其区域特征。结果表明:1970-1985年, 由于降水量减少和潜在蒸散量减少, 蒸散量的减少速率大于降水量的减少速率, 地表干燥度指数呈下降趋势, 潜在蒸散量的显著减少是地表干燥度下降的主要原因, 而风速和日照时数的显著降低决定了潜在蒸散量的显著下降; 1986-2007年, 由于年平均气温的显著升高, 潜在蒸散量增加, 使得地表干燥度略呈上升趋势。河北省地表干燥度高值区分布在张家口地区的桑洋盆地和坝西高原, 而低值区主要在燕山南麓低山丘陵地区的承德西南部、唐山的北部和秦皇岛中北部大部分地区。干燥度减少区域主要集中在河北省东北部至河北省西部的带状区域。     

中国西北干旱、半干旱区春季地气温差的年代际变化特征及其对华北夏季降水年代际变化的影响

利用我国1951~2000年夏季降水观测资料分析了我国夏季降水的年代际变化特征,表明了我国夏季降水在1976年前后发生了一次明显的气候跃变,在1976年之后华北地区和黄河流域夏季降水明显减少,出现了严重持续干旱,而西北地区从20世纪70年代后期开始,降水增多,且西北地区降水振荡位相要超前于华北地区降水振荡位相5~8年。并且,本文从1960~2000年我国西北干旱、半干旱区的地温、气温观测资料分析了我国西北干旱、半干旱地区的地气温差(Ts-Ta)的变化特征,其结果表明了在20世纪70年代后期以前,我国西北干旱、半干旱地区的地气温差大部分年份偏低,低于平均值,而从70年代后期之后到2000年,我国西北干旱、半干旱地区的地气温差偏高。此外,本文还分析了西北干旱区地气温差变化的最大地区新疆西部春季地气温差与我国夏季降水的相关关系,其正相关区分别位于西北地区、东北地区和长江流域,而负相关区分别位于华北地区东部和西南地区,这表明我国西北干旱、半干旱区春季地气温差可能是华北地区夏季降水年代际变化的原因之一。     

近30年来中国气候的干湿变化

本文利用1951—1980年的月平均温度,计算了中国各地水分需要量。根据水分需要量和降水量大小,将我国划分成潮湿、湿润、半湿润、半干燥和干燥5类气候区;并对这5个气候区1950年前后各30年时段的气候干湿状况进行讨论;此外还对影响气候干湿变化的重要因子,我国近30年来的降水进行了分析。 近3O多年来,各气候区的降水及气候状况呈现了不同的变化:潮湿和湿润气候区50年代降水较多,60年代降水偏少,70年代降水呈多变态;半湿润和半干燥气候区50年代至60年代中期为多雨时段,1965年始,降水偏少,处于少雨阶段,     

近30年全球干旱半干旱区的蒸散变化特征

全球变暖加剧了气候系统能量和水分循环相互作用的变化,水分平衡变化导致极端旱涝事件频发。地表蒸散是能量水分循环的重要过程,是理解气候变化的关键环节。本文基于1982~2011年FLUXNET-MTE观测资料和ERA-Interim再分析资料,分析了全球干旱半干旱区蒸散的时空变化特征及典型区域的变幅、趋势和季节变化。结果表明:（1）干旱半干旱区多年平均蒸散量小于300 mm。冬季蒸散量最小,夏季最大且变率也最强。1990年代前后,干旱半干旱区蒸散发生了明显的年代际转变,暖季的年代际差异尤为明显。（2）近30年来,东半球干旱半干旱区蒸散量呈增加趋势,西半球呈减小趋势。典型区域来看,南非呈显著增加趋势[25.14 mm（10 a）-1],美国西南部呈显著减小趋势[-19.86 mm（10 a）-1];萨赫勒、中国北部和澳大利亚呈增加趋势,阿根廷及智利南部呈减小趋势。（3）蒸散变化与温度、降水的变化联系密切,三者具有相似的年循环变化,但三者间相关性在干旱半干旱区具有显著的差异性。     

Fluctuations of the Semi-Arid Zone in China, and Consequences for Society

Herein, we calculate an aridity index, D, based on annual precipitation, P, and measured evaporation, PET, from φ20 evaporation pans: D = P/PET. The data were collected between 1951 and 1999 at 295 meteorological stations operated by the Chinese Meteorological Administration. On the basis of the index, three climatic regions are recognized in China: an arid zone in which D ≤ 0.20, a semi-arid zone with 0.20 < D ≤ 0.50, and a humid zone in which D > 0.50. Temporal fluctuations of the climate boundaries are substantial, and differ significantly regionally, and have the shifting features in the same direction in some areas and in opposite directions in others over the past 50 years. The semiarid zone lies along the border of the monsoon, and is thus highly susceptible to environmental change in China. In the period from the late 1960s to the early 1970s, the climate became drier in most parts of the regions of northern China. Moreover, the drought has an increasing trend. The fluctuations of climatic boundaries and the alternation from drier to wetter climate have substantial inter-decadal features. The main factors affecting the fluctuations in climate boundaries are the East Asian summer monsoon, the Indian Monsoon, the plateau monsoon in Tibetan Plateau, the westerly circulation, and the West Pacific Subtropical High. The different types of circulation and the strength of these circulations result in regional and temporal differences in aridity. Inter-decadal variations of the dry- and wet climate boundary fluctuations and of the arid and humid climate result from the inter-decadal changes of East Asian summer monsoon, Indian Monsoon, plateau monsoon, westerly circulation, and West Pacific Subtropical High. The anomalous general atmospheric circulation in the Northern Hemisphere during the late 1960s to the early 1970s is the cause of the remarkable change in arid and humid climate in China. Major natural disasters produced by arid and humid change are drought and flood disasters. They cause enormous economic losses to agriculture and industry. Furthermore, the loss has a substantial increasing trend. More than 110 cities are in severe water-deficiency conditions because of shortage of water resource in China. Drought has been a limiting factor of economic and social development in China.