Thermal hazards zonation and permafrost change over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is the largest permafrost region at low latitude in the world. Climate warming may lead to permafrost temperature rise, ground ice thawing and permafrost degradation, thus inducing thermal hazards. In this paper, the ARCGIS method is used to calculate the changes of ground ice content and active layer thickness under different climate scenarios on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, in the coming decades, thus providing the basis for hazards zonation. The method proposed by Nelson in 2002 was used for hazards zonation after revision, which was based on the changes of active layer thickness and ground ice content. The study shows that permafrost exhibits different degrees of degradation in the different climate scenarios. The thawing of ground ice and the change from low-temperature to high-temperature permafrost were the main permafrost degradation modes. This process, accompanied with thinning permafrost, increases the active layer thickness and the northward movement of the permafrost southern boundary. By 2099, the permafrost area decreases by 46.2, 16.01 and 8.5% under scenarios A2, A1B and B1, respectively. The greatest danger zones are located mainly to the south of the West Kunlun Mountains, the middle of the Qingnan Valley, the southern piedmont of the Gangdise and Nyainqentanglha Mountains and some regions in the southern piedmont of the Himalayas. The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau permafrost region is in the low-risk category. Climate warming exacerbates the development of thermal hazards. In 2099, the permafrost region is mainly in the middle-risk category, and only a small portion is in the low-risk category.     

Aeolian desertification and its causes in the Zoige Plateau of China’s Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Studies and efforts to control aeolian desertification in China have focused on the arid and semiarid lands in the north. However, the aeolian desertification that is occurring on the high-altitude Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, which has a cold and humid climate, has received attention only in recent years. In this paper, we report the results of monitoring this aeolian desertification between 1975 and 2005 and of our analysis of its causes on the Zoige Plateau, which is located in the northeastern part of China’s Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. Aeolian desertified lands expanded at a compound annual rate of 4.07% between 1975 and 2005. They expanded most rapidly between 1975 and 1990, at an annual rate of 7.73%. Factors responsible for this expansion include increasing temperature, decreasing precipitation, over-grazing, drainage of water systems, and land reclamation for agriculture. Increasing temperature, over-grazing, and the drainage of water systems were the key factors. The climatic variations between 1975 and 2005 were not sufficient by themselves to lead to aeolian desertification. Human disturbances such as over-grazing and drainage of water systems must thus have been primarily responsible for the observed changes, and human behavior must be adjusted to control the expansion of aeolian desertification and rehabilitate the desertified lands.     

Eco-environmental degradation in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and comprehensive ecological protection planning

The regional hydrology and ecosystems of the northeastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau have changed over the past 40 years driven by intense human activity and regional climate changes. Annual mean air temperature has increased in the region. Streamflow from the northeastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau has decreased significantly. Overall, a number of Alpine step meadows and Alpine frigid meadows have seriously degraded. Degeneration of vegetation and grassland led to desertification and frequently induced dust storms. With the continuous increase in cultivated land area, grassland area in the region has dropped significantly since the 1960s. At present, degraded grassland occupies about 83% of total usable grassland area. As the number of livestock increased, range condition deteriorated and the carrying capacity was reduced. The forest area in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau has decreased by 20%, and the local ecosystem has become very fragile. Given the relatively stable weather conditions, the northeastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau can be characterized by its three major ecosystems: grassland ecosystem, forest ecosystem and wetland ecosystem, which are crucial in maintaining the ecological stability. Changes in these ecosystems could influence sustainable development in the region. To avoid further deterioration of the environment and ecosystems, it is important to establish and implement ecosystem protection planning. Some effective measures are essential in this respect, including technical and political considerations.     

Holocene climate change inferred from stratigraphy and OSL chronology of aeolian sediments in the Qaidam Basin,northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Paleoclimatic reconstruction based on aeolian sediments in the eastern Qaidam Basin (QB) has been hindered by the limited chronological data. Here we present 61 Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) ages. On the basis of these OSL ages and the lithologic stratigraphy, we propose the ‘effective moisture index (EMI)’ for aeolian sediments to reconstruct the effective moisture change. Based on the EMI from twelve sections, the effective moisture change, moisture sources and relevant mechanisms for paleoclimatic change in the eastern QB are discussed. The results indicate that (1) aeolian deposition started at least before 12.4 ± 0.7 ka during the deglaciation, the paleosols developed at the early and mid-Holocene, and aeolian sand and loess accumulated at mid- and late Holocene; (2) effective moisture history was: hyper-arid at 12.8–11.6 ka, humid and variable at 11.6–8.3 ka, moderately humid and stable at 8.3–3.5 ka, and increasingly arid at 3.5–0 ka; (3) the effective moisture change was mainly controlled by the Asian summer monsoon (ASM), which mainly followed the change of Northern Hemispheric summer insolation, and the westerlies strengthened and increased the aridity in the QB when the ASM shrank.     

Timing of glacier fluctuations and trigger mechanisms in eastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau during the late Quaternary

It is highly debated whether glacial advances on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP) occurred as a response to temperature cooling, or whether they were forced by an increase in moisture brought by the intensive Indian summer monsoon. We here report a case study investigating this issue. Multiple moraine series in the Yingpu Valley, Queer Shan ranges of the Hengduan Mountains, and eastern QTP, provide an excellent archive for examining the timing and trigger mechanism of glacier fluctuations. Twenty-seven optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) samples of glacial sediments were collected from this valley. The quartz OSL ages show that the moraine series of Y-1, I, M and O were formed during the Late Holocene, Late Glacial, the global Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 (likely mid-MIS-3). The youngest Y-2 moraines probably formed during the Little Ice Age (LIA). The oldest H moraines formed before MIS-3. We found that glacial advances during the late Quaternary at the Yingpu Valley responded to cold stages or cold events rather than episodes of enhanced summer monsoon and moisture. As a result, glaciers in the monsoonal Hengduan Mountains were mainly triggered by changes in temperature. Millennial time scale temperature oscillations might have caused the multiple glacial advances.     

Thaw-induced slope failures and susceptibility mapping in permafrost regions of the Qinghai–Tibet Engineering Corridor,China

With recent climatic warming and enhanced human activities, slope failures related to permafrost degradation are widespread along the Qinghai–Tibet Engineering Corridor. Assessment and mapping of the slope failures are necessary to mitigate hazards and plan engineering activities. According to our field investigations, the occurrence of slope failures is mainly controlled by the slope gradient, ground-ice content, permafrost temperatures, surficial deposits, and slope aspect. Modeling conducted in ArcGIS? was used to produce a slope failure susceptibility map for a representative region along the Qinghai–Tibet Railway from Wudaoliang to Fenghuo Mountain Pass. The study region was divided into four classes based on slope failure susceptibility: (1) unlikely, (2) low, (3) moderate, and (4) high. Areas classified as unlikely accounted for 10.76 % of the study region, while low susceptibility areas comprised 44.51 %. The moderate and high susceptibility zones comprised 21.79 and 22.94 %, respectively. The actual distribution of slope failures in the region was consistent with the modeled results, which demonstrates the utility of the assessment method for future hazard management and engineering planning.     

Sedimentary Evolution of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau in Cenozoic and its Response to the Uplift of the Plateau

We have studied the evolution of the tectonic lithofacies paleogeography of Paleocene–Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, and Pliocene of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau by compiling data regarding the type, tectonic setting, and lithostratigraphic sequence of 98 remnant basins in the plateau area. Our results can be summarized as follows. (1) The Paleocene to Eocene is characterized by uplift and erosion in the Songpan–Garzê and Gangdisê belts, depression (lakes and pluvial plains) in eastern Tarim, Qaidam, Qiangtang, and Hoh Xil, and the Neo-Tethys Sea in the western and southern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. (2) The Oligocene is characterized by uplift in the Gangdisê–Himalaya and Karakorum regions (marked by the absence of sedimentation), fluvial transport (originating eastward and flowing westward) in the Brahmaputra region (marked by the deposition of Dazhuka conglomerate), uplift and erosion in western Kunlun and Songpan–Garzê, and depression (lakes) in the Tarim, Qaidam, Qiangtang, and Hoh Xil. The Oligocene is further characterized by depressional littoral and neritic basins in southwestern Tarim, with marine facies deposition ceasing at the end of the Oligocene. (3) For the Miocene, a widespread regional unconformity (ca. 23 Ma) in and adjacent to the plateau indicates comprehensive uplift of the plateau. This period is characterized by depressions (lakes) in the Tarim, Qaidam, Xining–Nanzhou, Qiangtang, and Hoh Xil. Lacustrine facies deposition expanded to peak in and adjacent to the plateau ca. 18–13 Ma, and north–south fault basins formed in southern Tibet ca. 13–10 Ma. All of these features indicate that the plateau uplifted to its peak and began to collapse. (4) Uplift and erosion occurred during the Pliocene in most parts of the plateau, except in the Hoh Xil–Qiangtang, Tarim, and Qaidam.     

Interactions between freeze–thaw actions,wind erosion desertification,and permafrost in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

The unique natural environment of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau has led to the development of widespread permafrost and desertification. However, the relationship between desertification and permafrost is rarely explored. Here we study the interaction between desertification and permafrost using a combination of simulations, experiments, and field observations in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Results show the cohesion values of the test samples that experienced 1, 3, and 6 freeze–thaw cycle times decreased by 65.9, 46.0, and 35.5 %, respectively, and the compressive strength of the test samples decreased by 69.6, 39.6, and 34.7 %, respectively, compared to the test samples that did not experience freeze–thaw cycles. The wind erosion rate of the test block eroded by sand-bearing wind was far larger than that by clean wind under the same conditions; the maximum value was 50 times higher than that by clean wind. The wind erosion rate increased with an increasing number of freeze–thaw cycles, water content, and freeze–thaw temperature difference. The ground temperature below the sand layer was decreased, compared to the natural ground surface that without sand layer covering, the drop amplitude of yearly average temperature was roughly maintained at 0.2 °C below the thick sand layer (1.2 m), and the maximum drop of yearly average temperature was 0.7 °C below the thin sand layer (0.1 m). Therefore, with the presence of water, the destruction of surface soil structure caused by repeated and fierce freeze–thaw actions is the main cause of wind erosion desertification in the permafrost region of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, and sand-bearing wind is the main dynamic force. The development of eolian sand deposits after the desertification emerges. As a result, the properties of the underlying surface are altered. Due to the high reflectivity and poor heat conductivity of the sand layer, the heat exchange of the land–atmosphere system is impeded, causing a drop in the ground temperature of the underlying permafrost that subsequently preserves the permafrost.     

Simulation analysis of the impacts of underground mining on permafrost in an opencast coal mine in the northern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Based on two-dimensional heat-conduction equations with a phase-change component, this study investigates the impact of underground mining on the permafrost environment in an opencast coal mining pit. The dynamics of the maximum thawed and freezing depths at different depths around a borehole wall are determined. The spatial distributions of these dynamics are also determined at different locations of the wall profile. The results show that (1) the maximum freezing depth tends to increase over 100 years; (2) the maximum thawed depth increases along a borehole wall over 100 years. In particular, the maximum thawed depth increases faster near the junctions of permafrost and seasonally frozen soil; (3) due to the small cross section of mining laneways, coal mining does not cause rapid increases in permafrost temperature around borehole walls. Once disturbance to permafrost around a borehole wall decreases, the once-insignificant effect of temperature will become more obvious. Underground mining does have some impacts on permafrost surrounding borehole walls, but it does not cause large areas of deformation due to thermal disturbance.     

Distribution,stock, and influencing factors of soil organic carbon in an alpine meadow in the hinterland of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Understanding the spatial distribution, stocks, and influencing factors of soil organic carbon (SOC) is important for understanding the current situation of SOC in alpine meadow ecosystems on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). We sampled 23 soil profiles to a depth of 50 cm in a 33.5 hm\(^{2}\) plot in a typical meadow on the central QTP. The distribution, stock and influencing factors of SOC was then analyzed. The mean density of soil carbon content (SOCD) was 2.28 kg m\(^{-2}\) with a range of 5.99 kg  m\(^{-2}\). SOCD in the 0–10 cm layer was 3.94 kg m\(^{-2}\) and decreased quadratically with depth. The total stock of SOC to a depth of 50 cm was ca. 2950 t, the 0–10 and 0–30 cm layers accounting for 38 and 80%, respectively. SOCD varied moderately spatially and was distributed more homogeneously in the 0–10 and 40–50 cm layers but was more variable in the middle three layers. SOCD was significantly correlated positively with soil-water content, total porosity, and silt content and negatively with soil pH, bulk density, stone content and sand content. This study provides an important contribution to understanding the role of alpine meadows in the global carbon cycle. It also provides field data for model simulation and the management of alpine meadow ecosystems.     

Late Pleistocene lake and glaciation evolution on the northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau: a review

Late Pleistocene paleoclimatic history on northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP) has been reconstructed mainly from lake sediments; however, data regarding dry–wet climate changes reported in this region are still not clear and controversial. Based on shoreline features and highstand lacustrine sediments around lakes on the QTP, high lake level histories in this paper were summarized and compared with paleoclimatic records from lake sediments, ice core and glaciation evolution surrounding mountains on the NE QTP during late Pleistocene. The results indicate that periods of high lake level occurred at MIS 5, MIS 3 and early-middle Holocene and most likely corresponding to warm and wet climate periods, while periods of low lake level existed in intervening intervals, corresponding to cold and dry climate periods, which most likely coincide with glacial advances surrounding high mountains. With an exception, no wide glacial advance in study area was found during MIS 3, possibly suggesting that effective moisture is lower than that in the other region of NE QTP in this period.     

Lithospheric structure and crust–mantle decoupling in the southeast edge of the Tibetan Plateau

Convergence between the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate has resulted in the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, and understanding the associated dynamical processes requires investigation of the structures of the crust and the lithosphere of the Tibetan Plateau. Yunnan is located in the southwest edge of the plateau and adjacent to Myanmar to the west. Previous observations have confirmed that there is a sharp transition in mantle anisotropy in this area, as well as clockwise rotations of the surface velocity, surface strain, and fault orientation. We use S receiver functions from 54 permanent broad-band stations to investigate the structures of the crust and the lithosphere beneath Yunnan. The depth of the Moho is found to range from 36 to 40 km beneath southern Yunnan and from 55 to 60 km beneath northwestern Yunnan, with a dramatic variation across latitude 25–26°N. The depth of the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary (LAB) ranges from 180 km to less than 70 km, also varying abruptly across latitude 25–26°N, which is consistent with the sudden change of the fast S-wave direction (from NW–SE to E–W across 26–28°N). In the north of the transition belt, the lithosphere is driven by asthenospheric flow from Tibet, and the crust and the upper mantle are mechanically coupled and moving southward. Because the northeastward movement of the crust in the Burma micro-plate is absorbed by the right-lateral Sagaing Fault, the crust in Yunnan keeps the original southward movement. However, in the south of the transition belt, the northeastward mantle flow from Myanmar and the southward mantle flow from Tibet interact and evolve into an eastward flow (by momentum conservation) as shown by the structure of the LAB. This resulting mantle flow has a direction different from that of the crustal movement. It is concluded that the Sagaing Fault causes the west boundary condition of the crust to be different from that of the lithospheric mantle, thus leading to crust–mantle decoupling in Yunnan.     

Active layer thickness variations on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau under the scenarios of climate change

Climate change has greatly influenced the permafrost regions on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP). Most general circulation models (GCMs) project that global warming will continue and the amplitude will amplify during the twenty-first century. Climate change has caused extensive degradation of permafrost, including thickening of the active layer, rising of ground temperature, melting of ground ice, expansion of taliks, and disappearance of sporadic permafrost. The changes in the active layer thickness (ALT) greatly impact the energy balance of the land surface, hydrological cycle, ecosystems and engineering infrastructures in the cold regions. ALT is affected by climatic, geographic and geological factors. A model based on Kudryavtsev’s formulas is used to study the potential changes of ALT in the permafrost regions on the QTP. Maps of ALT for the year 2049 and 2099 on the QTP are projected under GCM scenarios. Results indicate that ALT will increase with the rising air temperature. ALT may increase by 0.1–0.7 m for the year 2049 and 0.3–1.2 m for the year 2099. The average increment of ALT is 0.8 m with the largest increment of 1.2 m under the A1F1 scenario and 0.4 m with the largest increment of 0.6 m under the B1 scenario during the twenty-first century. ALT changes significantly in sporadic permafrost regions, while in the continuous permafrost regions of the inland plateau ALT change is relatively smaller. The largest increment of ALT occurs in the northeastern and southwestern plateaus under both scenarios because of higher ground temperatures and lower soil moisture content in these regions.     

Characteristics of isotope in precipitation,river water and lake water in the Manasarovar basin of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

The stable hydrogen and oxygen of lake, river, rain and snow waters were investigated to understand the water cycle characteristics of the drainage basin of Manasarovar Lake in Tibet. Both δD and δ ¹⁸O of river water are larger than those of lake water and the effect of altitude on both δD and δ ¹⁸O is not very significant. This phenomenon was suggested to occur because Manasarovar basin is located in Qinghai–Tibet Plateau which has low latitude, high altitude, abundant glaciers, thin air and intensive solar radiation, resulting in higher evaporation in lake water.     

Sedimentary characteristics of Cenozoic strata in central-southern Ningxia,NW China: Implications for the evolution of the NE Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Cenozoic sedimentary deposits in central-southern Ningxia province, NW China are an important record of Tertiary tectonic events along the evolving Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau’s northeast margin. Shortly after the onset of the Indo-Eurasia collision to the south, a thrust belt and adjoining foreland basin began to form during 40–30 Ma. The Eocene Sikouzi Formation developed in a distal setting to this basin, in normal fault-bound basins that may have formed in a forebulge setting. Subsequent deposition of the Oligocene Qingshuiying Formation occurred during a phase of apparently less intense tectonism and the previous underfilled foreland basin became overfilled. During the Early Miocene, contractional deformation was mainly distributed to the west of the Liupan Shan. This resulted in deformation of the Qingshuiying Formation as indicated by an unconformity with the overlying Miocene Hongliugou Formation. The unconformity occurs proximal to the Haiyuan Fault suggesting that the Haiyuan Fault may have begun movement in the Early Miocene. In the Late Miocene, thrusting occurred west of the southern Helan Shan and an unconformity developed between the Hongliugou and Qingshuiying Formations proximal to the the Cha-Gu Fault. Relationships between the Miocene stratigraphy and major faults in the region imply that during the Late Miocene the deformation front of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau had migrated to the Cha-Gu Fault along the western Ordos Margin, and the Xiang Shan was uplifted. Central-southern Ningxia was then incorporated into the northeast propagating thrust wedge. The driving force for NE propagation of the thrust wedge was most likely pronounced uplift of the northeastern plateau at the same time. Analysis of the sedimentary record coupled with consideration of the topographic evolution of the region suggests that the evolving fold-and-thrust belt experienced both forward-breaking fold-and-thrust belt development, and out-of-sequence fault displacements as the thrust wedge evolved and the foreland basin became compartmentalised. The documented sedimentary facies and structural relationship also place constraints on the Miocene-Recent evolution of the Yellow River and its tributaries.     

Transport of atmospheric impurities over the Qinghai–Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau as shown by snow chemistry

Chemical records were recovered from samples collected from snow pits over two transects (S–N and SE–NW) across the Qinghai–Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau. The records show that the flux of major ions in the regions to the north of Mt Tanggula is, on the average, 6–30 times higher than that of the regions to the south, and 0.6–5 times higher than regions to the southeast. It appears that Mt Tanggula provides a barrier to continental dust transported across the plateau from the north and to marine aerosols transported from the southeast. The spatial patterns of snow chemistry as well as the total suspended particle (TSP) distribution along the northern Qinghai–Xizang Highway demonstrate that continental dust originates mainly from the deserts to the north, while monsoon sources of moisture exert greater influence on snow chemistry on the southern part of the plateau.Seasonal variations of the major ions were also examined in a firn core drilled at a height of 7000 m on the Dasuopu Glacier and in a snow pit from the Meikuang Glacier (eastern Kunlun). The choice of a high altitude site at Dasuopu, and the sampling season (before snowmelt) at Meikuang, avoided post-depositional modification processes (mainly the elution effect of meltwater), thus guaranteeing the reliable recovery of the distribution of impurities in different seasons. The peak of the impurities appear at Dasuopu during the spring and at Meikuang in the winter/spring, coinciding with the Asian dust season. However, the amplitude of the seasonal variations at Meikuang is much higher than at Dasuopu.pH values at the Dongkemadi Glacier are greater than 6, but at the Dasuopu Glacier (Himalayas) they range between 4 and 7.5. The liquid conductivity (LC) from Dongkemadi is positively correlated with the pH, while at Dasuopu, LC is positively correlated with pH when pH is below 6 and negatively correlated with pH when it is greater than 6. This implies that during August to September the Himalayan range is a transition zone between the transportation of continental dust and marine aerosols.