Spatiotemporal analysis of climate variability (1971–2010) in spring and summer on the Loess Plateau,China |
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Authors: | Baoqing Zhang Pute Wu Xining Zhao Xiaodong Gao |
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Institution: | 1. College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China;2. Institute of Water Saving Agriculture in Arid Regions of China, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China;3. National Engineering Research Centre for Water Saving Irrigation at Yangling, Yangling, China |
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Abstract: | By using the Variable Infiltration Capacity model with Palmer Drought Severity Index (VIC‐PDSI) model and Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), spatiotemporal trends of climate variation during the main growing seasons for plants of Loess Plateau between 1971 and 2010 were detected and characterized. The VIC‐PDSI model is established by combining the VIC model with PDSI. The simulation results and the grids system of VIC were applied to substitute for the two‐layer bucket‐type model to do the hydrological accounting, which could improve the physical mechanism of PDSI and expand its application range. Our results suggest that the climate of the study area has experienced a drying and warming trend during the past four decades. Apart from some individual years and regions, there was a perpetuation of water deficit over the Plateau both in spring and summer. The drought frequency increased from southeast to northwest in spring, while the drought frequency decreased from southeast to northwest in summer. The climate in the southern part of the Loess Plateau, accounting for 23.3% of the study region, showed a significant drying and warming trend in spring over the past four decades. The climate variability detected by VIC‐PDSI model shows good agreement with that monitored by SPI. Since a large part of the study region frequently suffered from water shortage during the main growing seasons for plants, people living in such drought‐prone areas should take measures to prevent the negative effects on agricultural production, reforestation, and regional food security caused by drought. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
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Keywords: | distributed hydrological model VIC model PDSI drought wet– dry change Standardized Precipitation Index |
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