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Climate Change and Its Impact on the Eco-Environment of the Three-Rivers Headwater Region on the Tibetan Plateau, China

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Listed:
  • Chong Jiang

    (College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
    State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
    Key Laboratory of Regional Eco-Process and Function Assessment and State Environment Protection, Chinese Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
    Joint Center for Global Change Studies, Beijing 100875, China)

  • Linbo Zhang

    (State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
    Key Laboratory of Regional Eco-Process and Function Assessment and State Environment Protection, Chinese Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China)

Abstract

This study analyzes the impact of climate change on the eco-environment of the Three-Rivers Headwater Region (TRHR), Tibetan Plateau, China. Temperature and precipitation experienced sharp increases in this region during the past 57 years. A dramatic increase in winter temperatures contributed to a rise in average annual temperatures. Moreover, annual runoff in the Lancang (LRB) and Yangtze (YARB) river basins showed an increasing trend, compared to a slight decrease in the Yellow River Basin (YRB). Runoff is predominantly influenced by rainfall, which is controlled by several monsoon systems. The water temperature in the YRB and YARB increased significantly from 1958 to 2007 ( p < 0.001), driven by air temperature changes. Additionally, owing to warming and wetting trends in the TRHR, the net primary productivity (NPP) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) showed significant increasing trends during the past half-century. Furthermore, although an increase in water erosion due to rainfall erosivity was observed, wind speeds declined significantly, causing a decline in wind erosion, as well as the frequency and duration of sandstorms. A clear regional warming trend caused an obvious increasing trend in glacier runoff, with a maximum value observed in the 2000s.

Suggested Citation

  • Chong Jiang & Linbo Zhang, 2015. "Climate Change and Its Impact on the Eco-Environment of the Three-Rivers Headwater Region on the Tibetan Plateau, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-25, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:12:y:2015:i:10:p:12057-12081:d:56423
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fei Ji & Zhaohua Wu & Jianping Huang & Eric P. Chassignet, 2014. "Evolution of land surface air temperature trend," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 4(6), pages 462-466, June.
    2. Laga Tong & Xinliang Xu & Ying Fu & Shuang Li, 2014. "Wetland Changes and Their Responses to Climate Change in the “Three-River Headwaters” Region of China since the 1990s," Energies, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-20, April.
    3. Shilong Piao & Philippe Ciais & Yao Huang & Zehao Shen & Shushi Peng & Junsheng Li & Liping Zhou & Hongyan Liu & Yuecun Ma & Yihui Ding & Pierre Friedlingstein & Chunzhen Liu & Kun Tan & Yongqiang Yu , 2010. "The impacts of climate change on water resources and agriculture in China," Nature, Nature, vol. 467(7311), pages 43-51, September.
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