Characteristics of Temperature Change in China over the Last 2000 years and Spatial Patterns of Dryness/Wetness during Cold and Warm Periods

This paper presents new high-resolution proxies and paleoclimatic reconstructions for studying climate changes in China for the past 2000 years. Multi-proxy synthesized reconstructions show that temperature variation in China has exhibited significant 50–70-yr, 100–120-yr, and 200–250-yr cycles. Results also show that the amplitudes of decadal and centennial temperature variation were 1.3℃ and 0.7℃, respectively, with the latter significantly correlated with long-term changes in solar radiation, especially cold periods, which correspond approximately to sunspot minima. The most rapid warming in China occurred over AD 1870–2000, at a rate of 0.56°± 0.42℃（100 yr）^（-1）; however, temperatures recorded in the 20 th century may not be unprecedented for the last 2000 years, as data show records for the periods AD 981–1100 and AD1201–70 are comparable to the present. The ensemble means of dryness/wetness spatial patterns in eastern China across all centennial warm periods illustrate a tripole pattern： dry south of 25°N, wet from 25°–30°N, and dry to the north of 30°N. However, for all centennial cold periods, this spatial pattern also exhibits a meridional distribution. The increase in precipitation over the monsoonal regions of China associated with the 20 th century warming can primarily be attributed to a mega El Nino–Southern Oscillation and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. In addition, a significant association between increasing numbers of locusts and dry/cold conditions is found in eastern China. Plague intensity also generally increases in concert with wetness in northern China, while more precipitation is likely to have a negative effect in southern China.

Assessing changes in extreme precipitation over Xinjiang using regional climate model of PRECIS

In this paper, an analysis, with the simulation of PRECIS （Providing Regional Climate for Impact Studies）, was made for future precipitation extremes, under SRES （Special Report on Emission Scenarios） A2 and B2 in IPCC （Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change） AR4. The precipitation extremes were calculated and analyzed by ETCCDI （Climate Change Detection and Indices）. The results show that： （1） In Present Scenario （1961 1900）, PRECIS could capture the spatial pattern of precipitation in Xinjiang. （2） The simulated annual precipitation and seasonal precipitation in Xinjiang had a significantly positive trend and its variability had been deeply impacted by terrain. There was a strong association between increasing trend and the extreme precipitation＇s increase in frequency and intensity during 1961-2008. Under SRES A2 and B2, extreme precipitation indicated an increasing tendency at the end of the 21st century. The extreme summer pre- cipitation increased prominently in a year. （3） PREC1S＇s simulation under SRES A2 and B2 indicated increased frequency of heavy precipitation events and also enhancement in their intensity towards the end of the 21 st century. Both A2 and B2 scenarios show similar patterns of projected changes in precipitation extremes towards the end of the 21st century. However, the magnitude of changes in B2 scenario was on the lower side. In case of extreme precipitation, variation between models can exceed both internal variability and variability of different SRES.

Primary energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in China

Climate change is one of the focuses to mitigate greenhouse effect and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.First,the paper summarizes on the carbon dioxide emission factors and methods suitable to the situation in China.Second,it analyzes the primary energy-related carbon dioxide emissions during the period between 1995 and 2005 from different fossil fuels and different zones.The trend of primary energy-related carbon dioxide emissions from 1995 to 2005 is"first decreasing and later increasing."Seven regions-Liaoning,Shanxi,Hebei,Shandong,Henan,and Jiangsu-and most of the provinces(cities or regions)were found to have similar trends regarding total carbon dioxide emissions in China.The annual carbon dioxide emissions and the growth ratio of these seven regions are much higher compared to those of the other 24 provinces(cities or regions).Finally,this paper puts forward some suggestions to reduce carbon dioxide.

Variations of the temperature and solar activity in China

In this paper we analyze daily mean, minimum, and maximum temperature data collected at 119 meteorological stations over five regions of China during the period 1951-2010. The series of minimum, maximum, and mean temperatures from each climatic region have similar signatures, but there are differences among the five regions and the countrywide average. The results indicate that the periods of faster warming were not synchronous across the regions studied： warming in northeast China and Tibet began in 1986, while in central-east, southeast, and northwest China the warming emerged in 1995. Furthermore, central-east and northwest China, and Tibet, have warmed continuously since 2000, but the temperature has decreased during this period in southeast China. We evaluated the evolution of these temperature series using a novel nonlinear filtering technique based on the concept of the lifetime of temperature curves. The decadal to secular evolution of solar activity and temperature variation had similar signatures in the northeast, southeast, and northwest re- gions and the average across the whole country, indicating that solar activity is a significant control on climate change over secular time scales in these regions. In comparison with these regions, the signatures were different in central-east China and Tibet because of regional differences （e.g., landforms and elevation） and indirect effects （e.g., cloud cover influencing the radiation balance, thereby inducing climate change）. Furthermore, the results of wavelet analysis indicated that the El Nino Southem Oscillation （ENSO） has had a significant impact on climate change, but at different times among the regions, and these changes were most probably induced by differing responses of the atmospheric system to solar forcing.

Certainty and uncertainty in understanding global warming

Global warming has greatly concerned the whole world.Owing to the limitation we currently have,it is still difficult to completely understand the mechanism and physical science of climate change.Now both certainty and uncertainty coexist in the understanding of climate warming.This paper aims to summarize certainties and uncertainties in climate-warming studies,which focus on seven key problems related to human activities,namely,global warming,atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases,relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and climate warming,climate models,future climate change,2?warming threshold and tipping point in the Earth's system.We should comprehensively take into account the level of certainty and uncertainty in our understanding of climate change while adapting to and mitigating global warming and adjusting our industrial structures accordingly.This would allow us to respond to change with certainty,while avoiding the risks associated with uncertainty.

Reconstruction of Sub-Decadal Winter Half-Year Temperature during 1651-2010 for the North China Plain Using Records of Frost Date

We extracted 374 pieces of records of frost date from historical documents. Using these records, we reconstructed winter half-year (October to next April) temperature series, with a resolution of 5-year, for the North China Plain during 1651-2010. The results show that the temperature changes in the North China Plain were divided into four phases. With the reference period of 1951-1980, two cold phases, 1651-1700 and 1781-1900, have cold anomaly of 0.83°C and 0.60°C respectively. However, between the two cold phases, 1701-1780 was a relative warm phase with the cold anomaly of 0.36°C referring to the mean of 1951-1980. After the 1900, the climate came into a warm phase. The mean temperature of 1901-2010 was 0.11°C higher than the mean of 1951-1980. During 1651-2010, the 1996-2000 is the warmest 5-year with the warm anomaly of 1.25°C than that of the reference period of 1951-1980.

Spatiotemporal differentiation of changes in wheat phenology in China under climate change from 1981 to 2010

Phenology is a reliable biological indicator for reflecting climate change. An examination of changes in crop phenology and the mechanisms driving them is critical for guiding regional agricultural activities in attempts to adapt to climate change. Due to a lack of records based on continuous long-term observation, studies on changes in multiple consecutive phenological stages throughout a whole growing season on a national scale are rarely found, especially with regard to the spatiotemporal differentiation of phenological changes. Using a long-term dataset(1981-2010) of wheat phenology collected from 48 agro-meteorological stations in China, we qualified the spatiotemporal changes of 10 phenological stages as well as the length of wheat growth phases. Results showed that climate and wheat phenology changed significantly during the growing seasons from 1981 to 2010. On average, on a national scale, dates of sowing(0.19 d a-1), emergence(0.06 d a-1), trefoil(0.05 d a-1), and milk ripe(0.06 d a-1) showed a delaying trend, whereas dates of tillering(-0.02 d a-1), jointing(-0.15 d a-1),booting(-0.21 d a-1), heading(-0.17 d a-1), anthesis(-0.19 d a-1), and maturity(-0.10 d a-1) showed an advancing trend.Furthermore, the vegetative growth phase and growing season were shortened by 0.23 and 0.29 d a-1, respectively, whereas the reproductive growth phase was lengthened by 0.06 d a-1. Trends in dates of phenological stages or length of growing phases varied across wheat-planting regions. Moreover, spatiotemporal differentiation of sensitivity in growing season length(GSL) to variations in climatic factors during the growing season between spring and winter wheat were remarkable. The GSL of spring(winter) wheat decreased(increased) with an increase in average temperature during the growing season. In all wheat-planting regions, the GSL increased with the increasing of total precipitation and sunshine duration during the growing season. In particular, the sensitivity of GSL to precipitation for spring wheat was weaker than for winter wheat, while the sensitivity of GSL to sunshine duration for spring wheat was stronger than for winter wheat. Recognition of the spatiotemporal differentiation of phenological changes and their response to various climatic factors will provide scientific support for decision-making in agricultural production.

Two centuries of April-July temperature change in southeastern China and its influence on grain productivity

China is a traditional agriculture based country and one main region for crop production is southeastern China where temperature is a dominant climate variable affecting agriculture. Temperature and social disturbances both influence crop production, yet distinguishing their relative impacts is difficult due to a lack of reliable, high-resolution historical climatic records before the very recent period. Here we present the first tree-ring based warm-season temperature reconstruction for southeastern China, a core region of the East Asian monsoon, for the past 227 years. The reconstruction target was April-July mean temperature, and our model explained 60.6% of the observed temperature variance during 1953–2012.Spatial correlation analysis showed that the reconstruction is representative of April-July temperature change over most of eastern China. The reconstructed temperature series agrees well with China-scale(heavily weighted in eastern China) agricultural production index values quite well at decadal timescales.The impacts of social upheavals on food production, such as those in the period 1920–1949, were confirmed after climatic influences were excluded. Our study should help distinguish the influence of social disturbance and warm-season temperature on grain productivity in the core agricultural region of China during the past two centuries.

Relationships between climate change, agricultural development and social stability in the Hexi Corridor over the last 2000 years

This case study of the Hexi Corridor, Northwestern China, utilizes statistical methods to estimate quantitatively the interaction at a regional level between climate change, ancient social developments, and political coping strategies over the past 2000 years. The data is sourced from high-resolution reconstructions of climate series(temperature and precipitation), and historical records of cultivated land, war, population, and changes in regional administrative systems. The results show that moisture conditions played a more significant role than temperature in driving land reclamation in the Hexi Corridor. Analysis also showed a negative correlation between war frequency and the area of cultivated land in the Corridor over 20-year time intervals. Population growth was found to have a significant positive correlation with the cultivated land area during the study period. The results indicate that a climate-induced decline in agricultural production and the subsequent fluctuations in population could act as a trigger for social unrest, which is especially true at the mutual decadal time-scales. However, the interaction with administrative reform also suggests that, in the face of social and economic turmoil, a reasonable administrative hierarchy could strengthen the social governance of regional government, and promote social stability and economic development at a regional level. The study substantiates this notion with empirical quantitative evidence.

“一带一路”沿线区域21世纪极端高温热浪风险预估

极端高温热浪可能对社会经济和自然生态系统产生多方面的影响,全球增暖背景下增多的高温热浪相关灾害威胁到"一带一路"沿线这一气候类型复杂、且经济基础薄弱区域的可持续发展.在高温高湿环境下,人体健康面临更大威胁,与传统研究仅考虑温度这一变量相比,考虑温度-湿度的综合作用可以更好地解释人体在高温环境下的热负荷,进而更好地衡量高温热浪事件的强度特征.因此本研究基于ISI-MIP全球气候模式模拟试验和NCARCIDR人口预估数据集,以一个反映温度-湿度协同效应的热浪指数表征极端高温的健康风险,对21世纪该区域不同风险等级高温热浪的发生频率及人口暴露度的变化进行了预估.结果表明,在未来温度-湿度变化综合影响下,"一带一路"沿线大部分区域的高温热浪强度和频次呈现不同程度的增加趋势,在两种典型气候-社会经济情景(SSP2-4.5和SSP3-8.5)下,到21世纪末全区各等级极端高温热浪的人口暴露度总和将增加至基准时段(1986~2005年)的2.0和3.3倍,且越高风险等级(对人体健康影响越大)的高温热浪出现频次及其人口暴露度的相对增加越突出.极端高温热浪及其人口暴露度最突出的增加出现在低纬度的南亚和东南亚地区,对这些区域发展中国家的大量人口构成潜在威胁.总体上气候因素对人口暴露度增加的贡献最大,但气候/人口因素的相对贡献大小存在明显的区域差异.

Observed,Reconstructed,and Simulated Decadal Variability of Summer Precipitation over Eastern China

Based on observations made during recent decades, reconstructed precipitation for the period A.D. 1736-2000, dry-wet index data for A.D. 500-2000, and a 1000-yr control simulation using the Community Earth System Model with fixed pre-industrial external forcing, the decadal variability of summer precipitation over eastem China is stud- ied. Power spectrum analysis shows that the dominant cycles for the decadal variation of summer precipitation are： 22-24 and quasi-70 yr over the North China Plain; 32-36, 44-48, and quasi-70 yr in the Jiang-Huai area; and 32-36 and 4448 yr in the Jiang-Nan area. Bandpass decomposition from observation, reconstruction, and simulation re- veals that the variability of summer precipitation over the North China Plain, Jiang-Huai area, and Jiang-Nan area, at scales of 20-35, 35-50, and 50-80 yr, is not consistent across the entire millennium. We also find that the warm （cold） phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation generally corresponds to dry （wet） conditions over the North China Plain, but wet （dry） conditions in the Jiang-Nan area, from A.D. 1800, when the PDO became strengthened. However, such a correspondence does not exist throughout the entire last millennium. Data-model comparison sug- gests that these decadal oscillations and their temporal evolution over eastem China, including the decadal shifts in the spatial pattem of the precipitation anomaly observed in the late 1970s, early 1990s, and early 2000s, might result from internal variability of the climate system.