Impacts of degrading permafrost on streamflow in the source area of Yellow River on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China

Many observations in and model simulations for northern basins have confirmed an increased streamflow from degrading permafrost,while the streamflow has declined in the source area of the Yellow River(SAYR,above the Tanag hydrological station)on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,West China.How and to what extent does the degrading permafrost change the flow in the SAYR?According to seasonal regimes of hydrological processes,the SAYR is divided intofour sub-basins with varied permafrost extents to detect impacts of permafrost degradation on the Yellow River streamflow.Results show that permafrost degradation may have released appreciable meltwater for recharging groundwater.The potential release rate of ground-ice melt-water in the Sub-basin 1(the headwater area of the Yellow River(HAYR),above the Huangheyan hydrological station)is the highest(5.6 mm per year),contributing to 14.4%of the annual Yellow River streamflow at Huangheyan.Seasonal/intra-and annual shifts of streamflow,a possible signal for the marked alteration of hydrological processes by permafrost degradation,is observed in the HAYR,but the shifts are minor in other sub-basins in the SAYR.Improved hydraulic connectivity is expected to occur during and after certain degrees of permafrost degradation.Direct impacts of permafrost degradation on the annual Yellow River streamflow in the SAYR at Tanag,i.e.,from the meltwater of ground-ice,is estimated at 4.9%that of the annual Yellow River discharge at Tanag,yet with a high uncertainty,due to neglecting of the improved hydraulic connections from permafrost degradation and the flow generation conditions for the ground-ice meltwater.Enhanced evapotranspiration,substantial weakening of the Southwest China Autumn Rain,and anthropogenic disturbances may largely account for the declined streamflow in the SAYR.

Seasonal variations in temperature sensitivity of soil respiration in a larch forest in the Northern Daxing’an Mountains in Northeast China

Temperature sensitivity of respiration of forest soils is important for its responses to climate warming and for the accurate assessment of soil carbon budget. The sensitivity of temperature (T_(i)) to soil respiration rate (R_(s)), and Q_(10) defined by e^(10(lnRs−lna)/Ti) has been used extensively for indicating the sensitivity of soil respiration. The soil respiration under a larch (Larix gmelinii) forest in the northern Daxing’an Mountains, Northeast China was observed in situ from April to September, 2019 using the dynamic chamber method. Air temperatures (T_(air)), soil surface temperatures (T_(0cm)), soil temperatures at depths of 5 and 10 cm (T_(5cm) and T_(10cm), respectively), and soil-surface water vapor concentrations were monitored at the same time. The results show a significant monthly variability in soil respiration rate in the growing season (April–September). The Q_(10) at the surface and at depths of 5 and 10 cm was estimated at 5.6, 6.3, and 7.2, respectively. The Q_(10@10 cm) over the period of surface soil thawing (Q_(10@10 cm, thaw) = 36.89) were significantly higher than that of the growing season (Q_(10@10 cm, growth )= 3.82). Furthermore, the Rs in the early stage of near-surface soil thawing and in the middle of the growing season is more sensitive to changes in soil temperatures. Soil temperature is thus the dominant factor for season variations in soil respiration, but rainfall is the main controller for short-term fluctuations in respiration. Thus, the higher sensitivity of soil respiration to temperature (Q_(10)) is found in the middle part of the growing season. The monthly and seasonal Q_(10) values better reflect the responsiveness of soil respiration to changes in hydrometeorology and ground freeze-thaw processes. This study may help assess the stability of the soil carbon pool and strength of carbon fluxes in the larch forested permafrost regions in the northern Daxing’an Mountains.