Significant lake expansion has accelerated permafrost degradation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

In recent years, lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have become more responsive to climate change. In September 2011, Zonag Lake in Hoh Xil experienced sudden drainage, the water eventually flowed into Yanhu Lake, which caused Yanhu Lake to continue to expand. The potential collapse of Yanhu Lake could directly threaten the operational safety of the adjacent Qinghai-Tibet Highway, Qinghai-Tibet Railway. To explore the implications of expanding lakes on the surrounding permafrost, we selected Hoh Xil Yanhu Lake on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to study the effect of lake expansion on permafrost degradation. The permafrost degradation in the Yanhu Lake basin from October 2017 to December 2022 was inverted using Sentinel-1 satellite image data and small baseline subset interferometry synthetic aperture radar(SBAS-In SAR) technology. Additionally, permafrost degradation from February 2007 and February 2010 was analyzed using advanced land observing satellite phased array-type L-band synthetic aperture radar(ALOS PALSAR) satellite images and differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar(D-In SAR) technique. The results showed that the permafrost around Yanhu Lake experienced accelerated degradation. Prior to the expansion of Yanhu Lake, the average annual deformation rate along the line of sight(LOS) direction was 6.7 mm/yr. After the expansion, the rate increased to 20.9 mm/yr. The integration of spatial-temporal distribution maps of surface subsidence, Wudaoliang borehole geothermal data, meteorological data, Yanhu Lake surface area changes, and water level changes supports the assertion that the intensified permafrost degradation could be attributed to lake expansion rather than the rising air temperature. Furthermore, permafrost degradation around Yanhu Lake could impact vital infrastructure such as the adjacent Qinghai-Tibet Highway and Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

Unveiling evapotranspiration patterns and energy balance in a subalpine forest of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau:observations and analysis from an eddy covariance system

Evapotranspiration is an important parameter used to characterize the water cycle of ecosystems.To under-stand the properties of the evapotranspiration and energy balance of a subalpine forest in the southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,an open-path eddy covariance system was set up to monitor the forest from November 2020 to October 2021 in a core area of the Three Parallel Rivers in the Qing-hai-Tibet Plateau.The results show that the evapotranspira-tion peaked daily,the maximum occurring between 11:00 and 15:00.Environmental factors had significant effects on evapotranspiration,among them,net radiation the greatest(R^(2)=0.487),and relative humidity the least(R^(2)=0.001).The energy flux varied considerably in different seasons and sensible heat flux accounted for the main part of turbulent energy.The energy balance ratio in the dormant season was less than that in the growing season,and there is an energy imbalance at the site on an annual time scale.

Bacterial communities and enzyme activities during litter decomposition of Elymus nutans leaf on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The dominant plant litter plays a crucial role in carbon(C)and nutrients cycling as well as ecosystem functions maintenance on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP).The impact of litter decomposition of dominant plants on edaphic parameters and grassland productivity has been extensively studied,while its decomposition processes and relevant mechanisms in this area remain poorly understood.We conducted a three-year litter decomposition experiment in the Gansu Gannan Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station,an alpine meadow ecosystem on the QTP,to investigate changes in litter enzyme activities and bacterial and fungal communities,and clarify how these critical factors regulated the decomposition of dominant plant Elymus nutans(E.nutans)litter.The results showed that cellulose and hemicellulose,which accounted for 95%of the initial lignocellulose content,were the main components in E.nutans litter decomposition.The litter enzyme activities ofβ-1,4-glucosidase(BG),β-1,4-xylosidase(BX),andβ-D-cellobiosidase(CBH)decreased with decomposition while acid phosphatase,leucine aminopeptidase,and phenol oxidase increased with decomposition.We found that both litter bacterial and fungal communities changed significantly with decomposition.Furthermore,bacterial communities shifted from copiotrophic-dominated to oligotrophic-dominated in the late stage of litter decomposition.Partial least squares path model revealed that the decomposition of E.nutans litter was mainly driven by bacterial communities and their secreted enzymes.Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria were important producers of enzymes BG,BX,and CBH,and their relative abundances were tightly positively related to the content of cellulose and hemicellulose,indicating that Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria are the main bacterial taxa of the decomposition of E.nutans litter.In conclusion,this study demonstrates that bacterial communities are the main driving forces behind the decomposition of E.nutans litter,highlighting the vital roles of bacterial communities in affecting the ecosystem functions of the QTP by regulating dominant plant litter decomposition.

Identification and distribution of 13003 landslides in the northwest margin of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau based on human-computer interaction remote sensing interpretation

The periphery of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is renowned for its susceptibility to landslides.However,the northwestern margin of this region,characterised by limited human activities and challenging transportation,remains insufficiently explored concerning landslide occurrence and dispersion.With the planning and construction of the Xinjiang-Tibet Railway,a comprehensive investigation into disastrous landslides in this area is essential for effective disaster preparedness and mitigation strategies.By using the human-computer interaction interpretation approach,the authors established a landslide database encompassing 13003 landslides,collectively spanning an area of 3351.24 km^(2)(36°N-40°N,73°E-78°E).The database incorporates diverse topographical and environmental parameters,including regional elevation,slope angle,slope aspect,distance to faults,distance to roads,distance to rivers,annual precipitation,and stratum.The statistical characteristics of number and area of landslides,landslide number density(LND),and landslide area percentage(LAP)are analyzed.The authors found that a predominant concentration of landslide origins within high slope angle regions,with the highest incidence observed in intervals characterised by average slopes of 20°to 30°,maximum slope angle above 80°,along with orientations towards the north(N),northeast(NE),and southwest(SW).Additionally,elevations above 4.5 km,distance to rivers below 1 km,rainfall between 20-30 mm and 30-40 mm emerge as particularly susceptible to landslide development.The study area’s geological composition primarily comprises Mesozoic and Upper Paleozoic outcrops.Both fault and human engineering activities have different degrees of influence on landslide development.Furthermore,the significance of the landslide database,the relationship between landslide distribution and environmental factors,and the geometric and morphological characteristics of landslides are discussed.The landslide H/L ratios in the study area are mainly concentrated between 0.4 and 0.64.It means the landslides mobility in the region is relatively low,and the authors speculate that landslides in this region more possibly triggered by earthquakes or located in meizoseismal area.

Cryptic diversity and rampant hybridization in annual gentians on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau revealed by population genomic analysis

Understanding the evolutionary and ecological processes involved in population differentiation and speciation provides critical insights into biodiversity formation. In this study, we employed 29,865 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) and complete plastomes to examine genomic divergence and hybridization in Gentiana aristata, which is endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP) region. Genetic clustering revealed that G. aristata is characterized by geographic genetic structures with five clusters(West, East, Central, South and North). The West cluster has a specific morphological character(i.e., blue corolla) and higher values of FSTcompared to the remaining clusters, likely the result of the geological barrier formed by the Yangtze River. The West cluster diverged from the other clusters in the Early Pliocene;these remaining clusters diverged from one another in the Early Quaternary. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on SNPs and plastid data revealed substantial cyto-nuclear conflicts. Genetic clustering and D-statistics demonstrated rampant hybridization between the Central and North clusters,along the Bayankala Mountains, which form the geological barrier between the Central and North clusters. Species distribution modeling demonstrated the range of G. aristata expanded since the Last Interglacial period. Our findings provide genetic and morphological evidence of cryptic diversity in G. aristata, and identified rampant hybridization between genetic clusters along a geological barrier.These findings suggest that geological barriers and climatic fluctuations have an important role in triggering diversification as well as hybridization, indicating that cryptic diversity and hybridization are essential factors in biodiversity formation within the QTP region.

A phylogenetic approach identifies patterns of beta diversity and floristic subregions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Patterns of taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity and their relationships with environmental correlates can help reveal the origin and evolutionary history of regional biota.The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP)harbors an exceptionally diverse flora,however,a phylogenetic perspective has rarely been used to investigate its beta diversity and floristic regions.In this study,we used a phylogenetic approach to identify patterns of beta diversity and quantitatively delimit floristic regions on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.We also examined the relationships between multifaceted beta diversity,geographical distance,and climatic difference,and evaluated the relative importance of various factors(i.e.,climate,topography and history)in shaping patterns of beta diversity.Sørensen dissimilarity indices indicated that patterns of species turnover among sites dominated the QTP.We also found that patterns of both taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity were significantly related to geographical distance and climatic difference.The environmental factors that contributed most to these patterns of beta diversity include annual precipitation,mean annual temperature,climatic gradients and climatic instability.Hierarchical dendrograms of dissimilarity and non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination based on phylogenetic beta diversity data identified ten floristic subregions in the QTP.Our results suggest that the contemporary environment and historical climate changes have filtered species composition among sites and eventually determined beta diversity patterns of plants in the QTP.

Biological soil crusts and their potential applications in the sand land over Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is now experiencing ecological degradation risks as a result of climate change and human activities.The alpine grassland ecology in permafrost zones is fragile and susceptible to deterioration due to its high altitude,low temperature,and limited oxygen,which complicates the repair of damaged land.Biological soil crusts(BSCs)are crucial for land restoration in plateau regions because they can thrive in harsh conditions and have environmentally beneficial traits.Inoculated biological soil crust(IBSC)has shown success in low-altitude desert regions,but may not be easily duplicated to the plateau environment.Therefore,it is essential to do a comprehensive and multifaceted analysis of the basic theoretical comprehension and practical application of BSCs on the Tibetan Plateau.This review article aims to provide a brief summary of the ecological significance and the mechanisms related to the creation,growth,and progression of BSCs.It discusses the techniques used for cultivating BSCs in laboratories and using them in the field,focusing on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau circumstance.We thoroughly discussed the potential and the required paths for further studies.This study may be used as a basis for selecting suitable microbial strains and accompanying supplemental actions for implementing IBSCs in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Countermeasures for Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to Cope with Climate Change and Ecological Environment Safety

The monitoring,prediction and assessment of status about climate changes and ecological environment at home and abroad were discussed in this study,and the scientific significance and countermeasures for Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to cope with these problems were also put forward.

Spatial-temporal heterogeneity of ecological quality changes across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau under the influence of climate factors and human activities

Over the last few decades,the ecological quality of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau(QTP)has significantly changed due to climate warming,humidification,and increasing human activities.Thus,evaluating this region's ecological quality and dominant factors is crucial for sustainable development.In this study,the changes in the ecological quality on the QTP from 2000 to 2020 were evaluated based on aggregated indices and Sen–MK trend analyses,and the dominant factors affecting the ecological quality of the QTP were quantitatively analyzed using decision tree classification.The results revealed that(1)the ecological quality of the QTP exhibited an overall high trend in the east and a low pattern in the west;(2)the ecological quality of the QTP significantly increased from 2000 to 2020,and human activities were the dominant factors causing this change;and(3)the changes in the ecological quality and dominant factors exhibited obvious spatiotemporal heterogeneity.The area with an improved ecological quality occurred mainly in the northern QTP region.It was governed by human activities and precipitation.In contrast,the area with a deteriorated ecological quality occurred largely in the southern QTP region and was dominated by human activities and temperature.The 2000–2010 period was the most significant period of heterogeneity regarding of ecological quality and its driving factors.(4)The change in the ecological quality was mainly affected by the synergistic relationship between human activities and climate change in this region,which encompassed multiple dominant factors.This study provides important information on the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of ecological quality change and its dominant factors on the QTP and offers systematic guidance for the planning and implementation of ecological protection projects.

Response of Vegetation in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to Global Warming

Using satellite-observed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index （NDVI） dada and station-observed surface air temperature anomalies for the Northern Hemisphere （NH）, we analyze the spatio-temporal characteristics of vegetation variations in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and their correlations with global warming from 1982 to 2002. It is found that the late spring and early summer （May-June） are the months with the strongest responses of vegetation to global warming. Based on the Rotated Empirical Orthogonal Function （REOF） method, the study shows that the first REOF spatial pattern of average NDVI for May-June reveals the northern and southern zones with great inter-annual variations of vegetation, the northern zone from the eastern Ktmlun Mountains to the southwestern Qilian Mountain and southern zone from the northern edge of the Himalayas eastward to the Hengduan Mountains. The vegetation, especially grassland, in the two zones increases significantly with global warming, with a correlation coefficient of 0.71 between the first REOF of May-June vegetation and the April-May surface air temperature anomaly in the NH during 1982-2002. A long-term increasing trend in May-June vegetation for the plateau region as a whole is also attributed mainly to global warming although there are considerable regional differences. The areas with low NDVI （grassland and shrubland） usually respond more evidently to global warming, especially since the 1990s, than those with moderate or high NDVI values.

Temporal-Spatial Structure of Intraplate Uplift in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The intraplate uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau took place on the basis of breakup and assembly of the Precambrian supercontinent, and southward ocean-continent transition of the Proto-, Paleo-, Meso- and Neo-Tethys during the Caledonian, Indosinian, Yanshanian and Early Himalayan movements. The intraplate tectonic evolution of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau underwent the early stage of intraplate orogeny characterized by migrational tectonic uplift, horizontal movement and geological processes during 180-7 Ma, and the late stage of isostatic mountain building characterized by pulsative rapid uplift, vertical movement and geographical processes since 3.6 Ma. The spatial-temporal evolution of the intraplate orogeny within the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau shows a regular transition from the northern part through the central part to the southern part during 180-120 Ma, 65-35 Ma, and 25-7 Ma respectively, with extensive intraplate faulting, folding, block movement, magmatism and metallogenesis. Simultaneous intraplate orogeny and basin formation resulted from crustal rheological stratification and basin-orogen coupling that was induced by lateral viscous flow in the lower crust. This continental dynamic process was controlled by lateral flow of hot and soft materials within the lower crust because of slab dehydration and melted mantle upwelling above the subducted plates during the southward Tethyan ocean-continent transition processes or asthenosphere diapirism. Intraplate orogeny and basin formation were irrelevant to plate collision. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as a whole was actually formed by the isostatic mountain building processes since 3.6 Ma that were characterized by crust-scale vertical movement, and integral rapid uplift of the plateau, accompanied by isostatic subsidence of peripheral basins and depressions, and great changes in topography and environment. A series of pulsative mountain building events, associated with gravity equilibrium and isostatic adjustment of crustal materials, at 3.6 Ma, 2.5 Ma, 1.8-1.2 Ma, 0.9-0.8 Ma and 0.15-0.12 Ma led to the formation of a composite orogenic belt by unifying the originally relatively independent Himalayas, Gangdise, Tanghla, Longmenshan, Kunlun, Altyn Tagh, and Qilian mountains, and the formation of the complete Qinghai-Tibet Plateau with a unified mountain root after Miocene uplift of the plateau as a whole.

Evidence of the Pan-Lake Stage in the Period of 40-28 ka B.P. on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The Qinghai-Tibet plateau is one of major saline lake regions in China, where saline lakes are widespread and constitute an important object of researches on the palaeoclimatic change in the region. On the basis of comprehensive investigations of the evolution of the lake's surface and sediments on the plateau, the authors have further demonstrated the existence of a pan-lake stage (river and lake flooding stage) on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau during the period of about 40+-28 ka B.P. and analyzed the palaeoclimatic characteristics of the pan-lake period and relationships between the ancient monsoons and the uplift of the plateau since the beginning of the Quaternary.

Effects of Temperature,Soil Moisture,Soil Type and Their Interactions on Soil Carbon Mineralization in Zoigê Alpine Wetland,Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Wetland stores substantial amount of carbon and may contribute greatly to global climate change debate. However, few researches have focused on the effects of global climate change on carbon mineralization in Zoige alpine wetland, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which is one of the most important peatlands in China. Through incubation experiment, this paper studied the effects of temperature, soil moisture, soil type （marsh soil and peat soil） and their interactions on CO2 and CH4 emission rates in Zoige alpine wetland. Results show that when the temperature rises from 5℃ to 35℃, CO2 emission rates increase by 3.3-3.7 times and 2.4-2.6 times under non-inundation treatment, and by 2.2-2.3 times and 4.1-4.3 times under inundation treatment in marsh soil and peat soil, respectively. Compared with non-inundation treatment, CO2 emission rates decrease by 6%-44%, 20%-60% in marsh soil and peat soil, respectively, under inundation treatment. CO2 emission rate is significantly affected by the combined effects of the temperature and soil type （p 〈 0.001）, and soil moisture and soil type （p 〈 0.001）, and CH4 emission rate was significantly affected by the interaction of the temperature and soil moisture （p 〈 0.001）. Q10 values for CO2 emission rate are higher at the range of 5 ℃-25℃ than 25 ℃-35℃, indicating that carbon mineralization is more sensitive at low temperature in Zoige alpine wetland.

Degradation of Wetlands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau:A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Three Indicators

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau encompasses a large quantity of wetlands, some of which have been degraded to varying severity levels. In the literature, a number of degradation indicators have been proposed to evaluate ecological health of wetlands, but their effectiveness in the plateau environment remains unknown. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of three degradation indicators, soil moisture content at lo em deep, vegetative cover, and density of pika burrows. The degradation severity of wetlands in Maduo County on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is enumerated at four levels, intact, slight, moderate and severe. Analysis of xo6 samples collected in the field demonstrates that the density of pika burrows is the least reliable indicator. By comparison, vegetative cover and underlying soil moisture content are more reliable, even though neither is a perfect indicator as the difference among adjacent levels of severity as revealed by t-test is not always statistically significant. The imperfection of vegetative cover as an indicator is due to its variation among different types of wetlands. The limitation of moisture content is attributed to its non-linear relationship with wetland degradation. Above the threshold of about 50% in moisture content wetlands are unlikely to be degraded. It is recommended that moisture be measured at the point near the surface and vegetative cover be further differentiated by species in order to improve their effectiveness.

Late Cenozoic Chemical Weathering and Environmental Changes Recorded in the Co Ngoin Sediments,Central Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

A series of faulted inland basins were developed in the central Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, among which the Co Ngoin Basin containing thick lacustrine sediments is located in the peripheral area of the Indian monsoon. In this paper, we present the weathering history and paleoclimatic changes in the last 2.8 Ma based on studies of high-resolution temporal distributions of Sr, Rb and Zr concentrations, Rb/Sr and Zr/Rb ratios and δ 13C and TOC for the Co Ngoin sediments, in combination with the sediment properties, grain size distribution and clay mineralogy. The sedimentary records indicate three environmental stages in the last 2.8 Ma. At the core depth of 197?170 m (about 2.8?2.5 Ma), low-intensity chemical weathering in the Co Ngoin catchment was experienced under warm-dry to cool-wet climate conditions with relatively low Sr concentration and high Rb/Sr and Zr/Rb ratios. The sudden occurrence of both subalpine coniferous forest and coarse sand and gravel sediments in the Co Ngoin core reflects a strong tectonic uplift. The high Sr concentrations and low Rb/Sr and Zr/Rb ratios reflect a relatively strong chemical weathering between 2.5 Ma and 0.8 Ma (at the core depth of 170?38.5 m) under a temperate/cool and wet climate, characterized by mud and silt with fine sand, probably indicating a stable process of denudation and planation of the plateau. Above the depth of 38.5 m (about 0.8?0 Ma), the coarsening of sediments indicates a strong tectonic uplift and a relatively low intensity of chemical weathering as supported by the record of sediments having relatively low Sr concentrations and high Rb/Sr and Zr/Rb ratios. Since then, the plateau has taken the shape of the modern topographic pattern above 4000 m a.s.l.

Collision Event during 177-135 Ma on the Eastern Marginof the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: Evidence from 40Ar/ 39Ar Dating for Basaltson the Western Margin of the Yangtze Platform

Geochronology of continental flood basalts sampled from the Emei large igneous province (LIP) on the western margin of the Yangtze platform was investigated by the laser microprobe 40Ar/39Ar dating technique. These basalts yield a fairly wide range of 40Ar/39Ar ages, varying from 259 to 135 Ma. One basalt sample, at least altered, recorded the oldest 40Ar/39Ar age of about 259 Ma, corresponding to a peak eruption age of the Emei LIP continental flood basalts. Most of the samples yield much younger ages from 135 to 177 Ma, which are consistent with the K-Ar ages for the same samples (122.8-172.1 Ma). The dating data suggest that these Permian basalts had been widely affected by the regional tectonothermal event at 177-135 Ma. The event was probably caused by the convergence and collision among the Laurasia, Yangtze and Qiangtang-Qamdo continental blocks on the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau after the late Triassic. The age of the event reflects the timing of the peak collisional orogeny.

Lithospheric Evolution and Geodynamic Process of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: An Inspiration from the Yadong-Golmud-Ejin Geoscience Transect

Abstract The Tibet Geoscience Transect (Yadong-Golmud-Ejin) has revealed the basic structures, tectonic evolution and geodynamic process of the lithosphere of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. The evidence of northward thrusting of the Indian plate beneath the Himalayans on the southern margin and to southward compression of the Alxa block on the northern margin has been found. They were the driving forces causing the plateau uplift. The plateau is a continent resulting from amalgamation of eight terranes. These terranes are separated by sutures or large-scale faults, and different terranes have different lateral inhomogeneities and multi-layered lithospheric structures. At depths of about 20–30 km of the crust in the interior of the plateau there commonly exists a low-velocity layer. It is an uncoupled layer of the tectonic stress; above the layer, the upper crustal slices were thrust and overlapped each other and the rocks underwent brittle deformation, thus leading to shortening and thickening of the upper crust. Below the layer, the lateral change of the structure of the lower crust varies most greatly and ductile deformation occurs. The lower crust velocity of southern Tibet shows the reversed feature; whereas the lower crust velocity of northern Tibet increases and displays strong gradient variation and the character of the double Moho. On the whole, the Moho of the plateau is greatly undulatory. Although the crust of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has a great thickness, the lithosphere does not thicken markedly. The plateau is in a state of bi-directional compression. The unstable change of the Moho, the interaction between the crust and mantle and between the lithosphere and asthenosphere caused by the sinking of the lithospheric mantle and the strike slip and extension of the crust are the major dynamic factors for maintaining the present height and scope of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Characteristics of daily extreme wind gusts on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China

Severe wind is a major natural hazard and a main driver of deserdficadon on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Generally, studies of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau＇s wind climatology focus on mean wind speeds and its gust speeds have been seldom investigated. Here, we used observed daily maximum gust speeds from a 95- station network over a 5-year period （2008-2012） to analyze the characteristics of extreme wind speeds and directions by fitting Weibull and Gumbel distributions. The results indicated the spatial distribution of extreme wind speeds and their direction on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is highly variable, with its western portion prone to greater mean speeds of extreme wind gusts than its eastern portion. Maximum extreme wind speeds of 30.9, 33.0, and 32.2 m/s were recorded at three stations along the Qinghai Tibet Railway. Severe winds occurred mostly from November to April, caused primarily by the westerly jet stream. Terrain greatly enhances the wind speeds. Our spatial analysis of wind speed data showed that the wind speeds increased exponentially with an increasing altitude. We also assessed the local wind hazard by calculating the return periods of maximum wind gusts from the observational data based on the statistical extreme value distributions of these wind speeds. Further attention should be given to those stations where the yearly maximum daily extreme wind speed increased at a rate greater than that of mean value of daily extreme wind speeds. Severe extreme wind events in these regions of the plateau are likely to become more frequent. Consequently, building structural designers working in these areas should use updated extreme wind data rather than relying on past data alone.

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 iithostratigraphic 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-Garze and Gangdise 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 Gangdise--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-Garze, 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. The continuous uplift and intensive taphrogeny in the plateau divided the original large basin into small basins, deposition of lacustrine facies decreased considerably, and boulderstone accumulated, indicating a response to the overall uplift of the plateau. Here, we discuss the evolution of tectonic lithofacies paleogeography in Cenozoic and its response to the tectonic uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in relation to the above characteristics. We have recognized five major uplift events, which occurred during 58-53 Ma, 45-30 Ma, 25-20 Ma, 13-7 Ma, and since 5 Ma. The results presented here indicate that the paleogeomorphic configurations of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau turned over during the late Miocene, with high elevations in the east during the pre-Miocene switching to high contours in the west at the end of Miocene.

Cluster analysis on summer precipitation field over Qinghai-Tibet Plateau from 1961 to 2004

The summer day-by-day precipitation data of 97 meteorological stations on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau from 1961 to 2004 were selected to analyze the temporal-spatial distribution through accumulated variance,correlation analysis,regression analysis,empirical orthogonal function,power spectrum function and spatial analysis tools of GIS.The result showed that summer precipitation occupied a relatively high proportion in the area with less annual precipitation on the Plateau and the correlation between summer precipitation and annual precipitation was strong.The altitude of these stations and summer precipitation tendency presented stronger positive correlation below 2000 m,with correlation value up to 0.604（α=0.01）.The subtracting tendency values between 1961-1983 and 1984-2004 at five altitude ranges（2000-2500 m,2500-3000 m,3500-4000 m,4000-4500 m and above 4500 m）were above zero and accounted for 71.4%of the total.Using empirical orthogonal function, summer precipitation could be roughly divided into three precipitation pattern fields：the Southeast Plateau Pattern Field,the Northeast Plateau Pattern field and the Three Rivers＇ Headstream Regions Pattern Field.The former two ones had a reverse value from the north to the south and opposite line was along 35°N.The potential cycles of the three pattern fields were 5.33a,21.33a and 2.17a respectively,tested by the confidence probability of 90%.The station altitudes and summer precipitation potential cycles presented strong negative correlation in the stations above 4500 m,with correlation value of-0.626（α=0.01）.In Three Rivers Headstream Regions summer precipitation cycle decreased as the altitude rose in the stations above 3500 m and increased as the altitude rose in those below 3500 m.The empirical orthogonal function analysis in June precipitation,July precipitation and August precipitation showed that the June precipitation pattern field was similar to the July＇s,in which southern Plateau was positive and northern Plateau negative.But positive value area in July precipitation pattern field was obviously less than June＇s.The August pattern field was totally opposite to June＇s and July＇s.The positive area in August pattern field jumped from the southern Plateau to the northern Plateau.