Quantitative contributions of climate change and human activities to vegetation dynamics in the Zoige Plateau from 2001 to 2020

Climate change and human activities such as overgrazing and rapid development of tourism simultaneously affected the vegetation of the Zoige Plateau.However,the spatiotemporal variations of vegetation and the relative contributions of climate change and human activities to these vegetation dynamics remain unclear.Therefore,clarifying how and why the vegetation on the Zoige Plateau changed can provide a scientific basis for the sustainable development of the region.Here,we investigate NDVI trends using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)as an indicator of vegetation greenness and distinguish the relative effects of climate changes and human activities on vegetation changes by utilizing residual trend analysis and the Geodetector.We find a tendency of vegetation greening from 2001 to 2020,with significant greening accounting for 21.44%of the entire region.However,browning area expanded rapidly after 2011.Warmer temperatures are the primary driver of vegetation changes in the Zoige Plateau.Climatic variations and human activities were responsible for 65.57%and 34.43%of vegetation greening,and 39.14%and 60.86%of vegetation browning,respectively,with browning concentrated along the Yellow,Black and White Rivers.Compared to 2001-2010,the inhibitory effect of human activity and climate fluctuations on vegetation grew dramatically between 2011 and 2020.

Convection-Permitting Simulations of Current and Future Climates over the Tibetan Plateau

The Tibetan Plateau(TP)region,also known as the“Asian water tower”,provides a vital water resource for downstream regions.Previous studies of water cycle changes over the TP have been conducted with climate models of coarse resolution in which deep convection must be parameterized.In this study,we present results from a first set of highresolution climate change simulations that permit convection at approximately 3.3-km grid spacing,with a focus on the TP,using the Icosahedral Nonhydrostatic Weather and Climate Model(ICON).Two 12-year simulations were performed,consisting of a retrospective simulation(2008–20)with initial and boundary conditions from ERA5 reanalysis and a pseudoglobal warming projection driven by modified reanalysis-derived initial and boundary conditions by adding the monthly CMIP6 ensemble-mean climate change under the SSP5-8.5 scenario.The retrospective simulation shows overall good performance in capturing the seasonal precipitation and surface air temperature.Over the central and eastern TP,the average biases in precipitation(temperature)are less than−0.34 mm d−1(−1.1℃)throughout the year.The simulated biases over the TP are height-dependent.Cold(wet)biases are found in summer(winter)above 5500 m.The future climate simulation suggests that the TP will be wetter and warmer under the SSP5-8.5 scenario.The general features of projected changes in ICON are comparable to the CMIP6 ensemble projection,but the added value from kilometer-scale modeling is evident in both precipitation and temperature projections over complex topographic regions.These ICON-downscaled climate change simulations provide a high-resolution dataset to the community for the study of regional climate changes and impacts over the TP.

Variation in the permafrost active layer over the Tibetan Plateau during 1980–2020

The active layer,acting as an intermediary of water and heat exchange between permafrost and atmosphere,greatly influences biogeochemical cycles in permafrost areas and is notably sensitive to climate fluctuations.Utilizing the Chinese Meteorological Forcing Dataset to drive the Community Land Model,version 5.0,this study simulates the spatial and temporal characteristics of active layer thickness(ALT)on the Tibetan Plateau(TP)from 1980 to 2020.Results show that the ALT,primarily observed in the central and western parts of the TP where there are insufficient station observations,exhibits significant interdecadal changes after 2000.The average thickness on the TP decreases from 2.54 m during 1980–1999 to 2.28 m during 2000–2020.This change is mainly observed in the western permafrost region,displaying a sharp regional inconsistency compared to the eastern region.A persistent increasing trend of ALT is found in the eastern permafrost region,rather than an interdecadal change.The aforementioned changes in ALT are closely tied to the variations in the surrounding atmospheric environment,particularly air temperature.Additionally,the area of the active layer on the TP displays a profound interdecadal change around 2000,arising from the permafrost thawing and forming.It consistently decreases before 2000 but barely changes after 2000.The regional variation in the permafrost active layer over the TP revealed in this study indicates a complex response of the contemporary climate under global warming.

Multiple Uplift and Exhumation of the Southeastern Tibetan Plateau:Evidence from Low-Temperature Thermochronology

Since the Cenozoic,the Tibetan Plateau has experienced large-scale uplift and outgrowth due to the India-Asia collision.However,the mechanism and timing of these tectonic processes still remain debated.Here,using apatite fission track dating and inverse thermal modeling,we explore the mechanism of different phases of rapid cooling for different batholiths and intrusions in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau.In contrast to previous views,we find that the coeval granitic batholith exposed in the same tectonic zone experienced differential fast uplift in different sites,indicating that the present Tibetan Plateau was the result of differential uplift rather than the entire lithosphere uplift related to lithospheric collapse during Cenozoic times.In addition,we also suggest that the 5-2 Ma mantle-related magmatism should be regarded as the critical trigger for the widely coeval cooling event in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau,because it led to the increase in atmospheric CO_(2)level and a hotter upper crust than before,which are efficient for suddenly fast rock weathering and erosion.Finally,we propose that the current landform of the southeastern Tibetan Plateau was the combined influences of tectonic and climate.

Projected changes in extreme snowfall events over the Tibetan Plateau based on a set of RCM simulations

Extreme snowfall events over the Tibetan Plateau(TP)cause considerable damage to local society and natural ecosystems.In this study,the authors investigate the projected changes in such events over the TP and its surrounding areas based on an ensemble of a set of 21st century climate change projections using a regional climate model,RegCM4.The model is driven by five CMIP5 global climate models at a grid spacing of 25 km,under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 pathways.Four modified ETCCDI extreme indices-namely,SNOWTOT,S1mm,S10mm,and Sx5day-are employed to characterize the extreme snowfall events.RegCM4 generally reproduces the spatial distribution of the indices over the region,although with a tendency of overestimation.For the projected changes,a general decrease in SNOWTOT is found over most of the TP,with greater magnitude and better cross-simulation agreement over the eastern part.All the simulations project an overall decrease in S1mm,ranging from a 25%decrease in the west and to a 50%decrease in the east of the TP.Both S10mm and Sx5day are projected to decrease over the eastern part and increase over the central and western parts of the TP.Notably,S10mm shows a marked increase(more than double)with high cross-simulation agreement over the central TP.Significant increases in all four indices are found over the Tarim and Qaidam basins,and northwestern China north of the TP.The projected changes show topographic dependence over the TP in the latitudinal direction,and tend to decrease/increase in low-/high-altitude areas.

Time-lagged Effects of the Spring Atmospheric Heat Source over the Tibetan Plateau on Summer Precipitation in Northeast China during 1961–2020:Role of Soil Moisture

The spring atmospheric heat source(AHS)over the Tibetan Plateau(TP)has been suggested to affect the Asian summer monsoon and summer precipitation over South China.However,its influence on the summer precipitation in Northeast China(NEC)remains unknown.The connection between spring TP AHS and subsequent summer precipitation over NEC from 1961 to 2020 is analyzed in this study.Results illustrate that stronger spring TP AHS can enhance subsequent summer NEC precipitation,and higher soil moisture in the Yellow River Valley-North China region(YRVNC)acts as a bridge.During spring,the strong TP AHS could strengthen the transportation of water vapor to East China and lead to excessive rainfall in the YRVNC.Thus,soil moisture increases,which regulates local thermal conditions by decreasing local surface skin temperature and sensible heat.Owing to the memory of soil moisture,the lower spring sensible heat over the YRVNC can last until mid-summer,decrease the land–sea thermal contrast,and weaken the southerly winds over the East Asia–western Pacific region and convective activities over the South China Sea and tropical western Pacific.This modulates the East Asia–Pacific teleconnection pattern,which leads to a cyclonic anomaly and excessive summer precipitation over NEC.

Future changes in precipitation and water availability over the Tibetan Plateau projected by CMIP6 models constrained by climate sensitivity

Precipitation projections over the Tibetan Plateau(TP)show diversity among existing studies,partly due to model uncertainty.How to develop a reliable projection remains inconclusive.Here,based on the IPCC AR6–assessed likely range of equilibrium climate sensitivity(ECS)and the climatological precipitation performance,the authors constrain the CMIP6(phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project)model projection of summer precipitation and water availability over the TP.The best estimates of precipitation changes are 0.24,0.25,and 0.45 mm d^(−1)(5.9%,6.1%,and 11.2%)under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway(SSP)scenarios of SSP1–2.6,SSP2–4.5,and SSP5–8.5 from 2050–2099 relative to 1965–2014,respectively.The corresponding constrained projections of water availability measured by precipitation minus evaporation(P–E)are 0.10,0.09,and 0.22 mm d^(−1)(5.7%,4.9%,and 13.2%),respectively.The increase of precipitation and P–E projected by the high-ECS models,whose ECS values are higher than the upper limit of the likely range,are about 1.7 times larger than those estimated by constrained projections.Spatially,there is a larger increase in precipitation and P–E over the eastern TP,while the western part shows a relatively weak difference in precipitation and a drier trend in P–E.The wetter TP projected by the high-ECS models resulted from both an approximately 1.2–1.4 times stronger hydrological sensitivity and additional warming of 0.6℃–1.2℃ under all three scenarios during 2050–2099.This study emphasizes that selecting climate models with climate sensitivity within the likely range is crucial to reducing the uncertainty in the projection of TP precipitation and water availability changes.

Isolated deep convections over the Tibetan Plateau in the rainy season during 2001–2020

The Tibetan Plateau(TP)is a prevalent region for convection systems due to its unique thermodynamic forcing.This study investigated isolated deep convections(IDCs),which have a smaller spatial and temporal size than mesoscale convective systems(MCSs),over the TP in the rainy season(June-September)during 2001–2020.The authors used satellite precipitation and brightness temperature observations from the Global Precipitation Measurement mission.Results show that IDCs mainly concentrate over the southern TP.The IDC number per rainy season decreases from around 140 over the southern TP to around 10 over the northern TP,with an average 54.2.The initiation time of IDCs exhibits an obvious diurnal cycle,with the peak at 1400–1500 LST and the valley at 0900–1000 LST.Most IDCs last less than five hours and more than half appear for only one hour.IDCs generally have a cold cloud area of 7422.9 km^(2),containing a precipitation area of approximately 65%.The larger the IDC,the larger the fraction of intense precipitation it contains.IDCs contribute approximately 20%–30%to total precipitation and approximately 30%–40%to extreme precipitation over the TP,with a larger percentage in July and August than in June and September.In terms of spatial distribution,IDCs contribute more to both total precipitation and extreme precipitation over the TP compared to the surrounding plain regions.IDCs over the TP account for a larger fraction than MCSs,indicating the important role of IDCs over the region.

Spatiotemporal changes of gross primary productivity and its response to drought in the Mongolian Plateau under climate change

Gross primary productivity(GPP)of vegetation is an important constituent of the terrestrial carbon sinks and is significantly influenced by drought.Understanding the impact of droughts on different types of vegetation GPP provides insight into the spatiotemporal variation of terrestrial carbon sinks,aiding efforts to mitigate the detrimental effects of climate change.In this study,we utilized the precipitation and temperature data from the Climatic Research Unit,the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index(SPEI),the standardized precipitation index(SPI),and the simulated vegetation GPP using the eddy covariance-light use efficiency(EC-LUE)model to analyze the spatiotemporal change of GPP and its response to different drought indices in the Mongolian Plateau during 1982-2018.The main findings indicated that vegetation GPP decreased in 50.53% of the plateau,mainly in its northern and northeastern parts,while it increased in the remaining 49.47%area.Specifically,meadow steppe(78.92%)and deciduous forest(79.46%)witnessed a significant decrease in vegetation GPP,while alpine steppe(75.08%),cropland(76.27%),and sandy vegetation(87.88%)recovered well.Warming aridification areas accounted for 71.39% of the affected areas,while 28.53% of the areas underwent severe aridification,mainly located in the south and central regions.Notably,the warming aridification areas of desert steppe(92.68%)and sandy vegetation(90.24%)were significant.Climate warming was found to amplify the sensitivity of coniferous forest,deciduous forest,meadow steppe,and alpine steppe GPP to drought.Additionally,the drought sensitivity of vegetation GPP in the Mongolian Plateau gradually decreased as altitude increased.The cumulative effect of drought on vegetation GPP persisted for 3.00-8.00 months.The findings of this study will improve the understanding of how drought influences vegetation in arid and semi-arid areas.

Deep tectonics and seismogenic mechanisms of the seismic source zone of the Jishishan M_(s)6.2 earthquake on December 18,2023,at the northeast margin of the Tibetan Plateau

On December 18,2023,an M_(s)6.2 earthquake occurred in Jishishan,Gansu Province,China.This earthquake happened in the eastern region of the Qilian Orogenic Belt,which is situated at the forefront of the NE margin of the Tibetan Plateau(i.e.,Qinghai-Tibet Plateau),encompassing a rhombic-shaped area that intersects the Qilian-Qaidam Basin,Alxa Block,Ordos Block,and South China Block.In this study,we analyzed the deep tectonic pattern of the Jishishan earthquake by incorporating data on the crustal thickness,velocity structure,global navigation satellite system(GNSS)strain field,and anisotropy.We discovered that the location of the earthquake was related to changes in the crustal structure.The results showed that the Jishishan M_(s)6.2 earthquake occurred in a unique position,with rapid changes in the crustal thickness,Vp/Vs,phase velocity,and S-wave velocity.The epicenter of the earthquake was situated at the transition zone between high and low velocities and was in proximity to a low-velocity region.Additionally,the source area is flanked by two high-velocity anomalies from the east and west.The principal compressive strain orientation near the Lajishan Fault is primarily in the NNE and NE directions,which align with the principal compressive stress direction in this region.In some areas of the Lajishan Fault,the principal compressive strain orientations show the NNW direction,consistent with the direction of the upper crustal fast-wave polarization from local earthquakes and the phase velocity azimuthal anisotropy.These features underscore the relationship between the occurrence of the Jishishan M_(s)6.2 earthquake and the deep inhomogeneous structure and deep tectonic characteristics.The NE margin of the Tibetan Plateau was thickened by crustal extension in the process of northeastward expansion,and the middle and lower crustal materials underwent structural deformation and may have been filled with salt-containing fluids during the extension process.The presence of this weak layer makes it easier for strong earthquakes to occur through the release of overlying rigid crustal stresses.However,it is unlikely that an earthquake of comparable or larger magnitude would occur in the short term(e.g.,in one year)at the Jishishan east margin fault.

Poisonous Plants of the Karakalpak Part of the Ustyurt Plateau (Uzbekistan)

The article presents the composition and current state of poisonous plants distributed on the Ustyurt plateau. Ustyurt is one of the largest deserts in Central Asia, differing from other deserts of the world in geographical location, relief, flora and fauna and other features. The territory of Ustyurt occupies 21.3 million hectares, of which the Karakalpak part accounts for 7.2 million hectares. Poisonous alkaloid-bearing plants of the Karakalpak part of the Ustyurt plateau Anabasis aphylla, Atriplex flabellum, Kalidium capsicum, Salsola arbusculaeformis, Salsola foliosa, Aellenia subaphylla, Anabasis brachiata, Rheum tataricum, Capparis spinosa, Glycyrrhiza aspera. Alkaloid-bearing plants that are not eaten or poorly eaten by cattle Ephedra distachya, Delphinium songaricum, Anabasis salsa, alkaloid-bearing plants eaten by animals without harm Carex physodes, Eremopyrum orientale, Agrophyllum repens, Astragalus amodendron, Astragalus villosissimus, species of the genera Calligonum, Salsola. Poisonous plants of the Karakalpak part of the Ustyurt plateau. An analysis of the pasture flora of the Karakalpak part of the Ustyurt plateau shows that 62 species of wild poisonous plants belonging to 49 genera and 19 families grow here. Although these plants are considered poisonous, but in modern pharmaceutics and medicine, they are used as medicinal.

Mechanism of Diabatic Heating on Precipitation and the Track of a Tibetan Plateau Vortex over the Eastern Slope of the Tibetan Plateau

Existing studies contend that latent heating(LH)will replace sensible heating(SH)to become the dominant factor affecting the development of the Tibetan Plateau vortex(TPV)after it moves off the Tibetan Plateau(TP).However,in the process of the TPV moving off the TP requires that the airmass traverse the eastern slope of the Tibetan Plateau(ESTP)where the topography and diabatic heating(DH)conditions rapidly change.How LH gradually replaces SH to become the dominant factor in the development of the TPV over the ESTP is still not very clear.In this paper,an analysis of a typical case of a TPV with a long life history over the ESTP is performed by using multi-sourced meteorological data and model simulations.The results show that SH from the TP surface can change the TPV-associated precipitation distribution by temperature advection after the TPV moves off the TP.The LH can then directly promote the development of the TPV and has a certain guiding effect on the track of the TPV.The SH can control the active area of LH by changing the falling area of the TPV-associated precipitation,so it still plays a key role in the development and tracking of the TPV even though it has moved out of the main body of the TP.

Quantifying the Temperature Effects on the Morbidity of Digestive Diseases In an Inland Plateau-Valley City

Extreme air temperature and increased weather oscillations caused by climate change have been threatening global health.Meteorological conditions are external inducers that may trigger the onset of gastrointestinal diseases,in addition to bacterial infection or behavioral factors including smoking,alcohol consumption,and hot food consumption[1,2].

Palaeogene Sandstones of the Manika Plateau in Kolwezi (DR Congo): Sedimentological and Geochemical Characterization, Provenance, Palaeoalteration and Tectonic Context

This work presents a study of the Paleogene sandstones of the Manika plateau in Kolwezi, DR Congo. These sandstones belong to the “Grès polymorphes” group, which together with the overlying “Sables ocre” makes up the Kalahari Supergroup. Sedimentological and geochemical analyses have enabled us to characterize these sandstones and determine their origin, the conditions of their formation and the tectonic context in which they were developed. The results show that the sandstones are quartz arenites with a high level of mineralogical, textural and chemical maturity. They are recycled sandstones, formed in an intracratonic sedimentary basin, in the context of a passive continental margin, after a long fluvial transport of sediments. These sandstones initially come from intense alteration of magmatic rocks with felsic composition, mainly tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) complexes, in hot, humid palaeoclimatic conditions and oxidizing environments.

Insights from the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition: Unveiling the westerly–monsoon synergy and hydroclimate changes

The Tibetan Plateau(TP),often referred to as the“Asian Water Tower”,holds vast reserves of glaciers,snow,and permafrost,serving as the crucial source for major rivers that support billions of people across Asia.The TP’s unique geographical positioning fosters significant interplay between the westerly and monsoon systems,the hydroclimate changes on the TP and its interactions with these two major atmospheric circulation systems through both the thermodynamic and dynamic processes,as well as the atmospheric water cycle of the TP.These interactions have far-reaching impacts on the weather and climate of China,Asia,and even the global atmospheric circulation.

Effects of formal credit on pastoral household expense: Evidence from the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau of China

Formal credit is critical in agricultural production,allowing more expenditure and productive input,thereby improving farmers'welfare.In pastoral China,formal financial institutions are gradually increasing.However,a limited understanding remains of how formal credit affects herders'household expenses.Based on a survey of 544 herders from the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau of China,this study adopted the propensity score matching approach to identify the effect of formal credit on herders'total household expenses,daily expenses,and productive expenses.The results found that average age,grassland mortgage,and other variables significantly affected herders'participation in formal credit.Formal credit could significantly improve household expenses,especially productive expenses.A heterogeneity analysis showed that formal credit had a greater impact on the household total expense for those at higher levels of wealth;however,it significantly affected the productive expense of herders at lower wealth levels.Moreover,the mediating effect indicated that formal credit could affect herders'household income,thus influencing their household expenses.Finally,this study suggests that policies should improve herders'accessibility to formal credit.

Emerging glacier forelands alter carbon dynamics on the Tibetan Plateau

The critical challenge of ongoing climate warming is resulting in glacier melting globally,a process accompanied by the formation of substantial glacier forelands.This phenomenon emerges as a pivotal area of study,especially in the Tibetan Plateau(TP),known as the Third Pole and the Asian Water Tower.In particular,the rapid retreat of temperate glaciers in the southeastern TP has led to the formation of expansive glacier forelands.These forelands are not merely evidence of climate shifts but are also key areas for transformative carbon dynamics.Moreover,the newly exposed land surface actively adjusts the balance of dissolved organic carbon,especially in meltwater,and influences the release of greenhouse gases from a range of sources including glacial lakes,subglacial sediments,and supraglacial/proglacial rivers.These processes play a crucial role in the dynamics of atmospheric carbon dioxide.Drawing from our intensive and detailed observations over several years,this perspective not only emphasizes the importance of the underexplored impact of glacier forelands on carbon cycles but also opens a window into understanding potential future trajectories in a warming world.

Changes in Spring Snow Cover over the Eastern and Western Tibetan Plateau and Their Associated Mechanism

The spring snow cover(SC)over the western Tibetan Plateau(TP)(TPSC)(W_TPSC)and eastern TPSC(E_TPSC)have displayed remarkable decreasing and increasing trends,respectively,during 1985–2020.The current work investigates the possible mechanisms accounting for these distinct TPSC changes.Our results indicate that the decrease in W_TPSC is primarily attributed to rising temperatures,while the increase in E_TPSC is closely linked to enhanced precipitation.Local circulation analysis shows that the essential system responsible for the TPSC changes is a significant anticyclonic system centered over the northwestern TP.The anomalous descending motion and adiabatic heating linked to this anticyclone leads to warmer temperatures and consequent snowmelt over the western TP.Conversely,anomalous easterly winds along the southern flank of this anticyclone serve to transport additional moisture from the North Pacific,leading to an increase in snowfall over the eastern TP.Further analysis reveals that the anomalous anticyclone is associated with an atmospheric wave pattern that originates from upstream regions.Springtime warming of the subtropical North Atlantic(NA)sea surface temperature(SST)induces an atmospheric pattern resembling a wave train that travels eastward across the Eurasian continent before reaching the TP.Furthermore,the decline in winter sea ice(SIC)over the Barents Sea exerts a persistent warming influence on the atmosphere,inducing an anomalous atmospheric circulation that propagates southeastward and strengthens the northwest TP anticyclone in spring.Additionally,an enhancement of subtropical stationary waves has resulted in significant increases in easterly moisture fluxes over the coastal areas of East Asia,which further promotes more snowfall over eastern TP.

Occurrence of microplastics in natural and farmland soil in the Qilian Mountains of the Northern Tibetan Plateau

Microplastics(MPs)become ubiquitous in soil and are an environmental and public health concern worldwide.However,the status of MPs in natural and farmland soils in remote areas remains poorly understood.In this study,we investigated the characteristics of MPs in natural and farmland soils along two transects in the Qilian Mountains of the northern Tibetan Plateau.The average abundance of MPs in natural and farmland soils was 29,778 and 56,123 items kg^(-1),respectively,with a detection size range of 10-1000μm.MPs in the size range of 10-100μm accounted for 84.1%of particles detected.Among the 21 polymers detected,polyethylene dominated in both farmland and natural soils.The shape of MPs was dominated by fragments(95.8%),followed by fibers(3.8%)and beads(0.4%).The abundance of MPs was positively correlated with increasing altitude in natural soils.There was no significant correlation between the abundance of MPs and soil physicochemical properties due to the narrow range of values of soil physicochemical properties.With the growing concern regarding MPs pollution,research on the status of MPs in high altitude and remote areas is critical to understanding their global cycle.

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.