Previous research on climatic change in the Mid-Holocene in China indicates that it was a warm and humid period, accompanied by stronger summer monsoons, and it is defined as the Megatherrnal in the Holocene, or the H...Previous research on climatic change in the Mid-Holocene in China indicates that it was a warm and humid period, accompanied by stronger summer monsoons, and it is defined as the Megatherrnal in the Holocene, or the Holocene Optimum period. However, this conclusion is mainly dh'eeted at the monsoonal region in eastem China. In this research, we chose the Gonghe Basin in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau as the study area. Geochemical analysis of the profiles of paleosols and aeolian sand in the Santala area in the middle of the Gonghe Basin, along with OSL (optically stimulated luminescence) dating, indicates that the regional climate has experienced several warm-humid and cold-dry cycles since 11.8 ka. In particular, the Mid-Holocene (8.14.6 ka) was relatively cold and dry as evidenced by drastic fluctuations in chemical weathering degree and humidity, a higher aridity index, and sparse vegetation, accompanying increased winter monsoonal strength. In order to clarify whether this is an individual or local signal, we compared our geochemical analysis results with lake and peat records and aeolian de- posits of the monsoonal boundary region. The results indicate that the climate deteriorated widely, with declines in temperature and moisture, in the Mid-Holocene in the modem monsoonal boundary zone. Furthermore, the duration of climate deteriora- tion (relatively dry period) generally decreased from west to east in the aforementioned regions. Therefore, this dry phase in Gonghe Basin may be representative of dry events in Mid-Holocene in northem China. In addition, we discuss the reasons for this dry climate from several perspectives: (1) it probably can be attributed to a decline in summer monsoonal strength; (2) the regional evaporation loss (forced by high temperature) was not compensated by regional precipitation; (3) the thermal dynamic effect of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.展开更多
1 Introduction The northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(NE QTP),located at a triple junction of influences of the Asian summer monsoon,westerly jet stream and Siberian high,is of considerable significance with regard ...1 Introduction The northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(NE QTP),located at a triple junction of influences of the Asian summer monsoon,westerly jet stream and Siberian high,is of considerable significance with regard to regional responses to global climate change.Qarhan Salt Lake is the largest playa located in the central eastern展开更多
The radial growth of trees In mountainous areas is subject to environmental conditions associated with changes In elevation. To assess the sensitivity of tree-ring growth to climate variation over a wide range of elev...The radial growth of trees In mountainous areas is subject to environmental conditions associated with changes In elevation. To assess the sensitivity of tree-ring growth to climate variation over a wide range of elevations, we compared the chronological characteristics of Sabina przewalskii Kom. and their relationships with climatic variables at the upper and lower treellnes In the Dulan region of the northeastern Qlnghal-Tlbetan Plateau. It was found that the radial growth in this region was controlled primarily by precipitation in late spring and early summer (from May to June). In addition, a higher temperature from April to June could Intensify drought stress and lead to narrow tree rings. The significant similarity In climate-tree growth relationships at both the upper and lower treellnes Indicated that tree rings of S. przewalskU In this region are able to provide common regional climate information. However, the chronologies at the lower forest limits showed a higher standard deviation and more significant correlations with climatic factors, suggesting that the radial growth there was more significantly Influenced by climate variation. The first principal component of the four chronologies showed a common growth response to local climate. The second principal component showed a contrasting growth response between different sampling sites. The third principal component revealed different growth patterns In response to altitudinal variation. Further analysis Indicated that the precipitation In late spring and early summer controlled the growth of S. przewalskii on a regional scale and that other factors, such as mlcroenvlronment at the sampling sites, also affected the strength of the climatic response of tree growth.展开更多
The geological structure background, the crustal structure and the shape of Moho in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau are studied. Based on artificial seismic sounding profile as well as geologica...The geological structure background, the crustal structure and the shape of Moho in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau are studied. Based on artificial seismic sounding profile as well as geological data. The main results are summarized as follows: (1) The geotectonic subdivisions and the characteristics of main deep and large faults in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau are presented; (2) The general features of the Moho are obtained mainly based on artificial seismic sounding data; (3) There exists well corresponding relation between surface faults and some features of the Moho, which suggests that such complex crustal structure might be the preparation environment of strong earthquakes.展开更多
Enhanced sulfur and nitrogen deposition has been observed in many transect regions worldwide,from urban/agricultural areas to mountains.The Sichuan Basin(SCB),with 18 prefectural cities,is the most economically-develo...Enhanced sulfur and nitrogen deposition has been observed in many transect regions worldwide,from urban/agricultural areas to mountains.The Sichuan Basin(SCB),with 18 prefectural cities,is the most economically-developed region in western China,while the rural Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP)lies west of the SCB.Previous regional and national atmospheric modeling studies have sug-gested that large areas in the SCB-to-QTP transect region experience excessive deposition of sulfur and nitrogen.In this study,we applied a passive monitoring method at 11 sites(one in urban Chengdu and 10 from fivenature reserves)in this transect region from September 2021 to October 2022 to confirm the high sulfur and nitrogen deposition fluxes and to understand the gaps between the modeling and observation results for this transect region.These observations suggest that the five reserves are under eutrophication risk,and only two reserves are partially under acidification risk.Owing to the complex topography and landscapes,both sulfur and nitrogen deposition and critical loads exhibit large spatial variations within a reserve,such as Mount Emei.Regional atmospheric modeling may not accurately capture the spatial variations in deposition fluxes within a reserve;however,it can capture general spatial patterns over the entire transect.This study demonstrates that a combination of state-of-the-art atmospheric chemical models and low-cost monitoring methods is helpful for ecological risk assessments at a regional scale.展开更多
Fold-thrust belts are common structural styles under the background of long-term regional tectonic shortening.The northern and northeastern margins of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are located on the edge of the growth ...Fold-thrust belts are common structural styles under the background of long-term regional tectonic shortening.The northern and northeastern margins of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are located on the edge of the growth and expansion of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.Since nearly 10 Ma,some significant and typical fold thrust belt have been formed.The spatial-temporal evolution of these fold-thrust belts and the characteristics of surface deformations are significant issues in geodynamics.In this paper,we use the elastoplastic finite element model with considering the contact nonlinearity to study the spatialtemporal evolution of the fold-thrust belts in the northern and northeastern margins of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,with particular attention to the details of the relationship between the depth and the shallow,the spatialtemporal order,and the characteristics of the surface deformation,etc.,in order to make a relatively complete mechanical interpretation of the spatial-temporal evolution of the foldthrust belts in the northern and northeastern margins of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau from the perspective of geodynamics.展开更多
Soil organic carbon(SOC)and total nitrogen(TN)stocks are usually calculated with samples collected using core samplers.Although the calculation considers the effects of gravel in soil samples,other coarse fragments su...Soil organic carbon(SOC)and total nitrogen(TN)stocks are usually calculated with samples collected using core samplers.Although the calculation considers the effects of gravel in soil samples,other coarse fragments such as stones or boulders in soil may not be collected due to the restricted diameter of core samplers.This would cause an incorrect estimation of soil bulk density and ultimately SOC and TN stocks.In this study,we compared the relative volume of coarse fragment and bulk density of fine earth determined by large size soil sampler with three core samplers.We also investigated the uncertainties in estimation of SOC and TN stocks caused by this soil sampler procedure in three typical alpine grasslands on the northeast edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP),China.Results show that(1)the relative volume and size of coarse fragment collected by large size sampler were significantly(p<0.05)higher and larger than those of core samplers,while bulk density of fine earth,SOC and TN stocks show opposite patterns in all grassland types;(2)SOC and TN stocks determined by core samplers were 17%-45%and 18%-46%higher than larger size sampler for three typical alpine grasslands;and(3)bulk density of fine earth,SOC and TN stocks exponentially decreased with the increasing of coarse fragment content.We concluded that core sampler methods significantly underestimated the volume occupied by coarse fragment but overestimated SOC and TN stocks.Thus,corrections should be made to the results from core samplers using large size samplers on regions with gravel and stone-rich soils in future studies.展开更多
Widespread and thick loess deposit in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau records paleoclimatic changes over the Quaternary period. In this study, we investigate a loess section located in a high terrace of the Huangshui...Widespread and thick loess deposit in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau records paleoclimatic changes over the Quaternary period. In this study, we investigate a loess section located in a high terrace of the Huangshui River in the Xining Basin, and collect samples at 20-cm intervals by digging a well of 16-m depth (including paleosol S1 and SO and several loess interlayers over the last glacial-interglacial cycle and the Holocene). Concentration of some active elements (Sr and Ca) and inert elements (Rb, Zr, Ti) in these loess samples are measured. The results show that ratios of those elements (oxide), such as Rb/Sr, Ti/Sr, and Zr/CaO ratios, would indicate sensitively paleoclimatic changes, especially the history of precipitation over the last glacial-interglacial and the Holocene. Moreover, the curves of Rb/Sr, Ti/Sr, and Zr/CaO ratios had almost the same variable trends from the bottom to the top and also closely correlated with values of magnetic susceptibility and the global marine δ^18O record. But compared with the curves of magnetic susceptibility, the changes of ratios of these elements (oxide) are clearer and easy to understand. Therefore, the ratios of these typical chemical elements in the loess deposit may be used as an excellent index to investigate the history of paleoclimate, particularly precipitation changes in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau.展开更多
Zoige Wetland is one of the largest plateau wetlands in the world. This paper provides a dynamic analysis of spatial and temporal patterns of the wetland in Zoige, Eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, supported by ERDAS8....Zoige Wetland is one of the largest plateau wetlands in the world. This paper provides a dynamic analysis of spatial and temporal patterns of the wetland in Zoige, Eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, supported by ERDAS8.7 and ArcGIS9.0. It is the first comparative analysis of a system of rapidly changing wetland with landscape patterns in Zoige, using 3 classified landsat Thematic Mapper images of 1977, 1994 and 2001. The classified images were used to generate wetland distributing maps, and shape index (S), diversity index (H), dominance index (D), evenness index (E), fragmentation index (F) and fractal dimension (Fd) were calculated and analyzed spatiotemporally across pure grazing area in Zoige for each landscape type and in different periods (before 1977, during 1977-1994 and 1994-2001), as well as the driving forces of natural and anthropogenic. The study shows that for a comprehensive understanding of the shapes and trajectories of the shrinking and desertificated land expansion of the wetland, a spatiotemporal landscape metrics analysis in different periods is an improvement than only with landscape changing rates. This type of analysis can also be used to infer underlying social, economic, and political processes that drive the observed wetland forms. The results indicate that wetland patterns can be changed over relatively short periods of time. The total area of lake reduced by 164.86 km^2, grassland extended by 141.74 km^2, semi-marsh extended by 105.94 km^2, marsh reduced by 86.00 km^2 the number of landscape patches reduced by 56, and their average area decreased by 2.68 km^2, the successions within lake, marsh, semi-marsh and grassland were found obviously. S decreased stepwise: D and F increased but H decreased: The changing rate after 1994 was 2.3 to 2.9 times greater than that before. The change of the wetland landscape patterns resulted in the interaction between socio-ceenomic and natural forces of positive and negative aspects; and natural factors affected as assistant aspect. Some important human activities in this period led to the change of the landscape patterns in this region directly. Some measurements made by government and NGO delayed the converting process partly.展开更多
To understand the water and energy exchange on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, we explored the characteristics of evapotranspiration (ET) and energy fluxes from 2002 to 2005 over a Kobresia meadow ecosystem using the e...To understand the water and energy exchange on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, we explored the characteristics of evapotranspiration (ET) and energy fluxes from 2002 to 2005 over a Kobresia meadow ecosystem using the eddy covariance method. The ratio of annual ET to precipitation (P) of meadow ecosystem was about 60%, but varied greatly with the change of season from summer to winter. The annual ET/P in meadow was lower than that in shrub, steppe and wetland ecosystems of this plateau. The incident solar radiation (Rs) received by the meadow was obviously higher than that of lowland in the same latitude; however the ratio of net radiation (Rn) to Rs with average annual value of 0.44 was significantly lower than that in the same latitude. The average annual ET was about 390 mm for 2002-2005, of which more than 80% occurred in growing season from May to September. The energy consumed on the ET was about 44% of net radiation in growing season, which was lower than that of shrub, steppe and wetland on this plateau. This study demonstrates that the Kobresia meadow may prevent the excessive water loss through evapotranspiration from the ecosystem into the atmosphere in comparison to the shrub, steppe and wetland ecosystems of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.展开更多
Climate warming and livestock grazing are known to have great influences on alpine ecosystems like those of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) in China. However, it is lacking of studies on the effects of warming and...Climate warming and livestock grazing are known to have great influences on alpine ecosystems like those of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) in China. However, it is lacking of studies on the effects of warming and grazing on plant and soil properties in these alpine ecosystems. In this study, we reported the related research from manipulative experiment in 2010-2012 in the QTP. The aim of this study was to investigate the individual and combined effects of warming and clipping on plant and soil properties in the alpine meadow ecosystem. Infrared radiators were used to simulate climate warming starting in July 2010, while clipping was performed once in Octo- ber 2011 to simulate the local livestock grazing. The experiment was designed as a randomized block consisting of five replications and four treatments: control (CK), warming (W), clipping (C) and warming+clipping combination (WC). The plant and soil properties were investigated in the growing season of the alpine meadow in 2012. The results showed that W and WC treatments significantly decreased relative humidity at 20-cm height above ground as well as significantly increases air temperature at the same height, surface temperature, and soil temperature at the depth of 0-30 cm. However, the C treatment did not significantly decrease soil moisture and soil temperature at the depth of 0-60 cm. Relative to CK, vegetation height and species number increased significantly in W and WC treatment, respectively, while vegetation aboveground biomass decreased significantly in C treatment in the early growing season. However, vegetation cover, species diversity, belowground biomass and soil properties at the depth of 0-30 cm did not differ significantly in W, C and WC treatments. Soil moisture increased at the depth of 40-100 cm in W and WC treatments, while belowground biomass, soil activated carbon, organic carbon and total nitrogen increased in the 30-50 cm soil layer in W, C and WC treatments. Although the initial responses of plant and soil properties to experimental warming and clipping were slow and weak, the drought induced by the down- ward shift of soil moisture in the upper soil layers may induce plant belowground biomass to transfer to the deeper soil layers. This movement would modify the distributions of soil activated carbon, organic carbon and total nitrogen However, long-term data collection is needed to further explain this interesting phenomenon.展开更多
Climate change has a substantial impact on infrastructures in the permafrost on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). In this study, the mean annual ground temperature (MAGT) and permafrost evolution were investigated in...Climate change has a substantial impact on infrastructures in the permafrost on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). In this study, the mean annual ground temperature (MAGT) and permafrost evolution were investigated in both the historical (1950-2005) and projected (2006-2099) periods. Then, an allowable bearing capacity model was used to discuss the allowable bearing capacity change on the QTP. Results show that the MAGT increased by 0.36 ℃ during 1950-2005. The MAGT will increase by 0.40 (RCP2.6), 0.79 (RCP4.5), 1.07 (RCP6.0), and 1.75 (RCP8.5)℃C during 2006-2099. In addition, the permafrost area has decreased by 0.195 × 10^6 km2 in 1950-2005. The permafrost area will decrease by 0.232 × 10^6 (RCP2.6), 0.468 × 10^6 (RCP4.5), 0.564 × 10^6 (RCP6.0), and 0.803 × 10^6 (RCP8.5) km2 during 2006-2099. With the degradation of permafrost, the allowable bearing capacity in permafrost zones would decrease accordingly. The decreasing trend is 6 kPa per 10 years in 1950-2005, and will be 0.6 (RCP2.6), 5 (RCP4.5), 7 (RCP6.0), and 11 (RCP8.5) kPa per 10 years during 2006-2099. The most remarkable trend would be observed under RCP8.5. Meanwhile, some scientific advices for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of permafrost engineering in the context of climate change were provided.展开更多
The seismic intensity attenuation relations in northeastern Tibetan Plateau region are established by a regression analysis on isoseismal data. Then the attenuation relations for horizontal peak ground acceleration an...The seismic intensity attenuation relations in northeastern Tibetan Plateau region are established by a regression analysis on isoseismal data. Then the attenuation relations for horizontal peak ground acceleration and short-period response spectrum for western North America are derived based on the database of HUO Jun-rong and strong mo-tion data from recent earthquakes. The attenuation relations of long-period response spectrum for western North America are developed by analyzing the broadband digital seismic recordings of southern California. By integrat-ing the short-period and long-period attenuation relationships, the attenuation relations for horizontal acceleration response spectrum in the period range of 0.04~6 s for western North America are established. The attenuation equation that accounts for the magnitude saturation and near-field saturation of high frequency ground motion is used. Finally the attenuation relations for horizontal peak ground acceleration and response spectrum for the region of northeastern Tibetan Plateau are developed by using the transforming method.展开更多
Wetlands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) perform a dazzling array of vital ecological functions and are one of the most fragile ecosystems in the world. Timely and accurate information describing wetland resour...Wetlands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) perform a dazzling array of vital ecological functions and are one of the most fragile ecosystems in the world. Timely and accurate information describing wetland resources and their changes over time is becoming more important in their protection and conservation. By using remote sensing data, this study intended to investigate spatial distribution and temporal variations of wetlands on the QTP at different watershed scales from 1970s to 2010s. Results show that wetlands on the QTP have undergone widespread degradation from 1970s to 2010s, with nearly 6.4% of their area being lost. Areas of freshwater marsh, salt marsh and wet meadow declined by 46.6%, 53.9% and 15.6%, respectively, while lake area increased by 14.6%. The most extensive losses of natural wet/ands have occurred in endorheic basins, such as in the Kunlun-Altun-Qilian Drainage Basin and Qiangtang Basin, which shrank by 44.5% and 33.1%, respectively. A pronounced increase in temperature tends to facilitate the evaporation process and reduce water availability for wetlands, One-third of the wetlands on the QTP are under threat of being submerged due to lakes rising in recent years. More research is needed to gain insight into the interaction mechanisms behind observed variations and potential impacts from further warming in the future.展开更多
Based on the study of magnetostratigraphy,magnetic susceptibility and grain size of Garze A section on the southeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau since the late early-Pleistocene,the basal age of Garze loe...Based on the study of magnetostratigraphy,magnetic susceptibility and grain size of Garze A section on the southeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau since the late early-Pleistocene,the basal age of Garze loess is located at~1.16 MaBP and a series of abrupt paleoclimatic changes is detected.The times of abrupt changes are of distinct series features,and the interval between each two adjacent abrupt changes is~50 kyr or~100 kyr.The most significant abrupt changes occur at around 1.06,0.85,0.6,0.46,0.39 and 0.14 MaBP.There is a chronological link between the abrupt changes of paleoclimate and the formation of river terraces and it is almost simultaneous with a strengthening trend of neotectonic activities.Therefore,maybe the climatic transition controll the timing of terrace formation,and the tectonic uplift originate potential energy and has a direct effect on channel incision, both the climatic transition and the tectonic uplift are important.Terraces are the products of the interaction of instable climatic variations and tectonic uplift.Like the loess-paleosol sequences,river terrace sequences are also controlled by the climate-tectonic coupling system and are ruled by climate-tectonic gyration with a~100 kyr paracycle,which may be the short eccentricity period of the earth.展开更多
The glacial landforms of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) provide a unique opportunity to research hemispheric and global environmental changes. In this study, we focus on the glacial history of the palaeo-Daocheng...The glacial landforms of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) provide a unique opportunity to research hemispheric and global environmental changes. In this study, we focus on the glacial history of the palaeo-Daocheng Ice Cap (p-DIC) in the southeastern QTP during the last glacial cycle. Based on field investigations, morphostratigraphy, and surface exposure dating of roche moutonnée, polished surface and moraine debris through the terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides (TCN) ^10Be and ^26Al. We identify glacial deposits of the last deglaciation, with minimum ages of 14.9±1.3-18.7±1.7 ka, the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) of 24.7±2.2 ka, and the early part of the last glacial period (marine oxygen isotope stage (MIS) 3) of 37.1±3.4-45.2±3.9 ka. Our results show that in this region, the extent of the glacial advance during MIS 3 was larger than that during the traditional LGM (MIS 2). These ages are consistent with prior chronologies, and the ^10Be age is consistent with the ^26Al age for the same sample. Thus, these data provide reliable constraints on climate change in the QTP, during the last glaciation.展开更多
The Zoige Wetland is located in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, which is highly sensitive to global environment change and human disturbance because of its high elevation and cold environment, thus, it's a ...The Zoige Wetland is located in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, which is highly sensitive to global environment change and human disturbance because of its high elevation and cold environment, thus, it's a hotspot for land use and land cover change (LUCC) research. We used Landsat MSS images from 1975, Landsat ETM images from 2000, and Landsat TM images fi:om 1990 and 2005 to assess the LUCC in the study area, using GIS techniques, as well as topographic, vegetation, and soil maps combined with field investigations. The monitoring result shows that the study area's environment degraded rapidly between 1975 and 2005, including wetland shrinkage from 5,308 km2 to 4,980 lan2, sandy land expansion from 112 krn2 to 137 krn2, forest land decreasing from 5,686 km2 to 5,443 km2, and grassland degradation from 12,309 km2 to 10,672 km2. According to the analysis of meteorological data and social-economic statistical data, we concluded that the LUCC in the Zoige Wetland was caused by both natural and anthropogenic factors, but human activities were primarily responsible for the observed LUCC, thereby, we suggest human behaviors must be adjusted to control environmental degradation.展开更多
By using daily air temperature and precipitation data, and the weather phenomena data of daily snowfall from 98 meteorological stations over the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), this paper performs an "at-risk" eval...By using daily air temperature and precipitation data, and the weather phenomena data of daily snowfall from 98 meteorological stations over the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), this paper performs an "at-risk" evaluation on snowfall and accumulated snow over the QTP under current climate situation and future climate warming condition. When rainfall, snowfall, or accumulated snow weather phenomena occur, critical values are determined based on dally air temperature and precipitation for current climate conditions. Air temperature of 0 ℃ is defined as the critical value of temperature for rainfall or snowfall, while 0 ℃ air temperature and 4.0 mm (autumn) or 3.0 mm (spring) snowfall amounts are defined as the critical values for accumulated snowfall. Analyses based on the above critical values disclose that under current climate condition, stations with "at-risk" accumulated snow account for 33% and 36% of all stations, and the "at-risk" snowfall stations reach 78% and 81% in autumn and spring, respectively. Spatially, most stations with "at-risk" accumulated snow are located on the southern and eastern edge of the QTP, and stations with "at-risk" snowfall are also apparent at the northern edge. If the air temperature increases by 2.5 ℃ in 2050, only the snowfall at a few "at-risk" snowfall stations will transform into rainfall, while most "at-risk" accumulated snow stations will face the problem that snowfall is hardly accumulated. Additionally, most stations will become "at-risk" accumulated snow stations, indicating that both the snow depth and the snow cover duration will decline in most areas of the QTP, including a delay of the start date and an advancing of the end date of snow cover.展开更多
The hydrogen isotopic composition of plant leaf wax(δDwax) is used as an important tool for paleohydrologic reconstruction. However, the understanding of the relative importance of environmental and biological fact...The hydrogen isotopic composition of plant leaf wax(δDwax) is used as an important tool for paleohydrologic reconstruction. However, the understanding of the relative importance of environmental and biological factors in determining δDwax values still remains incomplete. To identify the effects of soil moisture and plant physiology on δDwax values in an arid ecosystem, and to explore the implication of these values for paleoclimatic reconstruction, we measured δD values of soil water(δDwater) and δDwax values in surface soils along two distance transects extending from the lakeshore to wetland to dryland around Lake Qinghai and Lake Gahai on the northeast Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The results showed that the δDwater values were negatively correlated with soil water content(SWC)(R^2=0.9166), and ranged from –67‰ to –46‰ with changes in SWC from 6.2% to 42.1% in the arid areas of the Gangcha(GCh) and Gahai(GH) transects. This indicated that evaporative D-enrichment in soil water was sensitive to soil moisture in an arid ecosystem. Although the shift from grasses to shrubs with increasing aridity occurred in the arid area of the GH transect, the δDwax values in surface soils from the arid areas of the two transects still showed a negative correlation with SWC(R^2=0.6835), which may be due to the controls of primary evaporative D-enrichment in the soil water and additional transpirational D-enrichment in the leaf water on the δDwaxvalues. Our preliminary research suggested that δDwax values can potentially be applied as a paleo-humidity indicator on the northeast Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.展开更多
Resulting from the collision of the Eurasian and Indian plates, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is commonly known as the 'roof of the world'. Collectively the Yarlung Tsangpo, Nu, Laneang, Yangtze, Yalong, and Yellow Ri...Resulting from the collision of the Eurasian and Indian plates, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is commonly known as the 'roof of the world'. Collectively the Yarlung Tsangpo, Nu, Laneang, Yangtze, Yalong, and Yellow River basins drain the eastern margin of the plateau. In this paper, we utilize Shuttle Radar Topography Mission elevation data to examine morphometric and relief attributes of these basins to reveal insights rates of incision. A robust into tectonic activity and technique using Maflab is proposed to alleviate errors associated with SRTM data in the derivation of river longitudinal profiles. Convex longitudinal profiles are interpreted to be a product of uplift rates that exceed rates of channel incision along the entire margin of the Qinghai- Tibetan Plateau. Highest relief towards the south reflects extensive fluvial incision. High relief is also prominent along major active faults. Erosion patterns are related to distance from knickpoints. Highest rates of erosion and incision are evident towards the south, with decreasing values towards the north, suggesting a link between tectonic activity and erosion.展开更多
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40971005)
文摘Previous research on climatic change in the Mid-Holocene in China indicates that it was a warm and humid period, accompanied by stronger summer monsoons, and it is defined as the Megatherrnal in the Holocene, or the Holocene Optimum period. However, this conclusion is mainly dh'eeted at the monsoonal region in eastem China. In this research, we chose the Gonghe Basin in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau as the study area. Geochemical analysis of the profiles of paleosols and aeolian sand in the Santala area in the middle of the Gonghe Basin, along with OSL (optically stimulated luminescence) dating, indicates that the regional climate has experienced several warm-humid and cold-dry cycles since 11.8 ka. In particular, the Mid-Holocene (8.14.6 ka) was relatively cold and dry as evidenced by drastic fluctuations in chemical weathering degree and humidity, a higher aridity index, and sparse vegetation, accompanying increased winter monsoonal strength. In order to clarify whether this is an individual or local signal, we compared our geochemical analysis results with lake and peat records and aeolian de- posits of the monsoonal boundary region. The results indicate that the climate deteriorated widely, with declines in temperature and moisture, in the Mid-Holocene in the modem monsoonal boundary zone. Furthermore, the duration of climate deteriora- tion (relatively dry period) generally decreased from west to east in the aforementioned regions. Therefore, this dry phase in Gonghe Basin may be representative of dry events in Mid-Holocene in northem China. In addition, we discuss the reasons for this dry climate from several perspectives: (1) it probably can be attributed to a decline in summer monsoonal strength; (2) the regional evaporation loss (forced by high temperature) was not compensated by regional precipitation; (3) the thermal dynamic effect of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant # 41301045)
文摘1 Introduction The northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(NE QTP),located at a triple junction of influences of the Asian summer monsoon,westerly jet stream and Siberian high,is of considerable significance with regard to regional responses to global climate change.Qarhan Salt Lake is the largest playa located in the central eastern
基金Supported by the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX3-SW-321) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30300053).
文摘The radial growth of trees In mountainous areas is subject to environmental conditions associated with changes In elevation. To assess the sensitivity of tree-ring growth to climate variation over a wide range of elevations, we compared the chronological characteristics of Sabina przewalskii Kom. and their relationships with climatic variables at the upper and lower treellnes In the Dulan region of the northeastern Qlnghal-Tlbetan Plateau. It was found that the radial growth in this region was controlled primarily by precipitation in late spring and early summer (from May to June). In addition, a higher temperature from April to June could Intensify drought stress and lead to narrow tree rings. The significant similarity In climate-tree growth relationships at both the upper and lower treellnes Indicated that tree rings of S. przewalskU In this region are able to provide common regional climate information. However, the chronologies at the lower forest limits showed a higher standard deviation and more significant correlations with climatic factors, suggesting that the radial growth there was more significantly Influenced by climate variation. The first principal component of the four chronologies showed a common growth response to local climate. The second principal component showed a contrasting growth response between different sampling sites. The third principal component revealed different growth patterns In response to altitudinal variation. Further analysis Indicated that the precipitation In late spring and early summer controlled the growth of S. przewalskii on a regional scale and that other factors, such as mlcroenvlronment at the sampling sites, also affected the strength of the climatic response of tree growth.
基金National Key Research Development Project(95-13-02-02).Contribution No.LC2000052,Lanzhou Institute of Seismology,China SeismologicalBureau.
文摘The geological structure background, the crustal structure and the shape of Moho in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau are studied. Based on artificial seismic sounding profile as well as geological data. The main results are summarized as follows: (1) The geotectonic subdivisions and the characteristics of main deep and large faults in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau are presented; (2) The general features of the Moho are obtained mainly based on artificial seismic sounding data; (3) There exists well corresponding relation between surface faults and some features of the Moho, which suggests that such complex crustal structure might be the preparation environment of strong earthquakes.
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41929002)Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province(No.2021YFS0338)。
文摘Enhanced sulfur and nitrogen deposition has been observed in many transect regions worldwide,from urban/agricultural areas to mountains.The Sichuan Basin(SCB),with 18 prefectural cities,is the most economically-developed region in western China,while the rural Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP)lies west of the SCB.Previous regional and national atmospheric modeling studies have sug-gested that large areas in the SCB-to-QTP transect region experience excessive deposition of sulfur and nitrogen.In this study,we applied a passive monitoring method at 11 sites(one in urban Chengdu and 10 from fivenature reserves)in this transect region from September 2021 to October 2022 to confirm the high sulfur and nitrogen deposition fluxes and to understand the gaps between the modeling and observation results for this transect region.These observations suggest that the five reserves are under eutrophication risk,and only two reserves are partially under acidification risk.Owing to the complex topography and landscapes,both sulfur and nitrogen deposition and critical loads exhibit large spatial variations within a reserve,such as Mount Emei.Regional atmospheric modeling may not accurately capture the spatial variations in deposition fluxes within a reserve;however,it can capture general spatial patterns over the entire transect.This study demonstrates that a combination of state-of-the-art atmospheric chemical models and low-cost monitoring methods is helpful for ecological risk assessments at a regional scale.
基金financially supported by the National Science Foundation of China (42074117)supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities。
文摘Fold-thrust belts are common structural styles under the background of long-term regional tectonic shortening.The northern and northeastern margins of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are located on the edge of the growth and expansion of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.Since nearly 10 Ma,some significant and typical fold thrust belt have been formed.The spatial-temporal evolution of these fold-thrust belts and the characteristics of surface deformations are significant issues in geodynamics.In this paper,we use the elastoplastic finite element model with considering the contact nonlinearity to study the spatialtemporal evolution of the fold-thrust belts in the northern and northeastern margins of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,with particular attention to the details of the relationship between the depth and the shallow,the spatialtemporal order,and the characteristics of the surface deformation,etc.,in order to make a relatively complete mechanical interpretation of the spatial-temporal evolution of the foldthrust belts in the northern and northeastern margins of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau from the perspective of geodynamics.
基金jointly supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation(42071139)Gansu province Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars(21JR7RA066)the independent grants from the State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Sciences(SKLCS-ZZ-2021)
文摘Soil organic carbon(SOC)and total nitrogen(TN)stocks are usually calculated with samples collected using core samplers.Although the calculation considers the effects of gravel in soil samples,other coarse fragments such as stones or boulders in soil may not be collected due to the restricted diameter of core samplers.This would cause an incorrect estimation of soil bulk density and ultimately SOC and TN stocks.In this study,we compared the relative volume of coarse fragment and bulk density of fine earth determined by large size soil sampler with three core samplers.We also investigated the uncertainties in estimation of SOC and TN stocks caused by this soil sampler procedure in three typical alpine grasslands on the northeast edge of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP),China.Results show that(1)the relative volume and size of coarse fragment collected by large size sampler were significantly(p<0.05)higher and larger than those of core samplers,while bulk density of fine earth,SOC and TN stocks show opposite patterns in all grassland types;(2)SOC and TN stocks determined by core samplers were 17%-45%and 18%-46%higher than larger size sampler for three typical alpine grasslands;and(3)bulk density of fine earth,SOC and TN stocks exponentially decreased with the increasing of coarse fragment content.We concluded that core sampler methods significantly underestimated the volume occupied by coarse fragment but overestimated SOC and TN stocks.Thus,corrections should be made to the results from core samplers using large size samplers on regions with gravel and stone-rich soils in future studies.
文摘Widespread and thick loess deposit in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau records paleoclimatic changes over the Quaternary period. In this study, we investigate a loess section located in a high terrace of the Huangshui River in the Xining Basin, and collect samples at 20-cm intervals by digging a well of 16-m depth (including paleosol S1 and SO and several loess interlayers over the last glacial-interglacial cycle and the Holocene). Concentration of some active elements (Sr and Ca) and inert elements (Rb, Zr, Ti) in these loess samples are measured. The results show that ratios of those elements (oxide), such as Rb/Sr, Ti/Sr, and Zr/CaO ratios, would indicate sensitively paleoclimatic changes, especially the history of precipitation over the last glacial-interglacial and the Holocene. Moreover, the curves of Rb/Sr, Ti/Sr, and Zr/CaO ratios had almost the same variable trends from the bottom to the top and also closely correlated with values of magnetic susceptibility and the global marine δ^18O record. But compared with the curves of magnetic susceptibility, the changes of ratios of these elements (oxide) are clearer and easy to understand. Therefore, the ratios of these typical chemical elements in the loess deposit may be used as an excellent index to investigate the history of paleoclimate, particularly precipitation changes in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau.
基金supported by China Scholarship, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCXI-07, KSCX2-01-09)the Ministry of Science & Technology of China (2004BA606A-05)Sichuan provincial training foundation for Science & Technology leader ,Sichuan youth foundation.
文摘Zoige Wetland is one of the largest plateau wetlands in the world. This paper provides a dynamic analysis of spatial and temporal patterns of the wetland in Zoige, Eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, supported by ERDAS8.7 and ArcGIS9.0. It is the first comparative analysis of a system of rapidly changing wetland with landscape patterns in Zoige, using 3 classified landsat Thematic Mapper images of 1977, 1994 and 2001. The classified images were used to generate wetland distributing maps, and shape index (S), diversity index (H), dominance index (D), evenness index (E), fragmentation index (F) and fractal dimension (Fd) were calculated and analyzed spatiotemporally across pure grazing area in Zoige for each landscape type and in different periods (before 1977, during 1977-1994 and 1994-2001), as well as the driving forces of natural and anthropogenic. The study shows that for a comprehensive understanding of the shapes and trajectories of the shrinking and desertificated land expansion of the wetland, a spatiotemporal landscape metrics analysis in different periods is an improvement than only with landscape changing rates. This type of analysis can also be used to infer underlying social, economic, and political processes that drive the observed wetland forms. The results indicate that wetland patterns can be changed over relatively short periods of time. The total area of lake reduced by 164.86 km^2, grassland extended by 141.74 km^2, semi-marsh extended by 105.94 km^2, marsh reduced by 86.00 km^2 the number of landscape patches reduced by 56, and their average area decreased by 2.68 km^2, the successions within lake, marsh, semi-marsh and grassland were found obviously. S decreased stepwise: D and F increased but H decreased: The changing rate after 1994 was 2.3 to 2.9 times greater than that before. The change of the wetland landscape patterns resulted in the interaction between socio-ceenomic and natural forces of positive and negative aspects; and natural factors affected as assistant aspect. Some important human activities in this period led to the change of the landscape patterns in this region directly. Some measurements made by government and NGO delayed the converting process partly.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31070433)Japan-China Research Cooperative Program(2010DFA31290)supported by the project of Early Detection and Prediction of Climate Warming Based on the Long-Term Monitoring of Alpine Ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau funded by the Ministry of Environment,Japan
文摘To understand the water and energy exchange on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, we explored the characteristics of evapotranspiration (ET) and energy fluxes from 2002 to 2005 over a Kobresia meadow ecosystem using the eddy covariance method. The ratio of annual ET to precipitation (P) of meadow ecosystem was about 60%, but varied greatly with the change of season from summer to winter. The annual ET/P in meadow was lower than that in shrub, steppe and wetland ecosystems of this plateau. The incident solar radiation (Rs) received by the meadow was obviously higher than that of lowland in the same latitude; however the ratio of net radiation (Rn) to Rs with average annual value of 0.44 was significantly lower than that in the same latitude. The average annual ET was about 390 mm for 2002-2005, of which more than 80% occurred in growing season from May to September. The energy consumed on the ET was about 44% of net radiation in growing season, which was lower than that of shrub, steppe and wetland on this plateau. This study demonstrates that the Kobresia meadow may prevent the excessive water loss through evapotranspiration from the ecosystem into the atmosphere in comparison to the shrub, steppe and wetland ecosystems of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
基金financially supported by the Hundred Talent Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41301211, 41201195)
文摘Climate warming and livestock grazing are known to have great influences on alpine ecosystems like those of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) in China. However, it is lacking of studies on the effects of warming and grazing on plant and soil properties in these alpine ecosystems. In this study, we reported the related research from manipulative experiment in 2010-2012 in the QTP. The aim of this study was to investigate the individual and combined effects of warming and clipping on plant and soil properties in the alpine meadow ecosystem. Infrared radiators were used to simulate climate warming starting in July 2010, while clipping was performed once in Octo- ber 2011 to simulate the local livestock grazing. The experiment was designed as a randomized block consisting of five replications and four treatments: control (CK), warming (W), clipping (C) and warming+clipping combination (WC). The plant and soil properties were investigated in the growing season of the alpine meadow in 2012. The results showed that W and WC treatments significantly decreased relative humidity at 20-cm height above ground as well as significantly increases air temperature at the same height, surface temperature, and soil temperature at the depth of 0-30 cm. However, the C treatment did not significantly decrease soil moisture and soil temperature at the depth of 0-60 cm. Relative to CK, vegetation height and species number increased significantly in W and WC treatment, respectively, while vegetation aboveground biomass decreased significantly in C treatment in the early growing season. However, vegetation cover, species diversity, belowground biomass and soil properties at the depth of 0-30 cm did not differ significantly in W, C and WC treatments. Soil moisture increased at the depth of 40-100 cm in W and WC treatments, while belowground biomass, soil activated carbon, organic carbon and total nitrogen increased in the 30-50 cm soil layer in W, C and WC treatments. Although the initial responses of plant and soil properties to experimental warming and clipping were slow and weak, the drought induced by the down- ward shift of soil moisture in the upper soil layers may induce plant belowground biomass to transfer to the deeper soil layers. This movement would modify the distributions of soil activated carbon, organic carbon and total nitrogen However, long-term data collection is needed to further explain this interesting phenomenon.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41690144)Independent Project of the State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engi neering (SKLFSE-ZQ-45).
文摘Climate change has a substantial impact on infrastructures in the permafrost on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). In this study, the mean annual ground temperature (MAGT) and permafrost evolution were investigated in both the historical (1950-2005) and projected (2006-2099) periods. Then, an allowable bearing capacity model was used to discuss the allowable bearing capacity change on the QTP. Results show that the MAGT increased by 0.36 ℃ during 1950-2005. The MAGT will increase by 0.40 (RCP2.6), 0.79 (RCP4.5), 1.07 (RCP6.0), and 1.75 (RCP8.5)℃C during 2006-2099. In addition, the permafrost area has decreased by 0.195 × 10^6 km2 in 1950-2005. The permafrost area will decrease by 0.232 × 10^6 (RCP2.6), 0.468 × 10^6 (RCP4.5), 0.564 × 10^6 (RCP6.0), and 0.803 × 10^6 (RCP8.5) km2 during 2006-2099. With the degradation of permafrost, the allowable bearing capacity in permafrost zones would decrease accordingly. The decreasing trend is 6 kPa per 10 years in 1950-2005, and will be 0.6 (RCP2.6), 5 (RCP4.5), 7 (RCP6.0), and 11 (RCP8.5) kPa per 10 years during 2006-2099. The most remarkable trend would be observed under RCP8.5. Meanwhile, some scientific advices for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of permafrost engineering in the context of climate change were provided.
基金The Special Funds for Major State Basic Research Project under Grant No. 2002CB412706 and National Natural Science Foundation of China (40374017).
文摘The seismic intensity attenuation relations in northeastern Tibetan Plateau region are established by a regression analysis on isoseismal data. Then the attenuation relations for horizontal peak ground acceleration and short-period response spectrum for western North America are derived based on the database of HUO Jun-rong and strong mo-tion data from recent earthquakes. The attenuation relations of long-period response spectrum for western North America are developed by analyzing the broadband digital seismic recordings of southern California. By integrat-ing the short-period and long-period attenuation relationships, the attenuation relations for horizontal acceleration response spectrum in the period range of 0.04~6 s for western North America are established. The attenuation equation that accounts for the magnitude saturation and near-field saturation of high frequency ground motion is used. Finally the attenuation relations for horizontal peak ground acceleration and response spectrum for the region of northeastern Tibetan Plateau are developed by using the transforming method.
基金Under the auspices of the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2016YFC050040106,2016YFA060230302)the National Science Foundation of China(No.41671087,41671081,41471081)the Technological Basic Research Program of China(No.2013FY111800)
文摘Wetlands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) perform a dazzling array of vital ecological functions and are one of the most fragile ecosystems in the world. Timely and accurate information describing wetland resources and their changes over time is becoming more important in their protection and conservation. By using remote sensing data, this study intended to investigate spatial distribution and temporal variations of wetlands on the QTP at different watershed scales from 1970s to 2010s. Results show that wetlands on the QTP have undergone widespread degradation from 1970s to 2010s, with nearly 6.4% of their area being lost. Areas of freshwater marsh, salt marsh and wet meadow declined by 46.6%, 53.9% and 15.6%, respectively, while lake area increased by 14.6%. The most extensive losses of natural wet/ands have occurred in endorheic basins, such as in the Kunlun-Altun-Qilian Drainage Basin and Qiangtang Basin, which shrank by 44.5% and 33.1%, respectively. A pronounced increase in temperature tends to facilitate the evaporation process and reduce water availability for wetlands, One-third of the wetlands on the QTP are under threat of being submerged due to lakes rising in recent years. More research is needed to gain insight into the interaction mechanisms behind observed variations and potential impacts from further warming in the future.
基金support was provided by the National Science Foundation of China grant (40472088)
文摘Based on the study of magnetostratigraphy,magnetic susceptibility and grain size of Garze A section on the southeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau since the late early-Pleistocene,the basal age of Garze loess is located at~1.16 MaBP and a series of abrupt paleoclimatic changes is detected.The times of abrupt changes are of distinct series features,and the interval between each two adjacent abrupt changes is~50 kyr or~100 kyr.The most significant abrupt changes occur at around 1.06,0.85,0.6,0.46,0.39 and 0.14 MaBP.There is a chronological link between the abrupt changes of paleoclimate and the formation of river terraces and it is almost simultaneous with a strengthening trend of neotectonic activities.Therefore,maybe the climatic transition controll the timing of terrace formation,and the tectonic uplift originate potential energy and has a direct effect on channel incision, both the climatic transition and the tectonic uplift are important.Terraces are the products of the interaction of instable climatic variations and tectonic uplift.Like the loess-paleosol sequences,river terrace sequences are also controlled by the climate-tectonic coupling system and are ruled by climate-tectonic gyration with a~100 kyr paracycle,which may be the short eccentricity period of the earth.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.40572097)the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD) (Grant No.164320H116)by the Yulong Mountain tourism development and management committee special project
文摘The glacial landforms of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) provide a unique opportunity to research hemispheric and global environmental changes. In this study, we focus on the glacial history of the palaeo-Daocheng Ice Cap (p-DIC) in the southeastern QTP during the last glacial cycle. Based on field investigations, morphostratigraphy, and surface exposure dating of roche moutonnée, polished surface and moraine debris through the terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides (TCN) ^10Be and ^26Al. We identify glacial deposits of the last deglaciation, with minimum ages of 14.9±1.3-18.7±1.7 ka, the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) of 24.7±2.2 ka, and the early part of the last glacial period (marine oxygen isotope stage (MIS) 3) of 37.1±3.4-45.2±3.9 ka. Our results show that in this region, the extent of the glacial advance during MIS 3 was larger than that during the traditional LGM (MIS 2). These ages are consistent with prior chronologies, and the ^10Be age is consistent with the ^26Al age for the same sample. Thus, these data provide reliable constraints on climate change in the QTP, during the last glaciation.
基金support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41201002)Foundation for Excellent Youth Scholars of Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute,Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.51Y184A61)+1 种基金China Postdoctoral Science Foundation funded project(Grant No.2012M512050)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41130533,41171010)
文摘The Zoige Wetland is located in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, which is highly sensitive to global environment change and human disturbance because of its high elevation and cold environment, thus, it's a hotspot for land use and land cover change (LUCC) research. We used Landsat MSS images from 1975, Landsat ETM images from 2000, and Landsat TM images fi:om 1990 and 2005 to assess the LUCC in the study area, using GIS techniques, as well as topographic, vegetation, and soil maps combined with field investigations. The monitoring result shows that the study area's environment degraded rapidly between 1975 and 2005, including wetland shrinkage from 5,308 km2 to 4,980 lan2, sandy land expansion from 112 krn2 to 137 krn2, forest land decreasing from 5,686 km2 to 5,443 km2, and grassland degradation from 12,309 km2 to 10,672 km2. According to the analysis of meteorological data and social-economic statistical data, we concluded that the LUCC in the Zoige Wetland was caused by both natural and anthropogenic factors, but human activities were primarily responsible for the observed LUCC, thereby, we suggest human behaviors must be adjusted to control environmental degradation.
基金supported by the opening fund from the State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute,Chinese Academy of Sciences(SKLCS 08-07)the National Postdoctoral Scientific Foundation (20080440342)
文摘By using daily air temperature and precipitation data, and the weather phenomena data of daily snowfall from 98 meteorological stations over the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), this paper performs an "at-risk" evaluation on snowfall and accumulated snow over the QTP under current climate situation and future climate warming condition. When rainfall, snowfall, or accumulated snow weather phenomena occur, critical values are determined based on dally air temperature and precipitation for current climate conditions. Air temperature of 0 ℃ is defined as the critical value of temperature for rainfall or snowfall, while 0 ℃ air temperature and 4.0 mm (autumn) or 3.0 mm (spring) snowfall amounts are defined as the critical values for accumulated snowfall. Analyses based on the above critical values disclose that under current climate condition, stations with "at-risk" accumulated snow account for 33% and 36% of all stations, and the "at-risk" snowfall stations reach 78% and 81% in autumn and spring, respectively. Spatially, most stations with "at-risk" accumulated snow are located on the southern and eastern edge of the QTP, and stations with "at-risk" snowfall are also apparent at the northern edge. If the air temperature increases by 2.5 ℃ in 2050, only the snowfall at a few "at-risk" snowfall stations will transform into rainfall, while most "at-risk" accumulated snow stations will face the problem that snowfall is hardly accumulated. Additionally, most stations will become "at-risk" accumulated snow stations, indicating that both the snow depth and the snow cover duration will decline in most areas of the QTP, including a delay of the start date and an advancing of the end date of snow cover.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2013CB955901)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41073018)
文摘The hydrogen isotopic composition of plant leaf wax(δDwax) is used as an important tool for paleohydrologic reconstruction. However, the understanding of the relative importance of environmental and biological factors in determining δDwax values still remains incomplete. To identify the effects of soil moisture and plant physiology on δDwax values in an arid ecosystem, and to explore the implication of these values for paleoclimatic reconstruction, we measured δD values of soil water(δDwater) and δDwax values in surface soils along two distance transects extending from the lakeshore to wetland to dryland around Lake Qinghai and Lake Gahai on the northeast Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The results showed that the δDwater values were negatively correlated with soil water content(SWC)(R^2=0.9166), and ranged from –67‰ to –46‰ with changes in SWC from 6.2% to 42.1% in the arid areas of the Gangcha(GCh) and Gahai(GH) transects. This indicated that evaporative D-enrichment in soil water was sensitive to soil moisture in an arid ecosystem. Although the shift from grasses to shrubs with increasing aridity occurred in the arid area of the GH transect, the δDwax values in surface soils from the arid areas of the two transects still showed a negative correlation with SWC(R^2=0.6835), which may be due to the controls of primary evaporative D-enrichment in the soil water and additional transpirational D-enrichment in the leaf water on the δDwaxvalues. Our preliminary research suggested that δDwax values can potentially be applied as a paleo-humidity indicator on the northeast Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
基金Funding was provided by International Science&Technology Cooperation Program of China(Grant Nos.2011DFG93160,2011DFA20820)
文摘Resulting from the collision of the Eurasian and Indian plates, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is commonly known as the 'roof of the world'. Collectively the Yarlung Tsangpo, Nu, Laneang, Yangtze, Yalong, and Yellow River basins drain the eastern margin of the plateau. In this paper, we utilize Shuttle Radar Topography Mission elevation data to examine morphometric and relief attributes of these basins to reveal insights rates of incision. A robust into tectonic activity and technique using Maflab is proposed to alleviate errors associated with SRTM data in the derivation of river longitudinal profiles. Convex longitudinal profiles are interpreted to be a product of uplift rates that exceed rates of channel incision along the entire margin of the Qinghai- Tibetan Plateau. Highest relief towards the south reflects extensive fluvial incision. High relief is also prominent along major active faults. Erosion patterns are related to distance from knickpoints. Highest rates of erosion and incision are evident towards the south, with decreasing values towards the north, suggesting a link between tectonic activity and erosion.