Investigation of plateau basin crustal structures and thickening mechanisms in the northeastern margin of the Tibetan plateau

This paper uses deep seismic sounding （DSS） data to contrast and analyze the crustal structures of three plateau basins （Songpan-Garze, Qaidam, Longzhong） in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Xizang （Tibetan） plateau, as well as two stable cratonic basins （Ordos, Sichuan） in its peripheral areas. Plateau basin crustal structures, lithological variations and crustal thickening mechanisms were investigated. The results show that, compared to the peripheral stable cratonic basins, the crystalline crusts of plateau basins in the northeastern margin are up to 10 15 km thicker, and the relative medium velocity difference is about 5% less. The medium velocity change in crustal layers of plateau basin indicates that the upper crust undergoes brittle deformation, whereas the lower crust deforms plastically with low velocity. The middle crust shows a brittle-to-plastic transition zone in this region. Thickening in the lower crust （about 5 10 km）, and rheological characteristics that show low- medium velocity （relatively reduced by 7%）, suggest that crustal thickening mainly takes place in lower crust in the northeastern margin of the Tibetan plateau. The crust along the northeastern margin shows evidence of wholesale block movement, and crustal shortening and thickening seem to be the main deformation features of this region. The GPS data show that the block motion modes and crustal thickening in the Tibetan plateau is closely related to the peripheral tectonic stress field and motion direction of the Indian plate. The Mani-Yushu- Xianshuihe fold belt along the boundary between the Qiangtang block and the Bayan Har block divides the different plateau thickening tectonic environments into the middle-western plateau, the northeastern margin and the southeastern plateau.

Geochemical characteristics of Sr isotopes in the LS33 drill core from the Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea, and their response to the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau

Making full use of modern analytical and testing techniques to explore and establish new indexes or methods for extracting paleoseawater geochemical information from sediments will help to reconstruct the sedimentary paleoenvironment in different research areas.The connection between the subsidence of the South China Sea basin and the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau has been a scientific concern in recent decades.To explore the information on the sedimentary paleoenvironment,provenance changes and uplift of Tibetan Plateau contained in core sediments(debris),we selected core samples from Well LS33 in the Qiongdongnan Basin,South China Sea,and analyzed the contents of typical elements(Al,Th,and rare earth elements)that can indicate changes in provenance and the Sr isotopic compositions,which can reveal the geochemical characteristics of the paleoseawater depending on the type of material(authigenic carbonate and terrigenous detritus).The results show the following:(1)during the late Miocene,the Red River transported a large amount of detrital sediments from the ancient continental block(South China)to the Qiongdongnan Basin.(2)The authigenic carbonates accurately record changes in the 87Sr/86Sr ratios in the South China Sea since the Oligocene.These ratios reflect the semi-closed marginal sea environment of the South China Sea(relative to the ocean)and the sedimentary paleoenvironment evolution process of the deep-water area of the Qiongdongnan Basin from continental to transitional and then to bathyal.(3)Since the Neogene,the variations in the 87Sr/86Sr ratio in the authigenic carbonates have been consistent with the variations in the uplift rate of the Tibetan Plateau and the sediment accumulation rate in the Qiongdongnan Basin.These consistent changes indicate the complex geological process of the change in the rock weathering intensity and terrigenous Sr flux caused by changes in the uplift rate of the Tibetan Plateau,which influence the Sr isotope composition of seawater.

The structure of Circum-Tibetan Plateau Basin-Range System and the large gas provinces

Northward subduction of the Cenozoic Tethys ocean caused the convergence and collision of Eurasia-Indian Plates,resulting in the lower crust thickening,the upper crust thrusting,and the Qinghai-Tibet uplifting,and forming the plateau landscape.In company with uplifting and northward extruding of the Tibetan plateau,the contractional tectonic deformations persistently spread outward,building a gigantic basin-range system around the Tibetan plateau.This system is herein termed as the Circum-Tibetan Plateau Basin-Range System,in which the global largest diffuse and the most energetic intra-continental deformations were involved,and populations of inheritance foreland basins or thrust belts were developed along the margins of ancient cratonic plates due to the effects of the cratonic amalgamation,crust differentiation,orogen rejuvenation,and basin subsidence.There are three primary tectonic units in the Circum-Tibet Plateau Basin-Range System,which are the reactivated ancient orogens,the foreland thrust belts,and the miniature cratonic basins.The Circum-Tibetan Plateau Basin-Range System is a gigantic deformation system and particular Himalayan tectonic domain in central-western China and is comparable to the Tibetan Plateau.In this system,northward and eastward developments of thrust deformations exhibit an arc-shaped area along the Kunlun-Altyn-Qilian-Longmenshan mountain belts,and further expand outward to the Altai-Yinshan-LuliangshanHuayingshan mountain belts during the Late Cenozoic sustained collision of Indo-Asia.Intense intra-continental deformations lead ancient orogens to rejuvenate,young foreland basins to form in-between orogens and cratons,and thrusts to propagate from orogens to cratons in successive order.Driven by the Eurasia-Indian collision and its far field effects,both deformation and basin-range couplings in the arc-shaped area decrease from south to north.When a single basin-range unit is focused on,deformations become younger and younger together with more and more simple structural styles from piedmonts to craton interiors.In the Circum-Tibetan Plateau Basin-Range System,it presents three segmented tectonic deformational patterns:propagating in the west,growth-overthrusting in the middle,and slip-uplifting in the east.For natural gas exploration,two tectonic units,both the Paleozoic cratonic basins and the Cenozoic foreland thrust belts,are important because hydrocarbon in central-western China is preserved mainly in the Paleozoic cratonic paleo-highs and the Meso-Cenozoic foreland thrust belts,together with characteristics of multiphrase hydrocarbon generation but late accumulation and enrichment.

Response of Glacier and Lake Covariations to Climate Change in Mapam Yumco Basin on Tibetan Plateau during 1974-2003

The study of spatial and temporal covariances of glaciers and lakes would help us to understand the impact of climate change within a basin in Tibet. This study focuses on glacier and lake variations in the Mapam Yumco （玛旁雍错） basin （covering 7 786.44 km^2） by integrating series of spatial data from topographic maps and digital satellite images at four different times： 1974, 1990, 1999, and 2003. The results indicate that： （1） decreased lakes, retreated glaciers, enlarged lakes and advanced glaciers co-exist in the basin during the last 30 years; （2） glacier recession was accelerated in recent years due to the warmer climate; （3） lake areas in the basin are both reduced and enlarged by an accelerated speed with more water supplies from speeding melt glaciers or frozen ground in the last three decades.

Carbon and oxygen isotopic constraints on paleoclimate and paleoelevation of the southwestern Qaidam basin, northern Tibetan Plateau

We investigate the growth of the northern Tibetan Plateau and associated climate change by applying oxygen and carbon isotopic compositions in Cenozoic strata in the southwestern Qaidam basin. The X-ray diffraction and isotopic studies reveal that the carbonate minerals are mainly authigenic and they do not preserve any evidence for detrital carbonate and diagenesis. The isotope data show large fluctuations in the δ^(18)O and δ^(13)C values in the middle-late Eocene, indicating relatively warm and seasonal dry climate.The positive correlation of the δ^(18)O and δ^(13)C values in the Oligocene and the positive shift of the δ^(13)C values from the Eocene to Oligocene suggest that the climate changed to arid in the Oligocene. However,the δ^(18) values show negative shift, which is closely related to the global cooling event. During the Miocene, the δ^(13)C values vary between-2‰ and-4‰, whereas the δ^(18)O values show continuous negative shift. The mean δ^(18) values decrease from-8.5‰, in the early Miocene to-10.0‰, in the late Miocene. The stable isotope-based paleoaltimetry results suggest that the elevation of the southwestern Qaidam basin was approximately 1500 m in the middle-late Eocene and Oligocene. Subsequently, during Miocene the crustal uplift process started and the elevation reached approximately 2000 m in the early Miocene and 2500 m in the late Miocene, which suggests large-scale growth of the northern Tibet Plateau during the Miocene.

Late Cenozoic Stratigraphy and Paleomagnetic Chronology of the Zanda Basin,Tibet, and Records of the Uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The characteristics of Late Cenozoic tectonic uplift of the southern margin of the Qinghai- Tibet Plateau may be inferred from fluvio-lacustrine strata in the Zanda basin, Ngari, Tibet. Magnetostratigraphic study shows that the very thick fluvio-lacustrine strata in the basin are 5.89- 0.78 Ma old and that their deposition persisted for 5.11 Ma, i.e. starting at the end of the Miocene and ending at the end of the early Pleistocene, with the Quaternary glacial stage starting in the area no later than 1.58 Ma. Analysis of the sedimentary environment indicates that the Zanda basin on the southern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau began uplift at -5.89 Ma, later than the northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Presence of gravel beds in the Guge and Qangze Formations reflects that strong uplift took place at -5.15 and -2.71 Ma, with the uplift peaking at -2.71 Ma.

Discussion on Landscape Ecosystem Planning of Small Basins in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau——Taking Nieruzangbu Basin as an Example

In this paper, taking Nieruzanghu as an example, it is discussed that how to plan landscapes of small basin in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. With analyzed the status and character of landscape structure through the use of landscape diversity indexes and landscape dominant indexes, some major problems in the landscape ecosystem are pointed out. On the basis of regional restrictive principle and compliance principle of resources, environment and economy, Nieruzangbu Basin is divided into three landscape function areas. According to the demands of each function area, landscape structure planning is carried out to improve ecological environment through optimization and adjustment of landscape structure in Nieruzangbu Basin.

Relationship between thermal anomalies in Tibetan Plateau and summer dust storm frequency over Tarim Basin,China

The dust storm is the most important and frequent meteorological disaster over Tarim Basin, which causes huge damages on local social economics. How to predict the springtime and summertime dust storm oc- currence has become a hot issue for meteorologists. This paper employed the data of dust storm frequency and 10-m wind velocity at 35 stations over Tarim Basin and the reanalysis data from the National Center for Environ- mental Prediction and the National Center for Atmospheric Research （NCEP/NCAR） during 1961-2007 to study the relationship between dust storm frequency （DSF） in summer over Tarim Basin and the thermal anomalies in Tibetan Plateau in May by using the statistical methods, such as Empirical Orthogonal Function （EOF）, correlation and binomial moving average. The results show when negative anomalies in Tibetan Plateau and positive anomalies in its southern region are present along 30~N （the second mode of surface temperature anomalies by EOF decomposition） in May, the time coefficient （PC2） plays an important role in summer DSF variation and has a close relation with the summer DSF at both inter-annual and decadal time scales. When negative anomalies in Tibetan Plateau and positive anomalies are present in its southern region （PC2 in positive phase）, there is an anomalous anticyclone in North China, which weakens the northwest wind and is not beneficial for cold air moving from high latitude to the Tarim Basin, and the circulation pattern is hard to result in dust storm weather. Furthermore, the sea level pressure （SLP） increased over Tarim Basin and the direction of SLP gradient reversed, which resulted in the 10-m wind velocity slowing down, so the DSF decreased. From above all, it can be conclude that the thermal anomalies in Tibetan Plateau in May has important effects on the summertime dust storm frequency over Tarim Basin and the PC2 can be used as a prediction factor for the summertime dust storm occurrence.

Provenance and Paleogeography of the Late Cretaceous Mengyejing Formation,Simao Basin,Southeastern Tibetan Plateau

The Mengyejing potash salt deposit(MPSD)is the only pre-Quaternary potash salt deposit in China.The MPSD is located in the southern Simao Basin,southeastern Tibetan Plateau.The MPSD,along with rock salts and clastic rocks,

THERMAL STRUCTURE OF LITHOSPHERE IN THE QAIDAM BASIN, NORTHEAST QINGHAI-TIBET PLATEAU

The Qaidam Basin is a petroleum province in Northeastern Qinghai—Tibetan plateau, China. The Basin is bounded by the Aljin Mountains to the Northwest, the Qilian Mountains to the Northeast, the Qimantager Mountains to the Southeast and East Kunlun Mountains to the Southwest. The average elevation of the basin and these mountains are 2700m and 3000～ 5000 m respect to the sea level, respectively. The basin was developed on the pre\|Mesozoic basement. Thickness of Tertiary system is more than 10000m in the basin,but Quaternary is mainly in the eastern basin with thickness more than 3000m. The lithology in Mesozoic and Cenozoic of the basin are mainly sandstone, shale, calcic rocks and the interlayers of sandstone and shale.

The Mid-Miocene Pollen Record of the Xunhua Basin, NE Tibetan Plateau: Implications for Global Climate Change

The northeastern Tibetan Plateau is located at the convergence of the Asian winter and summer monsoons and westerlies; thus, this area has witnessed historic climate changes.The Xunhua basin is an intermontane basin on the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau.The basin contains more than 2000 m of Cenozoic fluvial–lacustrine sediments, recording a long history of climate and environmental changes.We collected the mid-Miocene sediments from the Xunhua basin and used palynological methods to discuss the relationship between aridification in the interior of Asia, global cooling, and uplift of the Tibetan Plateau.Based on the palynological analysis of the Xigou section, Xunhua basin, the palynological diagram is subdivided into three pollen zones and past vegetation and climate are reconstructed.Zone I, Ephedripites–Nitraridites–Chenopodipollis–Quercoidites（14.0–12.5 Ma）, represents mixed shrub–steppe vegetation with a dry and cold climate.In zone II, Pinaceae–Betulaepollenites–Ephedripites–Chenopodipollis–Graminidites（12.5–8.0 Ma）, the vegetation and climate conditions improved, even though the vegetation was still dominated by shrub–steppe taxa.Zone III, Ephedripites–Nitrariadites–Chenopodipollis（8.0–5.0 Ma）, represents desert steppe vegetation with drier and colder climate.The palynological records suggest that shrub–steppe dominated the whole Xigou section and the content gradually increased, implying a protracted aridification process, although there was an obvious climate improvement during 12.5–8.0 Ma.The aridification in the Xunhua basin and surrounding mountains during 14.0–12.5 Ma was probably related to global cooling induced by the rapid expansion of the East Antarctic ice-sheets and the relatively higher evaporation rate.During the 12.5–8.0 Ma period, although topographic changes（uplift of Jishi Shan） decreased precipitation and strengthened aridification in the Xunhua basin on leeward slopes, the improved vegetation and climate conditions were probably controlled by the decrease in evaporation rates as a result of continuous cooling.From 8.0 to 5.0 Ma, the rapid development of the desert steppe can be attributed to global cooling and uplift of the Tibetan Plateau.

Glacier extent changes and possible causes in the Hala Lake Basin of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Glacier is a common sensitivity indicator of environmental and global climate change.Examining the relationship between glacier area and climate change will help reveal glacier change mechanisms and future trends.Glacier changes are also of great significance to the regulation of regional water resources.This study selected the Hala Lake Basin in the northeastern Qinhai-Tibet Plateau as a study area,and examined the relationships between the temporal and spatial change of glaciers in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and climate change based on remote sensing imagery,climatological data,and topographic data during the past 30 years.Results showed that glacier area in the Hala Lake basin fluctuated and decreased from106.24 km2 in 1986 to 78.84 km2 in 2015,with a decreasing rate of 0.94 km2·yr-1.The number of glacier patches,mean patch area,and largest patch index all decreased from 1986 to 2015,while the splitting index increased from 1986 to 2015,indicating that the landscape fragmentation of glacier in the Hala Lake Basin was increasing significantly during the study period.Glacier area change was mainly concentrated in the slopes>25°with an altitude of 4500-5000 m,and the retreating rate of glacier of sunny slope was obviously higher than that of shady slope.Geometric center of glacier in the basin moved from southwest to northeast towards high altitude.Results of the response of glacier extent to climate change showed that temperature was the dominant factor affecting glacier area dynamic change in the Hala Lake Basin.It is predicted that in future several years,the glacier area will decrease and fragment continually as a result of global warming on the Tibetan Plateau.

Paleoclimate and Paleoenvironment of Gonghe Basin, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, During the Lastdeglacial: Weathering, Erosion and Vegetation Cover Affect Clay Mineral Formation

With the analysis of the sources and formation mechanism of the clay minerals in the sediment core from the Dalianhai lake in the Gonghe Basin,northeastern Tibet-Qinghai Plateau,clay mineral composition proxies,grain-size and carbonate contents have been employed for high-resolution study in order to reconstruct East Asian Summer Monsoon （EASM） over the northeastern Tibet-Qinghai Plateau during the lastdeglacial.The study also extended to establish a relationship between vegetation cover changes and erosion during the last 14.5 ka with pollen record and clay mineral proxies.Smectite/kaolinite and smectite/（illite＋chlorite） ratios allow us to assess hydrolysis conditions in lowlands and/or physical erosion process in highlands of the Gonghe Basin.Before 12.9 Cal ka BP,both mineralogical ratios show low values indicative of strong physical erosion in the basin with a dominant cold and dry phase.After 12.9 Cal ka BP,an increase in both mineralogical ratios indicates enhanced chemical weathering in the basin associated with a warm and humid climate.The beginning of Holocene is characterized by high smectite/（illite＋chlorite） and smectite/kaolinite ratios that is synchronous as with deposition of many peat laminae,implying the best warm and humid conditions specifically between 8.0 to 5.5 Cal ka BP.The time interval after 5.0 Cai ka BP is characterized by a return to high physical erosion and low chemical weathering with dry climate conditions in the basin.Comparing variations of clay mineral assemblages with previous pollen results,we observe a rapid response in terms of chemical weathering and physical erosion intensity to a modification of the vegetation cover in the basin.

THE TERTIARY STRATIGRAPHIC SEQUENCE OF YANYUAN BASIN IN THE SOUTHEASTERN MARGIN OF THE QINGHAI—TIBET PLATEAU

The Cenozoic Yanyuan basin is located in the huge Longmenshan—Jinpingshan nappetectonic belt along the eastern margin of the Qinghai—Tibet plateau. The basin is the largest and the best\|preserved intraorogenic basin above 2300m ASL.The basin has deposited different kinds of sediments with 1600m in depth. The early Tertiary strata were first named as Lijiang formation in 1961, and later named as Hongyanzi formation. The later Tertiary strata, the lignite\|bearing strata, were once named as Xigeda formation. Li Yougheng(1978) found some mammal fossils in the strata, so they named it Yanyuan formation. The Hongyanzi Formation which thickness is 1022m can be divided into five members according to the lithologic characters. The first one is mainly made of purplish\|red coarse conglomerates. The composition of gravel mainly consists of limestone and purplish\|red sandstone and marl. The second one consists of sandstone interbedded with conglomerate. The member has three cyclic sequences from conglomerate to sandstone. The composition of gravel of this member is mainly limestone. From bottom to top the degree of sorting and roundness tends to be well. In sandstones or sand lenticules the oblique bedding and trough cross\|bedding can be seen. The third one is the member of sandstone and mudstone. The sandstone is light purple while the mudstone is purplish red. Ripple marks can be seen in the sandstone. The forth one consists of conglomerate interbedded with mudstone, The conglomerate and the sandstone assume three cyclic sequences. The composition of the gravel is chiefly limestone. The fifth one is a member of light purple massive conglomerate. The composition of the gravel is limestone. The imbricate structure can be seen in the conglomerate. The strata belong to later Eocene epoch in accordance with the fossils of mammals, plants and ostracoda in it.

Analysis on Landscape Ecological Risk of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateaus:A Case Study on Niyang River Basin

Taking Niyang River Basin as an example, applying with the indices of landscape pattern, the indices of ecological risk of ecosystems are calculated in this paper, which takes the value of ecological loss of main ecosystem as the evaluation standard and takes into account the impacts of probability or the velocity of main hazards and event of the ecosystem. And the grades of ecological risk are assessed. According to the results of assessment, the ecological risk grades of the basin are divided into five classes. From the first grade risk to the fifth grade risk, the values of regional risk indices gradually reduce. The first grade risk areas mainly distribute in Niyang river and its branches downstream and the surrounding areas of main towns. And the basin area of non-valley region and the headstream regions of the branches are the fifth grades risk areas. This evaluation results provide the basis to the regional sustainable development.

Was the enclosed Qaidam Basin of The Tibetan Plateau Accumulative or Erosive during the Late Quaternary?

A geological feature in the Qaidam Basin known as the"Shell Bar"contains millions of freshwater articulated clam shells buried in-situ.Since the 1980s this feature in the now hyper-arid basin has been interpreted to be lake deposits that provide evidence for a warmer and more humid climate than present during late Marine Isotope Stage 3(MIS 3)(Bowler et al.,1986).However,the global climate during

CENOZOIC BASIN EVOLUTION, STRUCTURAL STYLES OF THE QAIDAM AND AN ESTIMATE OF DENUDATION IN ADJACENT MOUNTAIN SYSTEMS, NORTHEAST QINGHAI—TIBETAN PLATEAU

Qaidam basin is located at northeast Qinghai—Xizang (Tibet) plateau, and surrounded by east Kunlun, south Qilian and Altun mountain systems. The purpose of this paper is to study the Cenozoic basin evolutionary stages, structural styles of the Qaidam, and the denudation in adjacent mountain systems through seismic profile interpretation and complemented by field observation. The Qaidam basin has experienced two tectonic stages of Paleogene—early Miocene (65～12Ma) and late Miocene—present (12～0Ma). The former is characterized by differential uplift of the mountains and subsidence of the basin, and the latter by intense compression, wrench, thrusting and folding. The compressional structural styles are mainly distributed in the Circle Hero—Range Depression of southwest Qaidam, such as Nanyishan, Youquanzi, Younan, Youshashan anticline belts and thrust faults. The wrench structural styles of the northern Qaidam include en echelon uplifts (fault—block outcrops) such as Seshitengshan, Luliangshan, Xitieshan and Eimnikshan, which are mainly composed of pre\|Sinian and Paleozoic rocks; en echelon anticlines such as Lenghu—Nanbaxian belts; and en echelon depressions such as Kunteyi, Senan and Yibei depressions, which are mainly composed of Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks.

Dating of two thermokarst lakes in Beiluhe Basin, Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Most of the thermokarst lakes are spread appreciably in Beiluhe Basin,Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China,where ice-rich permafrost exists.Two typical thermokarst lakes with differing area and depth were examined to ascertain their age.We obtained lake-bottom samples of 50 cm length from lake BLH-A and 25 cm length from lake BLH-B.Environmental 137 Cs and 210 Pb and radiocarbon age dating techniques were applied to the 50 cm and 25 cm samples,respectively.The results indicate that the initiation of BLH-A is about 800-900 a B.P.,and approximately 1,450±30 a B.P.to 2,230±30 a B.P.for BLH-B.These results will provide scientific bases for sedimentological study and thermokarst activity in Beiluhe Basin.

Geochemical evidences of dry climate in the Mid-Holocene in Gonghe Basin, northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

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.

Monthly Water Budget of Small Basin in Northern of Loess Plateau, China

The objective of this study was to analyze the water budget of a small basin in the northern of Loess Plateau. A small basin, Liudaogou in the northern Loess Plateau was chosen as the study area. The numerical calculation of surface runoff was applied to results of the field survey, and components of monthly water budget were estimated. The unit area of 1 km2 was selected as the index area for the estimation. A component of habitant water consumption was added to the water budget to consider the contribution of human activity. Results indicated that the water storage was negative in May, June and July while the annual amount was approximately 0.0. Evaportanspiration attained maximum in August and its annual total accounted for 74.2% of annual precipitation. Results of this study are significant for the sustainable water conservation and utilization in the northern of Loess Plateau where annual water resources are relatively deficient.