Persistence of fertilization effects on soil organic carbon in degraded alpine wetlands in the Yellow River source region

In the restoration of degraded wetlands,fertilization can improve the vegetation-soil-microorganisms complex,thereby affecting the organic carbon content.However,it is currently unclear whether these effects are sustainable.This study employed Biolog-Eco surveys to investigate the changes in vegetation characteristics,soil physicochemical properties,and soil microbial functional diversity in degraded alpine wetlands of the source region of the Yellow River at 3 and 15 months after the application of nitrogen,phosphorus,and organic mixed fertilizer.The following results were obtained:The addition of nitrogen fertilizer and organic compost significantly affects the soil organic carbon content in degraded wetlands.Three months after fertilization,nitrogen addition increases soil organic carbon in both lightly and severely degraded wetlands,whereas after 15 months,organic compost enhanced the soil organic carbon level in severely degraded wetlands.Structural equation modeling indicates that fertilization decreases the soil pH and directly or indirectly influences the soil organic carbon levels through variations in the soil water content and the aboveground biomass of vegetation.Three months after fertilization,nitrogen fertilizer showed a direct positive effect on soil organic carbon.However,organic mixed fertilizer indirectly reduced soil organic carbon by increasing biomass and decreasing soil moisture.After 15 months,none of the fertilizers significantly affected the soil organic carbon level.In summary,it can be inferred that the addition of nitrogen fertilizer lacks sustainability in positively influencing the organic carbon content.

Using Natural Radionuclides to Trace Sources of Suspended Particles in the Lower Reaches of the Yellow River

Natural radionuclides are powerful tools for understanding the sources and fate of suspended particulate matter(SPM).Particulate matter with different particle sizes behaves differently with respect to adsorption and desorption.We analyzed the activi-ties and distribution characteristics of multiple natural radionuclides(238U,226Ra,40K,228Ra,7Be and 210Pbex)on size-fractionated SPM at the Lijin Hydrographic Station(Huanghe or Yellow River)every month over a one-year period.Results showed that medium silt(16–32µm)was the main component.As expected,the activity of each radionuclide decreased with an increase of particle size.We examined the sources of SPM with different particle sizes using activity ratios of 226Ra/238U,228Ra/226Ra,40K/238U and 7Be/210Pbex,and concluded that SPM with different particle sizes originated from different sources.Our results indicate that fine SPM(<32µm)was mainly from the erosion of soil along the lower reaches of the Yellow River,while coarse SPM(>32µm)was mainly derived from resuspension of riverbed sediment.During high runoff periods,the concentration of SPM increased significantly,and the pro-portion of fine particles originating upstream increased.Naturally occurring radioactive isotopes,especially on size-fractionated par-ticles,are therefore seen as useful tracers to understand the sources and behaviors of riverine particles transported from land to sea.

Dataset of Comparative Observations for Land Surface Processes over the Semi-Arid Alpine Grassland against Alpine Lakes in the Source Region of the Yellow River

Thousands of lakes on the Tibetan Plateau(TP) play a critical role in the regional water cycle, weather, and climate. In recent years, the areas of TP lakes underwent drastic changes and have become a research hotspot. However, the characteristics of the lake-atmosphere interaction over the high-altitude lakes are still unclear, which inhibits model development and the accurate simulation of lake climate effects. The source region of the Yellow River(SRYR) has the largest outflow lake and freshwater lake on the TP and is one of the most densely distributed lakes on the TP. Since 2011,three observation sites have been set up in the Ngoring Lake basin in the SRYR to monitor the lake-atmosphere interaction and the differences among water-heat exchanges over the land and lake surfaces. This study presents an eight-year(2012–19), half-hourly, observation-based dataset related to lake–atmosphere interactions composed of three sites. The three sites represent the lake surface, the lakeside, and the land. The observations contain the basic meteorological elements,surface radiation, eddy covariance system, soil temperature, and moisture(for land). Information related to the sites and instruments, the continuity and completeness of data, and the differences among the observational results at different sites are described in this study. These data have been used in the previous study to reveal a few energy and water exchange characteristics of TP lakes and to validate and improve the lake and land surface model. The dataset is available at National Cryosphere Desert Data Center and Science Data Bank.

Large-scale characteristics of thermokarst lakes across the source area of the Yellow River on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

As significant evidence of permafrost degradation,thermokarst lakes play an important role in the permafrost regions by regulating hydrology,ecology,and biogeochemistry.In the Sources Area of the Yellow River(SAYR),permafrost degradation has accelerated since the 1980s,and numerous thermokarst lakes have been discovered.In this paper,we use Sentinel-2 images to extract thermokarst lake boundaries and perform a regional-scale study on their geometry across the permafrost region in the SAYR.We also explored the spatiotemporal variations and potential drivers from the perspectives of the permafrost,climate,terrain and vegetation conditions.The results showed that there were 47,518 thermokarst lakes in 2021 with a total area of 190.22×106 m^(2),with an average size of 4,003.3 m^(2).The 44,928 ponds(≤10,000 m^(2))predominated the whole lake number(94.1%)but contributed to a small portion of the total lake area(28.8%).With 2,590 features(5.9%),small-sized(10,000 to 100,000 m^(2))and large-sized lakes(>100,000 m^(2))constituted up to 71.2%of the total lake area.Thermokarst lakes developed more significantly in warm permafrost regions than in cold permafrost areas;74.1%of lakes with a total area of 119.6×106 m^(2)(62.9%),were distributed in warm permafrost regions.Most thermokarst lakes were likely to develop within the elevation range of 4,500~4,800 m,on flat terrain(slope<10°),on SE and S aspects and in alpine meadow areas.The thermokarst lakes in the study region experienced significant shrinkage between 1990 and 2021,characterized by obvious lake drainage;the lake numbers decreased by 5418(56.1%),with a decreasing area of 58.63×106 m^(2)(49.0%).This shrinkage of the thermokarst lake area was attributable mainly to the intensified degradation of rich-ice permafrost thawing arising from continued climate warming,despite the wetting climatic trend.

Eco-environment range in the source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers

Based on geographical and hydrological extents delimited, four principles are identified, as the bases for delineating the ranges of the source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers in the paper. According to the comprehensive analysis of topographical characteristics, climate conditions, vegetation distribution and hydrological features, the source region ranges for eco-environmental study are defined. The eastern boundary point is Dari hydrological station in the upper reach of the Yellow River. The watershed above Dari hydrological station is the source region of the Yellow River which drains an area of 4.49×10 4 km 2 . Natural environment is characterized by the major topographical types of plateau lakes and marshland, gentle landforms, alpine cold semi-arid climate, and steppe and meadow vegetation in the source region of the Yellow River. The eastern boundary point is the convergent site of the Nieqiaqu and the Tongtian River in the upstream of the Yangtze River. The watershed above the convergent site is the source region of the Yangtze River, with a watershed area of 12.24×10 4 km 2 . Hills and alpine plain topography, gentle terrain, alpine cold arid and semi-arid climate, and alpine cold grassland and meadow are natural conditions in the source region of the Yangtze River.

Role of permafrost in resilience of social-ecological system and its spatio-temporal dynamics in the source regions of Yangtze and Yellow Rivers

Permafrost is one of the key components of terrestrial ecosystem in cold regions. In the context of climate change, few studies have investigated resilience of social ecological system(SER) from the perspective of permafrost that restricts the hydrothermal condition of alpine grassland ecosystem. In this paper, based on the structural dynamics, we developed the numerical model for the SER in the permafrost regions of the source of Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, analyzed the spatial-temporal characteristics and sensitivity of the SER, and estimated the effect of permafrost change on the SER. The results indicate that: 1) the SER has an increasing trend, especially after 1997, which is the joint effect of precipitation, temperature, NPP and ecological conservation projects; 2) the SER shows the spatial feature of high in southeast and low in northwest,which is consistent with the variation trends of high southeast and low northwest for the precipitation, temperature and NPP, and low southeast and high northwest for the altitude; 3) the high sensitive regions of SER to the permafrost change have gradually transited from the island distribution to zonal and planar distribution since 1980, moreover, the sensitive degree has gradually reduced; relatively, the sensitivity has high value in the north and south, and low value in the south and east; 4) the thickness of permafrost active layer shows a highly negative correlation with the SER. The contribution rate of permafrost change to the SER is-4.3%, that is, once the thickness of permafrost active layer increases 1 unit, the SER would decrease 0.04 units.

Changes in stress within grassland ecosystems in the three counties of the source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers

Based on a database of more than 40 years of second production process and energy flow records for Maduo,Qumalai and Yushu counties,a dynamic model of the stress within grassland ecosys-tems was established using a nonlinear regression method for this source regions of the Yangtze and Yel-low Rivers.The results show that dynamic curves of stress within grassland ecosystems in the three coun-ties were in the shape of an inverted 'U' during the period 1965-2007.It also revealed that the variation in actual amount of livestock inventories reflected the general trends of the stress within the grassland eco-systems in the source regions,although there were many other factors for the increase or reduction in grassland ecosystem stress.

Adaptation Management of Mountain Tourism Service: The Case of the Source Regions of the Yangtze and Yellow River

Mountain areas are often rich in ecological diversity and recreational opportunities. Mountain tourism is thought to be an effective and important means for maintaining and expanding rural economies and, thus, improving the living conditions of rural societies. As mountain tourism service research is a professional field with several disciplines involved, a multi-disciplinary management platform is needed and it facilitates participation in sustainable mountain development by diverse stakeholders. With the source regions of the Yangtze and the Yellow River as a case study, this paper presents a conceptual framework for an adaptation management of mountain tourism services according to technical, policy, social and economic dimensions. The framework is based on a vulnerability assessment of mountain ecosystems, and can serve as a reference for the development of tourism service in other mountain areas.

The Impacts of Permafrost Change on NPP and Implications:A Case of the Source Regions of Yangtze and Yellow Rivers

This paper studies the relationship between net primary productivity (NPP) and annual average air temperature (GT) at 0cm above ground in permafrost regions by using revised Chikugo NPP model,cubic spline interpolating functions,and non-linear regression methods.The source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers were selected as the research areas.Results illustrate that:(1) There is significant non-linear relationship between NPP and GT in various typical years;(2) The maximum value of NPP is 6.17,5.87,7.73,and 5.41 DM·t·hm-2 ·a-1 respectively,and the corresponding GT is 7.1,10.0,21.2,and 8.9 o C respectively in 1980,1990,2000 and 2007;(3) In 1980,the sensitivity of NPP to GT is higher than in 1990,2000 and 2007.This tendency shows that the NPP presents change from fluctuation to an adaptation process over time;(4) During 1980～2007,the accumulated NPP was reduced to 8.05,and the corresponding carrying capacity of theoretical livestock reduced by 11%;(5) The shape of the demonstration region of ecological compensation system,livelihood support system,and science appraisal system in the source regions of Yangtze and Yellow Rivers are an important research for increasing the adaptation capacity and balancing protection and development.

Studies on eco-environmental change in source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers of China:present and future

The source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers are important in the field of eco-environmental change research in China because of its distinct alpine ecosystem and cryosphere environment. At present, there are three different concepts on the extent of source areas of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers: hydrological, geographical, and eco-environmental. Over the past decades, annual average air temperature has warmed significantly;moreover, the temperature rise rate increases notably with increase of time of the data series. Annual precipitation has no obvious increase or decrease trend, and the climate has become warm and dry in the source regions. As a result, the cryosphere in the regions has shrunk significantly since 1960 s. A warm and dry climate and changing cryosphere together induced a substantial declination of alpine wetlands, marked decrease in river runoff, significant degradation of alpine grassland, and a reduction of engineering stability.The ecological environment, however, has a tendency for restoration in the regions because the climate has become gradually warm and wet since 2000. Thus, studies on eco-environmental change is transforming from a single element to multidisciplinary integration. Climate change-cryopshere change-physical and socioeconomic impacts/risk-adaptation constitute a chain of multidisciplinary integration research.

Characteristics of grassland degradation and driving forces in the source region of the Yellow River from 1985 to 2000

The source region of the Yellow River is located in the middle east of the Tibetan Plateau in northwest China. The total area is about 51,700 km^2, mainly covered by grassland （79%）, unused land （16%） and water （4%）. The increasing land utilization in this area has increased the risk of environmental degradation. The land use/cover data （1985 and 2000） provided by the Data Center of Resources and Environment in the Chinese Academy of Sciences were used to analyze the land cover change in the source region of the Yellow River. DEM （1：250,000） data, roads and settlement data were used to analyze the spatial characteristics of grasslands degradation. The ArcGIS 9 software was used to convert data types and do the overlay, reclassification and zonal statistic analysis. Results show that grassland degradation is the most important land cover change in the study area, which occupied 8.24% of the region＇s total area. Human activities are the main causes of the grassland degradation in the source region of the Yellow River： 1） the degradation rate is higher on the sunny slope than on the shady slope; 2） the grassland degradation rate decreases with an increase in the elevation, and it has a correlation coefficient of -0.93; 3） the nearer to the settlements the grassland is, the higher the degradation rate. Especially within a distance range of 12 km to the settlements, the grassland degradation rate is highly related with the distance, with a coefficient of -0.99; and 4） in the range of 4 km, the degradation rate decreases with the increase of distance to the roads, with a correlation coefficient of -0.98. Besides some physical factors, human activities have been the most important driving forces of the grassland degradation in the source region of the Yellow River since 1985. To resolve the degradation problems, population control is essential, and therefore, it can reduce the social demand of livestock products from the grassland. To achieve sustainable development, it needs to improve the management of grassland ecosystem.

Estimation of water balance in the source region of the Yellow River based on GRACE satellite data

Water storage has important significance for understanding water cycles of global and local domains and for monitoring climate and environmental changes. As a key variable in hydrology, water storage change represents the sum of precipitation, evaporation, surface runoff, soil water and groundwater exchanges. Water storage change data during the period of 2003-2008 for the source region of the Yellow River were collected from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment （GRACE） satellite data. The monthly actual evaporation was estimated according to the water balance equation. The simulated actual evaporation was significantly consistent and correlative with not only the observed pan （20 cm） data, but also the simulated results of the version 2 of Simple Biosphere model. The average annual evaporation of the Tangnaihai Basin was 506.4 mm, where evaporation in spring, summer, autumn and winter was 130.9 mm, 275.2 mm, 74.3 mm and 26.1 mm, and accounted for 25.8%, 54.3%, 14.7% and 5.2% of the average annual evaporation, respectively, The precipitation increased slightly and the actual evaporation showed an obvious decrease. The water storage change of the source region of the Yellow River displayed an increase of 0.51 mm per month from 2003 to 2008, which indicated that the storage capacity has significantly increased, probably caused by the degradation of permafrost and the increase of the thickness of active layers. The decline of actual evaporation and the increase of water storage capacity resulted in the increase of river runoff.

Influencing factors of water resources in the source region of the Yellow River

Taking the source region of the Yellow River as a study area and based on the data from Madoi Meteorological Station and Huangheyan Hydrological Station covering the period 1955-2005, this paper analyses the changing trends of surface water resources, climate and frozen ground and reveals their causes. Results show that there exist frequent fluctuations from high to low water flow in the 51-year period. In general, the discharge has shown a de- clining trend in the 51 years especially since the 1990s. The annual distribution shows one peak which, year on year is getting smaller. （1） Precipitation has a significant and sustained influence on discharge. （2） A sharp rise of temperature resulted in the increase of evaporation and the decrease of discharge, which has a greater effect than on ice-snow melting. （3） Frozen ground tends to be degraded markedly. There is a significant positive correlation be- tween the permafrost thickness and the discharge. （4） Evaporation rates are significantly increasing, leading to the decrease of discharge. 70% of the discharge reduction resulted from climate change, and the remaining 30% may have been caused by human activities.

Different Responses of Vegetation to Frozen Ground Degradation in the Source Region of the Yellow River from 1980 to 2018

Frozen ground degradation under a warming climate profoundly influences the growth of alpine vegetation in the source region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.This study investigated spatiotemporal variations in the frozen ground distribution,the active layer thickness(ALT)of permafrost(PF)soil and the soil freeze depth(SFD)in seasonally frozen soil from 1980 to 2018 using the temperature at the top of permafrost(TTOP)model and Stefan equation.We compared the effects of these variations on vegetation growth among different frozen ground types and vegetation types in the source region of the Yellow River(SRYR).The results showed that approximately half of the PF area(20.37%of the SRYR)was projected to degrade into seasonally frozen ground(SFG)during the past four decades;furthermore,the areal average ALT increased by 3.47 cm/yr,and the areal average SFD decreased by 0.93 cm/yr from 1980 to 2018.Accordingly,the growing season Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)presented an increasing trend of 0.002/10 yr,and the increase rate and proportion of areas with NDVI increase were largest in the transition zone where PF degraded to SFG(the PF to SFG zone).A correlation analysis indicated that variations in ALT and SFD in the SRYR were significantly correlated with increases of NDVI in the growing season.However,a rapid decrease in SFD(<-1.4 cm/10 yr)could have reduced the soil moisture and,thus,decreased the NDVI.The NDVI for most vegetation types exhibited a significant positive correlation with ALT and a negative correlation with SFD.However,the steppe NDVI exhibited a significant negative correlation with the SFD in the PF to SFG zone but a positive correlation in the SFG zone,which was mainly limited by water condition because of different change rates of the SFD.

Changes in freezing and thawing indices over the source region of the Yellow River from 1980 to 2014

Freezing and thawing indices are not only of great significance for permafrost research but also are important indicators of the effects of climate change.However,to date,research on ground-surface freezing and thawing indices and their relationship with air indices is limited.Based on daily air and ground-surface temperatures collected from 11 meteorological stations in the source region of the Yellow River,the freezing and thawing indices were calculated,and their spatial distribution and trends were analyzed.The air-freezing index(AFI),air-thawing index(ATI),ground surface-freezing index(GFI),ground surface-thawing index(GTI),air thawing-freezing index ratio(Na)and surface ground thawing-freezing index ratio(Ng)were 1554.64,1153.93,1.55,2484.85,850.57℃-days and 3.44,respectively.Altitude affected the spatial distribution of the freezing and thawing indices.As the altitude increased,the freezing indices gradually increased,and the thawing indices and thawing-freezing index ratio decreased.From 1980 to 2014,the AFI and GFI decreased at rates of 8.61 and 11.06℃-days a^(-1),the ATI and GTI increased at 9.65 and 14.53℃-days a^(-1),and Na and Ng significantly increased at 0.21 and 0.79 decade^(-1).Changes in the freezing and thawing indices were associated with increases in the air and ground-surface temperatures.The rates of change of the ground surface freezing and thawing indices were faster than the air ones because the rate of increase of the groundsurface temperature was faster than that of the air and the difference between the ground surface and air increased.The change point of the time series of freezing and thawing indices occurred in 2000–2001.After 2000–2001,the AFI and GFI were lower than before the change point,and the changing trend was lower.The ATI,GTI,Na and Ng during 2001–2014 were higher,with faster rates than before.In addition,the annual thawing indices composed a greater proportion of the mean annual air temperature and mean annual ground surface temperature than the annual freezing indices.This study provides the necessary basis for research on and prediction of permafrost changes,especially changes in the depth of the active permafrost layer,climate change,and possible evolution of the ecological environment over the source region of the Yellow River on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Variations of precipitation characteristics during the period 1960–2014 in the Source Region of the Yellow River,China

Precipitation, a natural feature of weather systems in the Earth, is vitally important for the environment of any region. Under global climate change condition, the characteristics of precipitation have changed as a consequence of enhanced global hydrological cycle. The source region of the Yellow River（SRYR）, locating within the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is sensitive to the global climate change due to its complex orography and fragile ecosystem. To understand the precipitation characteristics and its impacts on the environment in the region, we studied the characteristics of rainy days and precipitation amount of different precipitation classes, such as light（0–5 and 5–10 mm）, moderate（10–15, 15–20 and 20–25 mm） and heavy（≥25 mm） rains by analyzing the precipitation data of typical meteorological stations in the SRYR during the period 1961–2014, as well as the trends of persistent rainfall events and drought events. Results showed that annual average precipitation in this area had a non-significant（P〉0.05） increasing trend, and 82.5% of the precipitation occurred from May to September. Rainy days of the 0–5 mm precipitation class significantly decreased, whereas the rainy days of 5–10, 10–15, and 20–25 mm precipitation classes increased and that of ≥25 mm precipitation class decreased insignificantly. The persistent rainfall events of 1-or 2-day and more than 2-day showed an increasing trend, with the 1-or 2-day events being more frequent. Meanwhile, the number of short drought periods（≤10 days） increased while long drought periods（〉10 days） decreased. Since the 0–5 mm precipitation class had a huge impact on the grasslands productivity; the 5–10, 10–15, and 20–25 mm precipitation classes had positive effects on vegetation which rely on the deep soil water through moving nutrients and water into the root zone of these vegetation or through the plant-microbe interactions; the ≥25 mm precipitation class contributed to the floods; and more persistent rainfall events and fewer long drought events inferred positive effects on agriculture. Thus, these results indicate grassland degradation, less risk of floods, and the upgrading impact of climate change on agriculture. This study may provide scientific knowledge for policymakers to sustain the eco-environmental resources in the SYSR.

Evolution of the freeze-thaw cycles in the source region of the Yellow River under the influence of climate change and its hydrological effects

As an important water source and ecological barrier in the Yellow River Basin,the source region of the Yellow River(above the Huangheyan Hydrologic Station)presents a remarkable permafrost degradation trend due to climate change.Therefore,scientific understanding the effects of permafrost degradation on runoff variations is of great significance for the water resource and ecological protection in the Yellow River Basin.In this paper,we studied the mechanism and extent of the effect of degrading permafrost on surface flow in the source region of the Yellow River based on the monitoring data of temperature and moisture content of permafrost in 2013–2019 and the runoff data in 1960–2019.The following results have been found.From 2013 to 2019,the geotemperature of the monitoring sections at depths of 0–2.4 m increased by 0.16°C/a on average.With an increase in the thawing depth of the permafrost,the underground water storage space also increased,and the depth of water level above the frozen layer at the monitoring points decreased from above 1.2 m to 1.2–2 m.64.7%of the average multiyear groundwater was recharged by runoff,in which meltwater from the permafrost accounted for 10.3%.Compared to 1960-1965,the runoff depth in the surface thawing period(from May to October)and the freezing period(from November to April)decreased by 1.5 mm and 1.2 mm,respectively during 1992–1997,accounting for 4.2%and 3.4%of the average annual runoff depth,respectively.Most specifically,the decrease in the runoff depth was primarily reflected in the decreased runoff from August to December.The permafrost degradation affects the runoff within a year by changing the runoff generation,concentration characteristics and the melt water quantity from permafrost,decreasing the runoff at the later stage of the permafrost thawing.However,the permafrost degradation has limited impacts on annual runoff and does not dominate the runoff changes in the source region of the Yellow River in the longterm.

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

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

The heterogeneity of hydrometeorological changes during the period of 1961-2016 in the source region of the Yellow River, China

Runoff in the source region of a river makes up most of water resources in the whole basin in arid and semi-arid areas. It is very important for water resources management to timely master the latest dynamic changes of the runoff and quantitatively reveal its main driving factors. This paper aims to discover the variation heterogeneity of runoff and the impacts of climatic factors on this runoff in the source region of the Yellow River(SRYR) in China from 1961 to 2016. We divided SRYR into four sub-regions, and analyzed changes of their contributions to total runoff in SRYR. We also revealed the impacts of precipitation, temperature and potential evapotranspiration on runoff in each sub-region by constructing the regression relationships between them at multiple temporal scales. The changes of runoff in the four sub-regions and their contributions to the total runoff were not exactly consistent. The climatic variables’ changes also have heterogeneity, and runoff was mainly affected by precipitation compared to influences of temperature or potential evapotranspiration. Their impacts on runoff have spatiotemporal heterogeneity and can be reflected by very significant-linear regression equations.It provided a simple method to predict headwater runoff for better water management in the whole basin.

Spatial-temporal variations in near-surface soil freeze-thaw cycles in the source region of the Yellow River during the period 2002–2011 based on the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System(AMSR-E) data

Detecting near-surface soil freeze-thaw cycles in high-altitude cold regions is important for understanding the Earth＇s surface system, but such studies are rare. In this study, we detected the spatial-temporal variations in near-surface soil freeze-thaw cycles in the source region of the Yellow River（SRYR） during the period 2002–2011 based on data from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System（AMSR-E）. Moreover, the trends of onset dates and durations of the soil freeze-thaw cycles under different stages were also analyzed. Results showed that the thresholds of daytime and nighttime brightness temperatures of the freeze-thaw algorithm for the SRYR were 257.59 and 261.28 K, respectively. At the spatial scale, the daily frozen surface（DFS） area and the daily surface freeze-thaw cycle surface（DFTS） area decreased by 0.08% and 0.25%, respectively, and the daily thawed surface（DTS） area increased by 0.36%. At the temporal scale, the dates of the onset of thawing and complete thawing advanced by 3.10（±1.4） and 2.46（±1.4） days, respectively; and the dates of the onset of freezing and complete freezing were delayed by 0.9（±1.4） and 1.6（±1.1） days, respectively. The duration of thawing increased by 0.72（±0.21） day/a and the duration of freezing decreased by 0.52（±0.26） day/a. In conclusion, increases in the annual minimum temperature and winter air temperature are the main factors for the advanced thawing and delayed freezing and for the increase in the duration of thawing and the decrease in the duration of freezing in the SRYR.