State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulics Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; Joint Innovation Center for Modern Forestry Studies, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
Joint Innovation Center for Modern Forestry Studies, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
Sci Total Environ. 2018 Sep 1;635:443-451. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.113. Epub 2018 Apr 24.
Lakes and vegetation are important factors of the Earth's hydrological cycle and can be called an "indicator" of climate change. In this study, long-term changes of lakes' area and vegetation coverage in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) and their relations to the climate change were analyzed by using Mann-Kendall method during the past 30years. Results showed that: 1) the lakes' area of the QTP increased significantly during the past 30years as a whole, and the increasing rates have been dramatically sped up since the year of 2000. Among them, the area of Ayakekumu Lake has the fastest growing rate of 51.35%, which increased from 618km in the 1980s to 983km in the 2010s; 2) overall, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) increased in the QTP during the past 30years. Above 79% of the area in the QTP showed increasing trend of NDVI before the year of 2000; 3) the air temperature increased significantly, the precipitation increased slightly, and the pan evaporation decreased significantly during the past 30years. The lake area and vegetation coverage changes might be related to the climate change. The shifts in the temporal climate trend occurred around the year 2000 had led the lake area and vegetation coverage increasing. This study is of importance in further understanding the environmental changes under global warming over the QTP.
湖泊和植被是地球水文循环的重要因素，可以被称为气候变化的“指标”。本研究利用 Mann-Kendall 方法，分析了过去 30 年来青藏高原湖泊面积和植被覆盖变化及其与气候变化的关系。结果表明：1）过去 30 年来，青藏高原湖泊面积整体呈显著增加趋势，且自 2000 年以来，增速明显加快。其中，阿克库姆湖面积增长最快，增长率为 51.35%，从 20 世纪 80 年代的 618km²增加到 2010 年代的 983km²；2）过去 30 年来，青藏高原归一化植被指数（NDVI）整体呈增加趋势。2000 年之前，青藏高原 79%以上的地区 NDVI 呈增加趋势；3）过去 30 年来，气温显著升高，降水略有增加，蒸发量显著减少。湖泊面积和植被覆盖的变化可能与气候变化有关。2000 年前后气候趋势的转变导致了湖泊面积和植被覆盖的增加。本研究对进一步了解青藏高原在全球变暖背景下的环境变化具有重要意义。
