RS analysis of glaciers change in the Heihe River Basin,Northwest China,during the recent decades

The Heihe River Basin is the second largest inland river basin in Northwest China and it is also a hotspot in arid hydrology, water resources and other aspects of researches in cold regions. In addition, the Heihe River Basin has complete landscape, moderate watershed size, and typical social ecological environmental problems. So far, there has been no detailed assessment of glaciers change information of the whole river basin. 1：50,000 topographic map data, Landsat TM/ETM＋ remote sensing images and digital elevation model data were used in this research. Through integrated computer automatic interpretation and visual interpretation methods, the object-oriented image feature extraction method was applied to extract glacier outline information. Glaciers change data were derived from analysis, and the glacier variation and its response to climate change in the period 1956/1963–2007/ 2011 were also analyzed. The results show that：（1） In the period 1956/1963–2007/2011, the Heihe River Basin＇s glaciers had an evident retreat trend, the total area of glaciers decreased from 361.69 km2 to 231.17 km~2; shrinking at a rate of 36.08%, with average single glacier area decrease 0.14 km~2; the total number of the glaciers decreased from 967 to 800.（2） Glaciers in this basin are mainly distributed at elevations of 4300–4400 m, 4400–4500 m and 4500–4600 m; and there are significant regional differences in glaciers distribution and glaciers change.（3） Compared with other western mountain glaciers, glaciers retreat in the Heihe River Basin has a higher rate.（4） Analysis of the six meteorological stations＇ annual average temperature and precipitation data from 1960 to 2010 suggests that the mean annual temperature increased significantly and the annual precipitation also showed an increasing trend. It is concluded that glacier shrinkage is closely related with temperature rising, besides, glacier melting caused by rising temperatures greater than glacier mass supply by increased precipitation to     

1975-2016年天山中段阿克苏河流域冰川变化分析（英文）

In this study, we analyzed glacier changes in the Aksu River Basin during the period 1975–2016, based on Landsat MSS/TM/ETM+/OLI imagery analysis and the Chinese Glacier Inventory(CGI). The results showed that the total number, area, and volume of the studied glaciers in the Aksu River Basin decreased by 202(7.65%), 965.7 km~2(25.88%), and 74.85–78.52 km~3(23.72%–24.3%), respectively. The rate of glacier retreat in the basin was slower in the north, northwest and west, but reached the highest in the east(measuring 0.86% yr~(-1)). Furthermore, there were significant regional differences in the distribution and change of glaciers, the Kumalak River Basin had the largest glacier number and area, about 63.15% and 76.47% of the studied basin, and the rate of glacier retreat in the Kumalak River Basin was 0.65% yr~(-1), it was higher than the Toxkan River Basin which reached 0.57% yr~(-1). We found the shrinkage rate of glacier for different periods in the past 41 years, during 1975–1990 the glaciers showed the greatest retreat, while the rate of glacier area retreat slowed down significantly from 1990 to 2000. In recent 16 years since 2000, the rate of glacier retreat in the Toxkan River Basin was higher compared with 1990–2000. The RGI50~(-1)3.04920 glacier of Kumalak River Basin had been in a state of retreat since 1990. Over the past 41 years, the temperature and precipitation in the Aksu River Basin increased obviously, and the warming temperatures were clearly the main reason for glacier retreat in the region, while the increased precipitation in the mountain area may have a direct relation with the retreating rate of glaciers.     

Glacier in the upstream Manla Reservoir in the Nianchu River Basin, Tibet: shrinkage and impacts

Glaciers in the upstream Manla Reservoir in the Nianchu River Basin are crucial for agriculture and hydropower in the "One River and Two Streams" area. Rising temperature has caused widespread retreat of glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau during the last few decades. In this study, glacier variations under climate change in the Nianchu River Basin are quantified and their influence are evaluated by analyzing 1980 aerial topographic maps, 1990 Landsat TM, 2000 Landsat ETM+, and 2005 CBERS remotely sensed images. It is found that from 1980 to 2005, the debris-free glacier area shrank by 7.3% (13.42 km²). Glacier shrinkage will have a positive effect on agriculture, hydropower and eco-environment in the near future. However, because the large number of small glaciers (<2 km²) will rapidly retreat and disappear in future years, melt water will decrease, ultimately resulting in a long term water shortage. Glacial lakes exhibited rapid expansion due to accelerating glacier retreat during 1980–2005, increasing the possibility of glacial lake outburst floods.     

近50年来祁连山冰川变化——基于中国第一、二次冰川编目数据（英文）

Glaciers are the most important fresh-water resources in arid and semi-arid regions of western China. According to the Second Chinese Glacier Inventory(SCGI), primarily compiled from Landsat TM/ETM+ images, the Qilian Mountains had 2684 glaciers covering an area of 1597.81±70.30 km~2 and an ice volume of ~84.48 km~3 from 2005 to 2010. While most glaciers are small(85.66% are 1.0 km~2), some larger ones(12.74% in the range 1.0–5.0 km~2) cover 42.44% of the total glacier area. The Laohugou Glacier No.12(20.42 km~2) located on the north slope of the Daxue Range is the only glacier 20 km~2 in the Qilian Mountains. Median glacier elevation was 4972.7 m and gradually increased from east to west. Glaciers in the Qilian Mountains are distributed in Gansu and Qinghai provinces, which have 1492 glaciers(760.96 km~2) and 1192 glaciers(836.85 km~2), respectively. The Shule River basin contains the most glaciers in both area and volume. However, the Heihe River, the second largest inland river in China, has the minimum average glacier area. A comparison of glaciers from the SCGI and revised glacier inventory based on topographic maps and aerial photos taken from 1956 to 1983 indicate that all glaciers have receded, which is consistent with other mountain and plateau areas in western China. In the past half-century, the area and volume of glaciers decreased by 420.81 km~2(–20.88%) and 21.63 km~3(–20.26%), respectively. Glaciers with areas 1.0 km~2 decreased the most in number and area recession. Due to glacier shrinkage, glaciers below 4000 m completely disappeared. Glacier changes in the Qilian Mountains presented a clear longitudinal zonality, i.e., the glaciers rapidly shrank in the east but slowly in the central-west. The primary cause of glacier recession was warming temperatures, which was slightly mitigated with increased precipitation.     

1960年以来中国天山冰川面积及气候变化

Based on the statistics of glacier area variation measured in the Chinese Tianshan Mountains since 1960,the response of glacier area variation to climate change is discussed systematically.As a result,the total area of the glaciers has been reduced by 11.5% in the past 50 years,which is a weighted percentage according to the glacier area variations of 10 drainage basins separated by the Glacier Inventory of China (GIC).The annual percentage of area changes (APAC) of glaciers in the Chinese Tianshan Mountains is 0.31% after the standardization of the study period.The APAC varies widely for different drainage basins,but the glaciers are in a state of rapid retreat,generally.According to the 14 meteorological sta-tions in the Chinese Tianshan Mountains,both the temperature and precipitation display a marked increasing tendency from 1960 to 2009 at a rate of 0.34℃·(10a)-1 and 11 mm·(10a) -1,respectively.The temperature in the dry seasons (from November to March) increases rapidly at a rate of 0.46℃·(10a)-1,but the precipitation grows slowly at 2.3 mm·(10a)-1.While the temperature in the wet seasons (from April to October) grows at a rate of 0.25℃·(10a)-1,but the precipitation increases at 8.7 mm·(10a)-1.The annual and seasonal climatic trends ac-celerate the retreat of glaciers.     

Impacts of climate change and LULC change on runoff in the Jinsha River Basin

The climate change and Land Use/Land Cover(LULC) change both have an important impact on the rainfall-runoff processes. How to quantitatively distinguish and predict the impacts of the above two factors has been a hot spot and frontier issue in the field of hydrology and water resources. In this research, the SWAT(Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model was established for the Jinsha River Basin, and the method of scenarios simulation was used to study the runoff response to climate change and LULC change. Furthermore, the climate variables exported from 7 typical General Circulation Models(GCMs) under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 emission scenarios were bias corrected and input into the SWAT model to predict runoff in 2017–2050. Results showed that:(1) During the past 57 years, the annual average precipitation and temperature in the Jinsha River Basin both increased significantly while the rising trend of runoff was far from obvious.(2) Compared with the significant increase of temperature in the Jinsha River Basin, the LULC change was very small.(3) During the historical period, the LULC change had little effect on the hydrological processes in the basin, and climate change was one of the main factors affecting runoff.(4) In the context of global climate change, the precipitation, temperature and runoff in the Jinsha River Basin will rise in 2017–2050 compared with the historical period. This study provides significant references to the planning and management of large-scale hydroelectric bases at the source of the Yangtze River.     

Glacier retreat and its effect on stream flow in the source region of the Yangtze River

There is growing concern over the effects of climate change on glacier melt and hydrology. In this article, we used two natural small-scale basins, Tuotuo River and Buqu River in the source region of the Yangtze River, China, to show the impacts of glacier melt on stream flow. Changes in the extent of glaciers and ice volume in 1970, 1992 and 2009 are evaluated using remote sensing images. Changes to the glacier surface area over the same time interval are estimated through the delineation of glacier outlines and positions using Landsat TM/ETM＋ imagery. By 2009, the glacier surface area had decreased by 20.83% and 34.81% of the 1970 values in Tuotuo River and Baqu River basins respectively. The total meltwater supply in each basin is estimated to be 2.56×10^9 m^3/yr and 1.24×10^9 m^3/yr respectively. Mass balance calculations show that glaciers in the study area suffered a constant mass loss of snow and ice, accumulatively approximately -24 m over the past 40 years. The annual and summer stream flow tended to increase in Tuotuo River basin from 1970 to 2009 while a negative trend of change was shown in Buqu River basin during 1970-1986. Glaciers became shorter, narrower and thinner under the effect of atmospheric warming. Streamflow increase has been recorded at Tuotuo River station in response to increased glacier and permafrost melt. However, streamflow decrease has been recorded at Yanshiping station on Buqu River, where glacier melt has lagged behind atmospheric warming. These results show a close but variable linkage among climate change, glacier melting and water resources in the source region of the Yangtze River.     

The impacts of climate change on hydrology in a typical glacier region—A case study in Hailuo Creek watershed of Mt. Gongga in China

The glaciers of the Hengduan Mountains play an important role in the hydrology processes of this region. In this study, the HBV Light model, which relies on a degree-day model to simulate glacier melting, was employed to simulate both glacier runoff and total runoff. The daily temperature and precipitation at the Hailuo Creek No. 1 Glacier from 1952 to 2009 were obtained from daily meteorological observed data at the glacier and from six national meteorological stations near the Hailuo Creek Basin. The daily air temperature, precipitation, runoff depth, and monthly potential evaporation in 1995, 1996, and 2002 were used to obtain a set of optimal parameters, and the annual total runoff and glacier runoff of the Hailuo Creek Glacier(1952–2009) were calculated using the HBV Light model. Results showed the average annual runoff in the Hailuo Creek Basin was 2,114 mm from 1952 to 2009, of which glacial melting accounted for about 1,078 mm. The river runoff in the Hailuo Creek catchment increased as a result of increased glacier runoff. Glacier runoff accounted for 51.1% of the Hailuo Creek stream flow in 1994 and increased to 72.6% in 2006. About 95% of the increased stream flow derived from the increased glacier runoff.     

Simulation and construction of the glacier mass balance in the Manas River Basin,Tianshan, China from 2000 to 2016

The glacier mass balance(GMB) is an important link between climate and water resources and has remarkable regulatory functions in river runoff. To simulate changes of the GMB and to analyze the recharge rates of glacier meltwater to runoff in the Manas River Basin(MRB) during 2000–2016, MOD11 C3, TRMM 3 B43 and other multi-source remote sensing data were used to drive the degree-day model. The results showed that:(1) the accuracy of the remote sensing meteorological data can be corrected effectively by constructing the temperature and precipitation inversion models, and the characteristics of glacial climate can be finely described through downscaling. The average annual temperature was –7.57 °C and the annual precipitation was 410.71 mm in the glacier area of the MRB. The zone at an altitude of about 4200 m was a severe climate change zone, and above and below that zone, the temperature drop rates were –0.03°C/100 m and –0.57°C/100 m, respectively, while precipitation gradients were –2.66 mm/100 m and 4.89 mm/100 m, respectively.(2) The overall GMB was negative with a cumulative GMB of up to –9811.19 mm w.e. and the average annual GMB fluctuated between –464.85 and –632.19 mm w.e. Besides, the glacier melted slowly during 2000–2002 and 2008–2010, but rapidly for 2002–2008 and 2010–2016, while the most serious loss of the glacier occurred in 2005–2009. Moreover, the vertical changes of the GMB increased at 244.83 mm w.e./100 m in the ablation zone but only at 18.77 mm w.e./100 m in the accumulation zone.(3) The intraannual runoff strongly responded to the change of the GMB especially in July and August when the loss of the GMB accounted for 75.4% of the annual loss, and when runoff accounted for 55.1% of the annual total. Due to differences in the annual precipitation and snow meltwater outside the glacier, the interannual glacier meltwater recharge rates fluctuated between 19% and 31%. The recharge rate of glacier meltwater to runoff in the MRB was close to that for other basins in the Tianshan Mountains, which may be used as a basis to confirm the reliability of the estimated GMB results. Furthermore, based on the present findings, it is recommended that the research community pursue studies on the GMB in other alpine river basins.     

Glacial changes in the Gangdisê Mountains from 1970 to 2016

Based on the revised First Chinese Glacier Inventory(FCGI), the Second Chinese Glacier Inventory(SCGI) and Landsat OLI images for 2015–2016, we analyzed the spatial-temporal variation characteristics of glaciers in the Gangdisê Mountains from 1970 to 2016. The results showed that there were 3953 glaciers with a total area of 1306.45 km~2 and ice volume of ～58.16 km~3 in the Gangdisê Mountains in 2015–2016. Glaciers with sizes of 0.1–5 km~2 and 0.5 km~2 accounted for the largest area and the most amounts of glaciers in the Gangdisê Mountains, respectively. Over the past five decades, the area of glaciers in the Gangdisê Mountains decreased by 854.05 km~2(-1.09%·a~(-1)), accounting for 39.53% of the total glacier area in 1970. The increase in temperature during the ablation period was the most important cause for glacier retreat. Compared to other mountains in western China, the Gangdisê Mountains have experienced the strongest glacial retreat, and the rate of recession has increased in recent years. The decrease of glacier area was mainly concentrated at elevations of 5600–6100 m, and no change in glacier area was observed at elevations above 6500 m. The number and area of glaciers decreased in all orientations in the Gangdisê Mountains except for south-and southeast-oriented glaciers. Among them, north-oriented glaciers suffered the largest loss of glacier area, while glacier retreat saw the fastest in northwest-oriented glaciers. The rate of glacier retreat increased from west to east in the Gangdisê Mountains. The relative rate of glacier area change was the highest in the eastern section of the Gangdisê Mountains(-1.72%·a~(-1)), followed by the middle section(-1.67%·a~(-1)) and the western section(–0.83%·a~(-1)).     

近50年气候变化背景下中国西部冰川面积状况分析(英文)

Based on the glacier area variation records in the typical regions of China moni-tored by remote sensing, as well as the meteorological data of air temperature and precipitation from 139 stations and the 0℃ isotherm height from 28 stations, the glacier area shrinkage in China and its climatic background in the past half century was discussed. The initial glacier area calculated in this study was 23,982 km2 in the 1960s/1970s, but the present area was only 21,893 km2 in the 2000s. The area-weighted shrinking rate of glacier was 10.1%, and the interpolated annual percentage of area changes (APAC) of glacier was 0.3% a-1 since 1960. The high APAC was found at the Ili River Basin and the Junggar Interior Basin around the Tianshan Mountains, the Ob River Basin around the Altay Mountains, the Hexi Interior Basin around the Qilian Mountains, etc. The retreat of glacier was affected by the climatic background, and the influence on glacier of the slight-increased precipitation was counteracted by the significant warming in summer.     

Glacier area shrinkage in China and its climatic background during the past half century

Based on the glacier area variation records in the typical regions of China monitored by remote sensing, as well as the meteorological data of air temperature and precipitation from 139 stations and the 0℃ isotherm height from 28 stations, the glacier area shrinkage in China and its climatic background in the past half century was discussed. The initial glacier area calculated in this study was 23,982 km2 in the 1960s/1970s, but the present area was only 21,893 km2 in the 2000s. The area-weighted shrinking rate of glacier was 10.1%, and the interpolated annual percentage of area changes (APAC) of glacier was 0.3% a-1 since 1960. The high APAC was found at the Ili River Basin and the Junggar Interior Basin around the Tianshan Mountains, the Ob River Basin around the Altay Mountains, the Hexi Interior Basin around the Qilian Mountains, etc. The retreat of glacier was affected by the climatic background, and the influence on glacier of the slight-increased precipitation was counteracted by the significant warming in summer.     

Synchronism of runoff response to climate change in Kaidu River Basin in Xinjiang, Northwest China

The runoff in alpine river basins where the runoff is formed in nearby mountainous areas is mainly affected by temperature and precipitation.Based on observed annual mean temperature,annual precipitation,and runoff time-series datasets during 1958–2012 within the Kaidu River Basin,the synchronism of runoff response to climate change was analyzed and identified by applying several classic methods,including standardization methods,Kendall's W test,the sequential version of the Mann-Kendall test,wavelet power spectrum analysis,and the rescaled range(R/S) approach.The concordance of the nonlinear trend variations of the annual mean temperature,annual precipitation,and runoff was tested significantly at the 0.05 level by Kendall's W method.The sequential version of the Mann-Kendall test revealed that abrupt changes in annual runoff were synchronous with those of annual mean temperature.The periodic characteristics of annual runoff were mainly consistent with annual precipitation,having synchronous 3-year significant periods and the same 6-year,10-year,and 38-year quasi-periodicities.While the periodic characteristics of annual runoff in the Kaidu River Basin tracked well with those of annual precipitation,the abrupt changes in annual runoff were synchronous with the annual mean temperature,which directly drives glacier-and snow-melt processes.R/S analysis indicated that the annual mean temperature,annual precipitation,and runoff will continue to increase and remain synchronously persistent in the future.This work can improve the understanding of runoff response to regional climate change to provide a viable reference in the management of water resources in the Kaidu River Basin,a regional sustainable socio-economic development.     

1956-2000年云南红河流域径流的时空分布

This paper studies the variation of runoff of Red River Basin and discusses the influence of＂corridor-barrier＂functions of valleys and mountains on variation of runoff by using GIS and statistic methods based on the monthly precipitation,temperature and evaporation data from 1960 to 2000 at 32 meteorological stations in Red River Basin,and the annual runoff data of Yuanjiang River,Lixian River and Panlong River from 1956 to 2000.The results show out：（1）Under the effect of＂corridor-barrier＂functions of valleys and mountains in Red River Basin,the patterns of annual precipitation and runoff depth distribution in spatial change a NW-SE direction,which is similar with the trend of the Red River valley and Ailao mountains.（2）In the long temporal scale averaged over years,the most obvious effects of the＂corridor-barrier＂functions is on runoff variation,and the second is on the precipitation, but not obvious on the temperature.（3）Under the superposed effect of climate changes and the＂corridor-barrier＂functions of valleys and mountains in Red River Basin,the difference of runoff variation is obvious in the east-west direction：the runoff variation of Yuanjiang River along the Red River Fault present an ascending trend,but the Lixian River on the west side of the Fault and the Panlong River on the east present a descending trend;the annual runoff in Yuanjiang River and Panlong River had a quasi-5a periods,and Panlong River had a quasi-8a periods;the runoff variation are quite inconsistent in different periods among the three river basins.     

1976年以来珠穆朗玛峰地区冰川变化(英文)

Glaciers are one of the most important land covers in alpine regions and especially sensitive to global climate change.Remote sensing has proved to be the best method of investigating the extent of glacial variations in remote mountainous areas.Using Landsat thematic mapping(TM) and multi-spectral-scanner(MSS) images from Mt.Qomolangma(Everest) National Nature Preserve(QNNP),central high Himalayas for 1976,1988 and 2006,we derived glacial extent for these three periods.A combination of object-oriented image interpretation methods,expert knowledge rules and field surveys were employed.Results showed that(1) the glacial area in 2006 was 2710.17 ± 0.011 km2(about 7.41% of the whole study area),and located mainly to the south and between 4700 m to 6800 m above sea level;(2) from 1976 to 2006,glaciers reduced by 501.91 ± 0.035 km2 and glacial lakes expanded by 36.88 ± 0.035 km2;the rate of glacier retreat was higher in sub-basins on the southern slopes(16.79%) of the Himalayas than on the northern slopes(14.40%);most glaciers retreated,and mainly occurred at an elevation of 4700-6400 m,and the estimated upper limit of the retreat zone is between 6600 m and 6700 m;(3) increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation over the study period are the key factors driving retreat.     

Impacts of climate change on glacial water resources and hydrological cycles in the Yangtze River source region, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China: A Progress Report

The Yangtze River Source Region has an area of 137,704 km2.Its mean annual runoff of 12.52 billion m3,which was recorded by the Chumda Hydrological Station in 1961-2000,accounts for only 0.13 percent of the Yangtze River’s total annual streamflow.The extensive rivers,lakes,wetlands,glaciers,snow fields,and permafrost of the Yangtze River Source Region,as well as the region’s vast alpine grasslands,play a critical role in storing and regulating the flow of water not only in the upper Yangtze River watershed of Qinghai,Sichuan,the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) (Tibet) and Yunnan,but also throughout the entire lower Yangtze River basin.Climate change has been the dominant factor in recent fluctuation in the volume of the Yangtze River Source Region’s glacier resources.The Chumda Hydrological Station on the lower Tongtian River has registered a mean annual glacial meltwater of 1.13 billion m3 for the period 1961-2000,makes up 9 percent of the total annual runoff.Glacial meltwater makes up a significant percentage of streamflow in the Yangtze River Source Region,the major rivers of the upper Yangtze River Source Region:the Togto,Dam Chu,Garchu,and Bi Chu (Bu Chu) rivers all originate at large glaciers along the Tanggula Range.Glaciers in the Yangtze River Source Region are typical continental-type glaciers with most glacial meltwater flow occurring June-August;the close correlation between June-August river flows and temperature illustrates the important role of glacial meltwater in feeding rivers.Glaciers in the source region have undergone a long period of rapid ablation beginning in 1993.Examination of flow and temperature data for the 1961-2000 period shows that the annual melting period for glacial ice,snow,and frozen ground in the Yangtze River Source Region now begins earlier because of increasing spring temperatures,resulting in the reduction of summer flood season peak runoffs;meanwhile,increased rates of glacier ablation have resulted in more uneven annual distribution of runoff in the source region.T     

典型季风海洋型冰川流域水循环过程变化对气候变暖的响应(英文)

Studying the response to warming of hydrological systems in China’s temperate glacier region is essential in order to provide information required for sustainable development.The results indicated the warming climate has had an impact on the hydrological cycle.As the glacier area subject to melting has increased and the ablation season has become longer,the contribution of meltwater to annual river discharge has increased.The earlier onset of ablation at higher elevation glaciers has resulted in the period of minimum discharge occurring earlier in the year.Seasonal runoff variations are dominated by snow and glacier melt,and an increase of meltwater has resulted in changes of the annual water cycle in the Lijiang Basin and Hailuogou Basin.The increase amplitude of runoff in the downstream region of the glacial area is much stronger than that of precipitation,resulting from the prominent increase of meltwater from glacier region in two basins.Continued observations in the glacierized basins should be undertaken in order to monitor changes,to reveal the relationships between climate,glaciers,hydrology and water supplies,and to assist in maintaining sustainable regional development.     

Hydrological Characteristics of the Heihe River Basin in the Arid Inland Area of Northwest China

The hydrological characteristics of the Heihe River Basin in the arid inland area of northwest China were investigated.The spatial distribution of annual precipitation in the basin indicates that it decreases from east to west and from south to north,and increases with elevation by a gradient of 24.4 mm per hundred meters below 2,810 m a.s.l.,but decreases with elevation by that of 37.0 mm per hundred meters above 2,810 m a.s.l.For the last 50 years,the mountain runoff of the ba-sin has a tendency of increase.Except in the mountain area,the aridity is very high in the basin,and the aridity index ranges from 1.6 to 7.0 at the piedmont,to 9.0～20.0 in the midstream area and up to 40.0 in the downstream Ejin region.It is estimated for the last 50 years that a 1oC increment of annual temperature causes a 21.5 mm increase of evaporation in the mountain area,and the equivalent reduction of mountain runoff is 0.215×109 m3/yr at the Yingluoxia Hydrometric Sta-tion.The estimation shows also that a 1oC increment of annual temperature causes 1,842 mm increase of farmland evapotranspiration in the midstream area,an equivalent of 0.298×109 m3/yr more water consumption.The anthropogenic influence on the hydrological processes and water resources is then discussed.     

Climate transformation to warm-humid and its effect on river runoff in the source region of the Yellow River

The change characteristics and trends of the regional climate in the source region of the Yellow River, and the response of runoff to climate change, are analyzed based on observational data of air temperature, precipitation, and runoff at 10 main hydrological and weather stations in the region. Our results show that a strong signal of climate shift from warm-dry to warm-humid in the western parts of northwestern China （Xinjiang） and the western Hexi Corridor of Gansu Province occurred in the late 1980s, and a same signal of climate change occurred in the mid-2000s in the source region of the Yellow River located in the eastern part of northwestern China. This climate changeover has led to a rapid increase in rainfall and stream runoff in the latter region. In most of the years since 2004 the average annual precipitation in the source region of the Yellow River has been greater than the long-term average annual value, and after 2007 the runoff measured at all of the hydrologic sections on the main channel of the Yellow River in the source region has also consistently exceeded the long-term average annual because of rainfall increase. It is difficult to determine the prospects of future climate change until additional observations and research are conducted on the rate and temporal and spatial extents of climate change in the region. Nevertheless, we predict that the climate shift from warm-dry to warm-humid in the source region of the Yellow River is very likely to be in the decadal time scale, which means a warming and rainy climate in the source region of the Yellow River will continue in the coming decades.     

西北地区山区融雪期气候变化对径流量的影响(英文)

Water resources in the arid land of Northwest China mainly derive from snow and glacier melt water in mountainous areas. So the study on onset, cessation, length, tempera-ture and precipitation of snowmelt period is of great significance for allocating limited water resources reasonably and taking scientific water resources management measures. Using daily mean temperature and precipitation from 8 mountainous weather stations over the pe-riod 1960?2010 in the arid land of Northwest China, this paper analyzes climate change of snowmelt period and its spatial variations and explores the sensitivity of runoff to length, temperature and precipitation of snowmelt period. The results show that mean onset of snowmelt period has shifted 15.33 days earlier while mean ending date has moved 9.19 days later. Onset of snowmelt period in southern Tianshan Mountains moved 20.01 days earlier while that in northern Qilian Mountains moved only 10.16 days earlier. Mean precipitation and air temperature increased by 47.3 mm and 0.857℃ in the mountainous areas of Northwest China, respectively. The precipitation of snowmelt period increased the fastest, which is ob-served in southern Tianshan Mountains, up to 65 mm, and the precipitation and temperature in northern Kunlun Mountains increased the slowest, an increase of 25 mm and 0.617℃, respectively, while the temperature in northern Qilian Mountains increased the fastest, in-creasing by 1.05℃. The annual runoff is also sensitive to the variations of precipitation and temperature of snowmelt period, because variation of precipitation induces annual runoff change by 7.69% while change of snowmelt period temperature results in annual runoff change by 14.15%.