Abstract
From 1981 to 2010, the effects of climate change on evapotranspiration of the alpine ecosystem and the regional difference of effects in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) were studied based on the Lund-Potsdam-Jena dynamic vegetation model and data from 80 meteorological stations. Changes in actual evapotranspiration (AET) and water balance in TP were analyzed. Over the last 30 years, climate change in TP was characterized by significantly increased temperature, slightly increased precipitation, and decreased potential evapotranspiration (PET), which was significant before 2000. AET exhibited increasing trends in most parts of TP. The difference between precipitation and AET decreased in the southeastern plateau and increased in the northwestern plateau. A decrease in atmospheric water demand will lead to a decreased trend in AET. However, AET in most regions increased because of increased precipitation. Increased precipitation was observed in 86% of the areas with increased AET, whereas decreased precipitation was observed in 73% of the areas with decreased AET.
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Foundation: The “Strategic Priority Research Program” of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.XDA05090304; Project for Public Service from Ministry of Environmental Protection of China, No.201009056; National Key Technology Research and Development Program, No.2009BAC61B05
Author: Yin Yunhe, Ph.D and Associate Professor, specialized in water and energy balance in land surface system and climate change.
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Yin, Y., Wu, S., Zhao, D. et al. Modeled effects of climate change on actual evapotranspiration in different eco-geographical regions in the Tibetan Plateau. J. Geogr. Sci. 23, 195–207 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-013-1003-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-013-1003-0