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Progress in studies on geographical environments of the Qinghai-Xiang plateau

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Abstract

The Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau area was subjected to twice uplift and planation in the Tertiary. Intense uplifting of the plateau area has given rise to drastic changes and differentiation of physical environment on the plateau and the surrounding area since 3.4 Ma B.P. Significant environmental changes with dry tendency in interior of the plateau had occurred during the last 150 ka B.P. By comparative study on several mountains of the plateau, two systems of the structure-type of the altitudinal belt are identified and nine groups are subdivided. A distribution model with close relevance to highland uplift effect has been generalized. A number of striking geo-ecological phenomen and their spatial pattern such as moisture corridor, dry valleys, high-cold meadow zone, and high-cold arid core area are investigated and discussed. Based on the thermal conditions, moisture regimes and variation in landforms of the plateau is sequentially demarcated. A tentative scheme of 2 temperature belts, 10 natural zones and 28 physical districts has been proposed not including southern slopes of the East Himalayas. The Qinghai-Xizang Plateau is sensitive to “green house effect”, showing close relation with global change. Characteristics of temperature and precipitation on the plateau during the last 2000 years, and response of glaciers, snow deposit and permafrost on the plateau to global change are dealt with in the present paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geography, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101, Beijing, P. R. China

    Zheng Du & Li Bingyuan

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  1. Zheng Du
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  2. Li Bingyuan
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Under the auspices of Chinese National Key Project for Basic Research (G1998040800) and CAS project on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau (KZ951 - A1 - 204, KZ95T - 06)

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Zheng, D., Li, B. Progress in studies on geographical environments of the Qinghai-Xiang plateau. Chin. Geograph.Sc. 9, 289–296 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-999-0001-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-999-0001-8

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