Characteristics and changes of streamflow on the Tibetan Plateau: A review

Cuo, Lan; Zhang, Yongxin; Zhu, Fuxin; Liang, Lina

doi:10.1016/j.ejrh.2014.08.004

Cited by 104 publications

(110 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Therefore, there are more snowmelt contributions to total river streamflow with global warming during the period 1983-2006. It is a general picture of hydrological regimes in high-altitude and cold regions Cuo et al, 2014), which could be interpreted from the perspective of multi-source datasets in the data-sparse TP.…”

Section: Et Evaluation and General Hydrological Characteristics Of 18mentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating water budget dynamics in 18 river basins across the Tibetan Plateau through multiple datasets

Liu

Sun

et al. 2018

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. The dynamics of basin-scale water budgets over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are not well understood nowadays due to the lack of in situ hydro-climatic observations. In this study, we investigate the seasonal cycles and trends of water budget components (e.g. precipitation P , evapotranspiration ET and runoff Q) in 18 TP river basins during the period 1982-2011 through the use of multi-source datasets (e.g. in situ observations, satellite retrievals, reanalysis outputs and land surface model simulations). A water balancebased two-step procedure, which considers the changes in basin-scale water storage on the annual scale, is also adopted to calculate actual ET. The results indicated that precipitation (mainly snowfall from mid-autumn to next spring), which are mainly concentrated during June-October (varied among different monsoons-impacted basins), was the major contributor to the runoff in TP basins. The P , ET and Q were found to marginally increase in most TP basins during the past 30 years except for the upper Yellow River basin and some sub-basins of Yalong River, which were mainly affected by the weakening east Asian monsoon. Moreover, the aridity index (PET/P ) and runoff coefficient (Q/P ) decreased slightly in most basins, which were in agreement with the warming and moistening climate in the Tibetan Plateau. The results obtained demonstrated the usefulness of integrating multi-source datasets to hydrological applications in the data-sparse regions. More generally, such an approach might offer helpful insights into understanding the water and energy budgets and sustainability of water resource management practices of data-sparse regions in a changing environment.

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Section: Et Evaluation and General Hydrological Characteristics Of 18mentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating water budget dynamics in 18 river basins across the Tibetan Plateau through multiple datasets

Liu

Sun

et al. 2018

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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“…The QTP is characterized by high elevations and a cold climate. Consequently, cryospheric processes have great impacts on its hydrological processes Cuo et al, 2014). The thickness of permafrost on the QTP varies from 1 to 130 m, and the temperature ranges between −0.5 and −3.5 • C .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The QTP is known as Asia's water tower, and runoff changes on the plateau have significant impacts on water security in downstream regions (Immerzeel et al, 2010); hence, such changes have attracted considerable attention in recent years (Cuo et al, 2014). The QTP is characterized by high elevations and a cold climate.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Change in frozen soils and its effect on regional hydrology, upper Heihe basin, northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

et al. 2018

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Abstract. Frozen ground has an important role in regional hydrological cycles and ecosystems, particularly on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP), which is characterized by high elevations and a dry climate. This study modified a distributed, physically based hydrological model and applied it to simulate long-term changes in frozen ground its the effects on hydrology in the upper Heihe basin, northeastern QTP. The model was validated against data obtained from multiple ground-based observations. Based on model simulations, we analyzed spatiotemporal changes in frozen soils and their effects on hydrology. Our results show that the area with permafrost shrank by 8.8 % (approximately 500 km 2 ), predominantly in areas with elevations between 3500 and 3900 m. The maximum depth of seasonally frozen ground decreased at a rate of approximately 0.032 m decade −1 , and the active layer thickness over the permafrost increased by approximately 0.043 m decade −1 . Runoff increased significantly during the cold season (November-March) due to an increase in liquid soil moisture caused by rising soil temperatures. Areas in which permafrost changed into seasonally frozen ground at high elevations showed especially large increases in runoff. Annual runoff increased due to increased precipitation, the base flow increased due to changes in frozen soils, and the actual evapotranspiration increased significantly due to increased precipitation and soil warming. The groundwater storage showed an increasing trend, indicating that a reduction in permafrost extent enhanced the groundwater recharge.

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“…The surface conditions of the TP, such as snow cover, soil moisture and vegetation all affect the strength and evolution of the East Asian and South Asian monsoons (Reiter and Gao, 1982;Ye and We, 1998;Zhang et al, 2004;Qiu, 2008). It is also the headwater region of the major rivers in Asia (Cuo et al, 2014). In particular, the northern TP (NTP;(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(90)(91)(92)(93)(94)(95)(96)(97)(98)(99)(100)(101)(102)(103)(104)(105) • E) where the Yellow, Yangtze and Mekong Rivers originate, is crucially important in providing water and other ecosystem services to the plateau itself and the downstream regions hosting billions of population.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulated annual changes in plant functional types and their responses to climate change on the northern Tibetan Plateau

et al. 2016

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Abstract. Changes in plant functional types (PFTs) have important implications for both climate and water resources. Still, little is known about whether and how PFTs have changed over the past decades on the northern Tibetan Plateau (NTP) where several of the top largest rivers in the world are originated. Also, the relative importance of atmospheric conditions vs. soil physical conditions in affecting PFTs is unknown on the NTP. In this study, we used the improved Lund-Potsdam-Jena Dynamic Global Vegetation Model to investigate PFT changes through examining the changes in foliar projective coverages (FPCs) during 1957-2009 and their responses to changes in root zone soil temperature, soil moisture, air temperature, precipitation and CO 2 concentrations. The results show spatially heterogeneous changes in FPCs across the NTP during 1957-2009, with 34 % (13 %) of the region showing increasing (decreasing) trends. Dominant drivers responsible for the observed FPC changes vary with regions and vegetation types, but overall, precipitation is the major factor in determining FPC changes on the NTP with positive impacts. Soil temperature increase exhibits small but negative impacts on FPCs. Different responses of individual FPCs to regionally varying climate change result in spatially heterogeneous patterns of vegetation changes on the NTP. The implication of the study is that fresh water resources in one of the world's largest and most important headwater basins and the onset and intensity of Asian monsoon circulations could be affected because of the changes in FPCs on the NTP.

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Characteristics and changes of streamflow on the Tibetan Plateau: A review

Cited by 104 publications

References 57 publications

Investigating water budget dynamics in 18 river basins across the Tibetan Plateau through multiple datasets

Investigating water budget dynamics in 18 river basins across the Tibetan Plateau through multiple datasets

Change in frozen soils and its effect on regional hydrology, upper Heihe basin, northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Simulated annual changes in plant functional types and their responses to climate change on the northern Tibetan Plateau

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