Characteristics of the change of major lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the last 25 years

Shao, Zhaogang; Xiangang, Meng; Zhu, Di‐Cheng; Zheng, D.; Zi-jiang, Qiao; Yang, Chaobin; Han, Jiayu; Yu, Jingshan; Meng, Qingquan; Rong-ping, L

doi:10.1007/s11707-008-0038-5

Cited by 38 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…It receives inflow from a river to the west and flows northeastwards to the Yellow River. Figure 4c [4,6,7]. Since June 2004, the local government imposed a measure to protect the grassland in this region [41].…”

Section: (I) Lakes With Varying Lake Level Trendsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-Decadal Monitoring of Lake Level Changes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau by the TOPEX/Poseidon-Family Altimeters: Climate Implication

et al. 2016

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Lake levels in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) provide valuable records for climate change studies. We use two decades of measurements (January 1993-December 2014) from the TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P)-family satellite altimeters (T/P, Jason-1 and -2) to detect lake level variations at 23 lakes along their repeat ground tracks every 10 days. We employ an optimal processing technique to obtain quality measurements, including outlier detection, averaging and filtering. The lake level accuracies are improved by subwaveform retracking. Jason-1 delivers few measurements after waveform retracking and a cluster classification at most lakes. From January 1993 to December 2014, most lake levels in eastern Tibet rose, while those in western Tibet declined. In Qinghai, lake levels dropped before 2005 and then rose afterwards, coinciding with the measure in 2005 that protects the Qinghai ecosystem (e.g., grassland conservation). The overall pattern of lake level change in the QTP is largely affected by monsoons and lake locations. Most lake levels show clear annual and inter-annual oscillations. Certain lakes show alternating level highs and lows in the same seasons and varying amplitudes of annual oscillations due to lake level changes. We detect a sudden rise of lake level by 7 m caused by floods, varying lake level trends associated with the 1997-98 El Niño and other factors, and persistently rising and declining lake levels associated with the long-term precipitation trends in the QTP. The T/P-family satellites will continue to monitor lake levels here as long as the sea level monitoring program lasts, collecting a long-term climate record at highlands echoing sea level change.

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Section: (I) Lakes With Varying Lake Level Trendsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-Decadal Monitoring of Lake Level Changes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau by the TOPEX/Poseidon-Family Altimeters: Climate Implication

et al. 2016

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“…Bangong Co is mainly recharged by runoff, and the decreased precipitation and increased temperature have led to a decrease in lake area (Shao et al, 2007).…”

Section: Analysis Of the Reasons For Lake Changesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in inland lakes on the Tibetan Plateau over the past 40 years

et al. 2016

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Inland lakes and alpine glaciers are important water resources on the Tibetan Plateau. Understanding their variation is crucial for accurate evaluation and prediction of changes in water supply and for retrieval and analysis of climatic information. Data from previous research on 35 alpine lakes on the Tibetan Plateau were used to investigate changes in lake water level and area. In terms of temporal changes, the area of the 35 alpine lakes could be divided into five groups: rising, falling-rising, rising-falling, fluctuating, and falling. In terms of spatial changes, the area of alpine lakes in the Himalayan Mountains, the Karakoram Mountains, and the Qaidam Basin tended to decrease; the area of lakes in the Naqu region and the Kunlun Mountains increased; and the area of lakes in the Hoh Xil region and Qilian Mountains fluctuated. Changes in lake water level and area were correlated with regional changes in climate. Reasons for changes in these lakes on the Tibetan Plateau were analyzed, including precipitation and evaporation from meteorological data, glacier meltwater from the Chinese glacier inventories. Several key problems, e.g. challenges of monitoring water balance, limitations to glacial area detection, uncertainties in detecting lake water-level variations and variable region boundaries of lake change types on the Tibetan Plateau were discussed. This research has most indicative significance to regional climate change.

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“…It has been concluded that the major mechanism for drying water bodies in no-permafrost zone was decreased water balance in a warming climate (Klein et al 2005). The shrunk and split of Gyaring Hu, Ngoring Hu, Xinxinhai, Xinsuhai, Duogcuorengiang, Mitijiangmuco, Rumchanco and Wupuemoco Lake in the Tibetan Plateau could be applied to validate the mechanism (Guo et al 2003;Bian et al 2006;Shao et al 2007;Li et al 2008;Wu et al 2008;Niu et al 2008). There also observed a spatially patchy process related to permafrost distribution rather than a direct climatic mechanism such as increased evaporation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changing inland lakes responding to climate warming in Northeastern Tibetan Plateau

et al. 2011

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The main portion of Tibetan Plateau has experienced statistically significant warming over the past 50 years, especially in cold seasons. This paper aims to identify and characterize the dynamics of inland lakes that located in the hinterland of Tibetan Plateau responding to climate change. We compared satellite imageries in late 1970s and early 1990s with recent to inventory and track changes in lakes after three decades of rising temperatures in the region. It showed warm and dry trend in climate with significant accelerated increasing annual mean temperature over the last 30 years, however, decreasing periodically annual precipitation and no obvious trend in potential evapotranspiration during the same period. Our analysis indicated widespread declines in inland lake's abundance and area in the whole origin of the Yellow River and southeastern origin of the Yangtze River. In contrast, the western and northern origin of the Yangtze River revealed completely reverse change. The regional lake surface area decreased by 11,499 ha or 1.72% from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, and increased by 6,866 ha or 1.04% from the early 1990s to 2004. Shrinking inland lakes may become a common feature in the discontinuous permafrost regions as a consequence of warming climate and thawing permafrost. Furthermore, obvious expanding were found in continuous permafrost regions due to climate warming and glacier retreating. The results may provide information for the scientific recognition of the responding events to the climate change recorded by the inland lakes.

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Characteristics of the change of major lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the last 25 years

Abstract: On

Cited by 38 publications

References 2 publications

Multi-Decadal Monitoring of Lake Level Changes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau by the TOPEX/Poseidon-Family Altimeters: Climate Implication

Multi-Decadal Monitoring of Lake Level Changes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau by the TOPEX/Poseidon-Family Altimeters: Climate Implication

Changes in inland lakes on the Tibetan Plateau over the past 40 years

Changing inland lakes responding to climate warming in Northeastern Tibetan Plateau

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