Permafrost and groundwater on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and in northeast China

Cheng, Guodong; Jin, Huijun

doi:10.1007/s10040-012-0927-2

Cited by 316 publications

(250 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…The increase in the depth of the active layer caused the upper soil layer to become drier; subsequently, these changes inhibit the growth of alpine meadow vegetation, which has shallow root systems [16]. Cheng and Jin also indicated that when permafrost is thawed or warmed to the melting point of water, (open) talik channels can be formed or enlarged and the recharge from surface waters and supra permafrost water will facilitate to deep groundwater, which will result in a decline in surface waters and the supra-permafrost water [31]. According to Figure 8, the variation in GSIEVI was sensitive to the active layer depth of 2.7 m, 3 m and 3.2 m. When the active layer depth dropped below 2.7 m but remained above 3 m (the depth of the yellow range in Figure 8), the thawing of permafrost caused moisture stress for shallow rooted plants due to a reduction in surficial moisture.…”

Section: Relationships Among Climate Change Permafrost Degradation mentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation Changes along the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Engineering Corridor Since 2000 Induced by Climate Change and Human Activities

2018

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Abstract:The Qinghai-Tibet (QT) Plateau Engineering Corridor is located in the hinterland of the QT Plateau, which is highly sensitive to global climate change. Climate change causes permafrost degradation, which subsequently affects vegetation growth. This study focused on the vegetation dynamics and their relationships with climate change and human activities in the region surrounding the QT Plateau Engineering Corridor. The vegetation changes were inferred by applying trend analysis, the Mann-Kendall trend test and abrupt change analysis. Six key regions, each containing 40 nested quadrats that ranged in size from 500 × 500 m to 20 × 20 km, were selected to determine the spatial scales of the impacts from different factors. Cumulative growing season integrated enhanced vegetation index (CGSIEVI) values were calculated for each of the nested quadrats of different sizes to indicate the overall vegetation state over the entire year at different spatial scales. The impacts from human activities, a sudden increase in precipitation and permafrost degradation were quantified at different spatial scales using the CGSIEVI values and meteorological data based on the double mass curve method. Three conclusions were derived. First, the vegetation displayed a significant increasing trend over 23.6% of the study area. The areas displaying increases were mainly distributed in the Hoh Xil. Of the area where the vegetation displayed a significant decreasing trend, 72.4% was made up of alpine meadows. Second, more vegetation, especially the alpine meadows, has begun to degenerate or experience more rapid degradation since 2007 due to permafrost degradation and overgrazing. Finally, an active layer depth of 3 m to 3.2 m represents a limiting depth for alpine meadows.

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Section: Relationships Among Climate Change Permafrost Degradation mentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation Changes along the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Engineering Corridor Since 2000 Induced by Climate Change and Human Activities

2018

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“…Jin et al (2013) found that spatial patterns and temporal trends of phenology were parallel with the corresponding soil physical conditions over the TP, and that 1 • C increase in soil temperature could advance the start of the growing season by 4.6-9.9 days. On the TP where a vast area of seasonally frozen (SFS) and permafrost (PFS) soil exists (Cheng and Jin, 2013), global warming induced frozen soil degradation (Cuo et al, 2015) could potentially affect litter decomposition and plant phenology .…”

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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“…This is especially true for the mountainous headwaters of large rivers. In these areas interactive processes between permafrost and groundwater influence water resource management, engineering construction, biogeochemical cycling, and downstream water supply and conservation (Cheng and Jin, 2013). Study of groundwater in permafrost areas has been prompted by the need for water supplies, problems associated with groundwater in mining, and construction of buildings, highways, railways, airfields and pipelines.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrological connectivity from glaciers to rivers in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau: roles of suprapermafrost and subpermafrost groundwater

Sun

et al. 2017

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. The roles of groundwater flow in the hydrological cycle within the alpine area characterized by permafrost and/or seasonal frost are poorly known. This study explored the role of permafrost in controlling groundwater flow and the hydrological connections between glaciers in high mountains and rivers in the low piedmont plain with respect to hydraulic head, temperature, geochemical and isotopic data, at a representative catchment in the headwater region of the Heihe River, northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The results show that the groundwater in the high mountains mainly occurred as suprapermafrost groundwater, while in the moraine and fluvioglacial deposits on the planation surfaces of higher hills, suprapermafrost, intrapermafrost and subpermafrost groundwater cooccurred. Glacier and snow meltwaters were transported from the high mountains to the plain through stream channels, slope surfaces, and supraand subpermafrost aquifers. Groundwater in the Quaternary aquifer in the piedmont plain was recharged by the lateral inflow from permafrost areas and the stream infiltration and was discharged as baseflow to the stream in the north. Groundwater maintained streamflow over the cold season and significantly contributed to the streamflow during the warm season. Two mechanisms were proposed to contribute to the seasonal variation of aquifer water-conduction capacity: (1) surface drainage through the stream channel during the warm period and (2) subsurface drainage to an artesian aquifer confined by stream icing and seasonal frost during the cold season.

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Permafrost and groundwater on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and in northeast China

Cited by 316 publications

References 31 publications

Vegetation Changes along the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Engineering Corridor Since 2000 Induced by Climate Change and Human Activities

Vegetation Changes along the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Engineering Corridor Since 2000 Induced by Climate Change and Human Activities

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

Hydrological connectivity from glaciers to rivers in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau: roles of suprapermafrost and subpermafrost groundwater

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