Spatial and temporal variation of runoff in the Yangtze River basin during the past 40 years

Xu, Jian; Yang, Dawen; Yi, Yujun; Lei, Zhidong; Chen, Jin; Yang, Wei

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2007.10.014

Cited by 128 publications

(78 citation statements)

References 19 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The YRB is generally characterized by a subtropical monsoon climate. The annual total precipitation in YRB is about 1070 mm, and the annual mean temperature is about 17 • C [29,30]. The Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration (YRDUA) is one of the most famous urban agglomerations in the world [31].…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Urbanization Effects on Vegetation and Surface Urban Heat Islands in China’s Yangtze River Basin

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:In the context of rapid urbanization, systematic research about temporal trends of urbanization effects (UEs) on urban environment is needed. In this study, MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) land surface temperature (LST) data and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) data were used to analyze the temporal trends of UEs on vegetation and surface urban heat islands (SUHIs) at 10 big cities in Yangtze River Basin (YRB), China during 2001-2016. The urban and rural areas in each city were derived from MODIS land cover data and nighttime light data. It was found that the UEs on vegetation and SUHIs were increasingly significant in YRB, China. The ∆EVI (the UEs on vegetation, urban EVI minus rural EVI) decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in 9, 7 and 5 out of 10 cities for annual, summer and winter, respectively. The annual daytime and nighttime SUHI intensity (SUHII; urban LST minus rural LST) increased significantly (p < 0.05) in 10 and 4 out of 10 cities, respectively. The increasing rate of daytime SUHII and the decreasing rate of ∆EVI in old urban areas were much less than the whole urban area (0.034 • C/year vs. 0.077 • C/year for annual daytime SUHII; 0.00209/year vs. 0.00329/year for ∆EVI). The correlation analyses indicated that the annual and summer daytime SUHII were significantly negatively correlated with ∆EVI in most cities. The decreasing ∆EVI may also contribute to the increasing nighttime SUHII. In addition, the significant negative correlations (r < −0.5, p < 0.1) between inter-annual linear slope of ∆EVI and SUHII were observed, which suggested that the cities with higher decreasing rates of ∆EVI may show higher increasing rates of SUHII.

show abstract

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Urbanization Effects on Vegetation and Surface Urban Heat Islands in China’s Yangtze River Basin

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These studies have important implications for future water resource availability as climate change continues and glaciers and permanent snow cover may be diminished under global warming. Xu et al (2008) analyzed the spatial-temporal variations of runoff during 1961-2000 in the Upper Yangtze River using a distributed hydrological model, and found that there were significantly decreasing trends for both precipitation and discharge in the autumn, but increasing trends in the summer. Because summer is the wet season and autumn is the dry season in the upper reaches of Yangtze River Basin, the increasing trends in the summers and decreasing trends in the autumn suggest both increased flood and drought risks.…”

Section: Effects Of Forest Change On Hydrology At Watershed Scalementioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of forest changes on hydrology: a case study of large watersheds in the upper reaches of Minjiang River watershed in China

Cui

Liu

Wei

2012

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Quantifying the effects of forest changes on hydrology in large watersheds is important for designing forest or land management and adaptation strategies for watershed ecosystem sustainability. Minjiang River watershed, located in the upper reach of the Yangtze River basin, plays a strategic role in the environmental protection and economic and social well-being for both the watershed and the entire Yangtze River basin. The watershed lies in the transition zone from Sichuan Basin to Qinghai-Tibet Plateau with a size of 24 000 km 2 . Due to its strategic significance, severe historic deforestation and high sensitivity to climate change, the watershed has long been recognized as one of the highest priority watersheds in China for scientific research and resource management. The purpose of this review paper is to provide a state-of-the-art summary on what we have learned from several recently completed research programs (one of them known as "973 of the China National Major Fundamental Science" from 2002 to 2008). This summary paper focused on how land cover or forest change affected hydrology at both forest stand and watershed scales in this large watershed. Inclusion of two different spatial scales is useful, because the results from a small spatial scale (e.g. forest stand level) can help interpret the findings on a large spatial scale. Our review suggests that historic forest harvesting or land cover change has caused significant water yield increase due to reduction of forest canopy interception and evapotranspiration caused by removal of forest vegetation on both spatial scales. The impact magnitude caused by forest harvesting indicates that the hydrological effects of forest or land cover changes can be as important as those caused by climate change, while the opposite impact directions suggest their offsetting effects on water yield in the Minjiang River watershed. In addition, different types of forests have different magnitudes of evapotranspiration (ET), with the lowest in old-growth natural coniferous forests (Abies faxoniana Rehd. et Wils.) and the highest in coniferous plantations (e.g. Picea asperata Mast.) among major forest types in the study watershed. This suggests that selection of different types of forests can have an important role in ET and consequently water yield. Our synthesis indicates that future reforestation and climate change would likely produce the hydrological effects in the same direction and thus place double the pressure on water resource as both key drivers may lead to water yield reduction. The findings can support designing management strategies for protection of watershed ecological functions in the context of future land cover and climate changes.

show abstract

“…In addition, studies have shown that summer precipitation, rainstorm frequency and flood discharges in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River exhibit a significant increasing trend with time [6,7]. In this regard, Li et al [8] report that the annual maximum flood stage and duration have been following a long-term increasing linear trend, due in part to removal of vegetation, reclamation of land, siltation, and the construction of levees [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of the Three Gorges Dam on the Hydrology and Ecology of the Yangtze River

Zhang

Dong

Gupta

et al. 2016

Water

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Construction and operation of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) has significantly altered the downstream hydrological regime along the Yangtze River, which has in turn affected the environment, biodiversity and morphological configuration, and human development. The ecological and environmental systems of the middle and lower Yangtze River have been affected adversely, with the ecosystems of Poyang Lake and its deltas being among the most damaged. Besides posing a potential threat to the survival of migrant birds and aquatic species, operation of the TGD has also affected the human population, particularly with respect to water and food security. Though the above mentioned effects have been studied in previous papers, a comprehensive discussion has never been conducted. This paper provides the first ever summary of the impacts of the TGD on the downstream reaches of the Yangtze River. The costs and benefits identified provide a constructive reference that can be used in decision-making for sustainable development of water resources in other nations, especially those in the developing world.

show abstract

Spatial and temporal variation of runoff in the Yangtze River basin during the past 40 years

Cited by 128 publications

References 19 publications

Urbanization Effects on Vegetation and Surface Urban Heat Islands in China’s Yangtze River Basin

Urbanization Effects on Vegetation and Surface Urban Heat Islands in China’s Yangtze River Basin

Impacts of forest changes on hydrology: a case study of large watersheds in the upper reaches of Minjiang River watershed in China

Impact of the Three Gorges Dam on the Hydrology and Ecology of the Yangtze River

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About