Glacier change and glacier runoff variation in the Tuotuo River basin, the source region of Yangtze River in western China

AbstractPrecipitation forecasts from the ECMWF model from March to September during 2015–2018 were evaluated using observed precipitation at 2411 stations from the China Meteorological Administration. To eliminate the influence of varying climatology in different regions in China, the Stable Equitable Error in Probability Space method was used to obtain criteria for 3-h and 6-h accumulated precipitation at each station and classified precipitation into light, medium, and heavy precipitation. The model was evaluated for these categories using categorical and continuous methods. The threat score and the equitable threat score showed that the model’s forecasts of rainfall were generally more accurate at shorter lead times, and the best performance occurred in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Basin. The miss ratio for heavy precipitation was higher in the northern region than in the southern region, while heavy precipitation false alarms were more frequent in the southwestern China. Overall, the miss ratio and false alarm ratio for heavy precipitation were highest in northern China and western China, respectively. For light and medium precipitation, the model performed best in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Basin. The model predicted too much light and medium precipitation, but too little heavy precipitation. Heavy precipitation was generally underestimated over all of China, especially in the western region of China, South China, and the Yungui Plateau. Heavy precipitation was systematically underestimated because of the resolution and the related parametrization of convection.

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Camera-trapping survey of the diversity of mammals and birds in the Tuotuo River basin of the source region of the Yangtze River

Biodiversity Science ◽

10.17520/biods.2020086 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 28 (9) ◽

pp. 1132-1140

Author(s):

Dong Wang ◽

Yaqiong Wan ◽

Shizhao Wang ◽

Jiaping Chen ◽

Tong Wu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

River Basin ◽

Yangtze River ◽

Source Region ◽

Camera Trapping ◽

The Yangtze River

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Summertime runoff variations and their connections with Asian summer monsoons in the Yangtze River basin

Journal of Water and Climate Change ◽

10.2166/wcc.2017.142 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 89-100 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jian Tang ◽

Qingyun Li ◽

Jin Chen

Keyword(s):

River Basin ◽

Yangtze River ◽

Yangtze River Basin ◽

Source Region ◽

Wavelet Coherence ◽

The Yangtze River ◽

The Yangtze River Basin ◽

Asian Summer ◽

Wavelet Coherence Analysis ◽

Phase Relationships

Abstract Research on the summertime runoff variations and their connections with Asian summer monsoons can give insights for explanation of the hydrological processes and climate change in the Yangtze River basin. Currently, regional studies are focused on the relationships between Asian summer monsoons and meteorological elements. However, research on the runoff variations and their connections to Asian summer monsoons is still scarce. With the help of continuous wavelet transform, cross-wavelet, and wavelet coherence analysis methods, this research explored multiscale summertime runoff variations and their connections with Asian summer monsoons during 1957–2012 in the Yangtze River basin. The results indicate that periodical characteristics of summertime runoff along the mainstream of the Yangtze River basin have distinct differences. Upstream flow is characterized by interannual (1- to 3-year), and downstream by decadal (7- to 10-year) oscillations over certain time periods. In the source region, summertime runoff is primarily influenced by the South Asian summer monsoons (SASM), and mainly in-phase relationships are detected between the summertime runoff and SASM indices. In the midstream and downstream regions, summertime runoff is primarily influenced by the East Asian summer monsoons (EASM), and mainly anti-phase relationships are detected between the summertime runoff and EASM indices.

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Projection of glacier runoff in Yarkant River basin and Beida River basin, Western China

Hydrological Processes ◽

10.1002/hyp.8373 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 26 (18) ◽

pp. 2773-2781 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Shiqiang Zhang ◽

Xin Gao ◽

Xiaowen Zhang ◽

Stefan Hagemann

Keyword(s):

River Basin ◽

Western China ◽

Glacier Runoff

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The Spatial-Temporal Variation Characteristics of Natural Vegetation Drought in the Yangtze River Source Region, China

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041613 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1613

Author(s):

Jun Yin ◽

Zhe Yuan ◽

Ting Li

Keyword(s):

River Basin ◽

Temperature Rise ◽

Yangtze River ◽

Drought Index ◽

Source Region ◽

Natural Vegetation ◽

Drought Risk ◽

Drought Duration ◽

Essential Information ◽

Drought Duration And Severity

In the context of climate change, ecosystem in Yangtze River Source Region (YRSR) is under threat from severe droughts. This study introduced a new natural vegetation drought index, standardized supply-demand water index (SSDI), and identified natural vegetation drought events and parameters (e.g., duration, severity, peak, and coverage area) based on run theory. Then the drought-prone regions were investigated via 2-dimensional joint copula. The results indicate that (1) compared with traditional meteorological drought index, the SSDI is reliable and can reflect the comprehensive characteristics of the ecological drought information more easily and effectively; (2) the YRSR had witnessed the most severe drought episodes in the periods of late-1970s, mid-1980s, and mid-1990s, but the SSDI showed a wetting trend since the mid-2000s. Additionally, droughts in the Southern YRSR were relatively more severe with longer drought duration; (3) in most areas of Togton River Basin and Dam River Basin, the severe ecological drought events occurred more frequently; (4) drought duration and severity in the YRSR were more susceptible to temperature when the temperature rise was above 1.0 °C. The average drought duration and severity increased by 20.7% and 32.6% with a temperature rise of 1 °C. Investigating and evaluating drought characteristics, causes, and drought index effectiveness provide essential information for balanced water resource allocation, utilization, and drought prevention. Understanding these spatial-temporal characteristics of drought and return period was useful for drought risk assessment and sustainable development of water resources.

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Estimation of glacier runoff and future trends in the Yangtze River source region, China

Journal of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/002214309788608778 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 55 (190) ◽

pp. 353-362 ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

Liu Shiyin ◽

Zhang Yong ◽

Zhang Yingsong ◽

Ding Yongjian

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

River Runoff ◽

Yangtze River ◽

Source Region ◽

Late Summer ◽

Early Summer ◽

Climate Change Scenarios ◽

The Yangtze River ◽

Glacier Runoff ◽

The Impact

AbstractGlacier runoff from the Yangtze River source region (YRSR), China, is estimated for the period 1961–2000 using a degree-day approach. In the investigation area, glacier runoff accounts for 11.0% of the total river runoff during the period 1961–2000. In the 1990s its contribution to river runoff rises to 17.0%. Due to the current rate of glacier decline, the impact of glacier runoff on river runoff has recently increased in the source region. Based on two different climate-change scenarios derived from ECHAM5/MPI-OM, future glacier runoff is assessed for the period 2001–50. In all climate-change scenarios, annual glacier runoff shows a significant increase due to intensified ice melting. There is an increase in glacier runoff during spring and early summer, yet a significant decrease in late summer. This study highlights the current and future impact of glacier runoff on river runoff in the YRSR.

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