Observed Changes of Köppen Climate Zones Based on High-Resolution Data Sets in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Guan，Yanlong1,2; Cui，Wenhui1; Liu，Junguo1; Lu，Hongwei2; Jiang，Yelin3; Xue，Yuxuan2; Heiskanen，Janne4,5

2021-12-16

English

Southern University of Science and Technology[G02296302];Southern University of Science and Technology[G02296402];Chinese Academy of Sciences[XDA20060402];

Emerging and disappearing climate zones are frequently used to diagnose and project climate change. However, little attempt has been made to quantify shifts of climate zones in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) based on the high-resolution data sets. Our results show that highland climate was decreased substantially during 1961–2011 and were mainly replaced by boreal climate. We also found that the mean elevation of boreal and highland climate continues to rise, with obvious longitudinal geographical characteristics over the study period. Furthermore, we found that the climate spaces (a climate space defined as the volume of 10°C × 500 mm here) of both boreal and highland climate types tend to be warm and humid ones, which may provide more suitable climate conditions for species to maintain and promote diversity. Characterization of changes in QTP climate types deepens our understanding of regional climate and its biological impacts.

10.1029/2021GL096159

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS

48

23

0094-8276

SCI ; EI

First ; Corresponding

2-s2.0-85121039947

Scopus

WOS:000730019700012

20215011328901

Atmospheric Properties:443.1

1944-8007

NI Journal Papers

GEOSCIENCES

1.School of Environmental Science and Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,China
2.Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Process,Institute of Geographic Science and Natural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Science,Beijing,China
3.Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,University of Connecticut,Storrs,United States
4.Department of Geosciences and Geography,University of Helsinki,Helsinki,Finland
5.Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research,Faculty of Science,University of Helsinki,Helsinki,Finland

Guan，Yanlong,Cui，Wenhui,Liu，Junguo,et al. Observed Changes of Köppen Climate Zones Based on High-Resolution Data Sets in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. 2021-12-16.