Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Hydrological Impacts of Deforestation on the Southeast Tibetan Plateau

Xuefeng Cui Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany; Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China; and Department of Geography, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom

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Hans-F. Graf University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom

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Baerbel Langmann Institute of Geophysics, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

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Wen Chen Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China

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Ronghui Huang Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China

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Print Publication:
01 Sep 2007
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/EI223.1
Page(s):
1–18
Restricted access

Abstract

The hydrological impact of forest removal on the southeast Tibetan Plateau during the second half of the last century is investigated in this study using an atmospheric general circulation model. The effects of deforestation are investigated by examining the differences between the forest replacement and control experiments. Model results demonstrate that deforestation of the southeast Tibetan Plateau would influence the local and the remote climate as well. It would lead to decreased transpiration and increased summer precipitation in the deforested area and a wetter and warmer climate on the Tibetan Plateau in summer. This may produce more runoff into the rivers originating from the Tibetan Plateau and worsen flooding disasters in the downstream areas. The numerical experiments also show that deforestation would remotely impact Asian climate, and even global climate, although the statistical significance is small. A strong drought is found at middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, where livelihoods and economics have suffered from recent droughts. Ecosystem research on the Tibetan Plateau is a relatively new topic and needs further interdisciplinary investigation.

* Corresponding author address: Xuefeng Cui, Department of Geography, University of Liverpool, Roxby Building, Liverpool L69 7ZT, United Kingdom. x.cui@liverpool.ac.uk

Abstract

The hydrological impact of forest removal on the southeast Tibetan Plateau during the second half of the last century is investigated in this study using an atmospheric general circulation model. The effects of deforestation are investigated by examining the differences between the forest replacement and control experiments. Model results demonstrate that deforestation of the southeast Tibetan Plateau would influence the local and the remote climate as well. It would lead to decreased transpiration and increased summer precipitation in the deforested area and a wetter and warmer climate on the Tibetan Plateau in summer. This may produce more runoff into the rivers originating from the Tibetan Plateau and worsen flooding disasters in the downstream areas. The numerical experiments also show that deforestation would remotely impact Asian climate, and even global climate, although the statistical significance is small. A strong drought is found at middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, where livelihoods and economics have suffered from recent droughts. Ecosystem research on the Tibetan Plateau is a relatively new topic and needs further interdisciplinary investigation.

* Corresponding author address: Xuefeng Cui, Department of Geography, University of Liverpool, Roxby Building, Liverpool L69 7ZT, United Kingdom. x.cui@liverpool.ac.uk

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