Long-term variations in runoff of the Syr Darya River Basin under climate change and human activities

In this study,we analyzed the hydrological and meteorological data from the Syr Darya River Basin during the period of 1930–2015 to investigate variations in river runoff and the impacts of climate change and human activities on river runoff.The Syr Darya River,which is supplied by snow and glacier meltwater upstream,is an important freshwater source for Central Asia,as nearly half of the population is concentrated in this area.River runoff in this arid region is sensitive to climate change and human activities.Therefore,estimation of the climatic and hydrological changes and the quantification of the impacts of climate change and human activities on river runoff are of great concern and important for regional water resources management.The long-term trends of hydrological time series from the selected 11 hydrological stations in the Syr Darya River Basin were examined by non-parametric methods,including the Pettitt change point test and Mann-Kendall trend tests.It was found that 8 out of 11 hydrological stations showed significant downward trends in river runof f.Change of river runoff variations occurred in the year around 1960.Moreover,during the study period(1930–2015),annual mean temperature,annual precipitation,and annual potential evapotranspiration in the river basin increased substantially.We employed hydrological sensitivity method to evaluate the impacts of climate change and human activities on river runoff based on precipitation and potential evapotranspiration.It was estimated that human activities accounted for over 82.6%–98.7%of the reduction in river runoff,mainly owing to water withdrawal for irrigation purpose.The observed variations in river runoff can subsequently lead to adverse ecological consequences from an ecological and regional water resources management perspective.     

Spatial-temporal dynamics of desert vegetation and its responses to climatic variations over the last three decades:a case study of Hexi region in Northwest China

Analysis of spatial-temporal variations of desert vegetation under the background of climate changes can provide references for ecological restoration in arid and semi-arid areas.In this study,we used the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies(GIMMS)NDVI data from 1982 to 2006 and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)NDVI data from 2000 to 2013 to reveal the dynamics of desert vegetation in Hexi region of Northwest China over the past three decades.We also used the annual temperature and precipitation data acquired from the Chinese meteorological stations to analyze the response of desert vegetation to climatic variations.The average value of NDVImax(the maximum NDVI during the growing season)for desert vegetation in Hexi region increased at the rate of 0.65×10–3/a(P0.05)from 1982 to 2013,and the significant increases of NDVImax mainly appeared in the typical desert vegetation areas.Vegetation was significantly improved in the lower reaches of Shule and Shiyang river basins,and the weighted mean center of desert vegetation mainly shifted toward the lower reaches of the two basins.Almost 95.32% of the total desert vegetation area showed positive correlation between NDVImax and annual precipitation,indicating that precipitation is the key factor for desert vegetation growth in the entire study area.Moreover,the areas with non-significant positive correlation between NDVImax and annual precipitation mainly located in the lower reaches of Shiyang and Shule river basins,this may be due to human activities.Only 7.64% of the desert vegetation showed significant positive correlation between NDVImax and annual precipitation in the Shule River Basin(an extremely arid area),indicating that precipitation is not the most important factor for vegetation growth in this basin,and further studies are needed to investigate the mechanism for this phenomenon.     

Land use and cover change and influencing factor analysis in the Shiyang River Basin,China

Land use and cover change(LUCC) is the most direct manifestation of the interaction between anthropological activities and the natural environment on Earth’s surface, with significant impacts on the environment and social economy. Rapid economic development and climate change have resulted in significant changes in land use and cover. The Shiyang River Basin, located in the eastern part of the Hexi Corridor in China, has undergone significant climate change and LUCC over the past few decades. In...     

Response of hydrological drought to meteorological drought in the eastern Mediterranean Basin of Turkey

The hydrographic eastern Mediterranean Basin of Turkey is a drought sensitive area. The basin is an important agricultural area and it is necessary to determine the extent of extreme regional climatic changes as they occur in this basin. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to show the correlation between standardized precipitation index(SPI) and standardized streamflow index(SSI) values on different time scales. Data from five meteorological stations and seven stream gauging stations in four sub-basins of the eastern Mediterranean Basin were analyzed over the period from 1967 to 2017. The correlation between SSI and SPI indicated that in response to meteorological drought, hydrological drought experiences a one-year delay then occurs in the following year. This is more evident at all stations from the mid-1990 s. The main factor causing hydrological drought is prolonged low precipitation or the presence of a particularly dry year. Results showed that over a long period(12 months), hydrological drought is longer and more severe in the upper part than the lower part of the sub-basins. According to SPI-12 values, an uninterrupted drought period is observed from 2002–2003 to 2008–2009. Results indicated that among the drought events, moderate drought is the most common on all timescales in all sub-basins during the past 51 years. Long-term dry periods with moderate and severe droughts are observed for up to 10 years or more since the late 1990 s, especially in the upper part of the sub-basins. As precipitation increases in late autumn and early winter, the stream flow also increases and thus the highest and most positive correlation values(0.26–0.54) are found in January. Correlation values(ranging between –0.11 and –0.01) are weaker and negative in summer and autumn due to low rainfall. This is more evident at all stations in September. The relation between hydrological and meteorological droughts is more evident, with the correlation values above 0.50 on longer timescales(12-and 24-months). The results presented in this study allow an understanding of the characteristics of drought events and are instructive for overcoming drought. This will facilitate the development of strategies for the appropriate management of water resources in the eastern Mediterranean Basin, which has a high agricultural potential.     

Variations of precipitation characteristics during the period 1960–2014 in the Source Region of the Yellow River,China

Precipitation, a natural feature of weather systems in the Earth, is vitally important for the environment of any region. Under global climate change condition, the characteristics of precipitation have changed as a consequence of enhanced global hydrological cycle. The source region of the Yellow River(SRYR), locating within the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is sensitive to the global climate change due to its complex orography and fragile ecosystem. To understand the precipitation characteristics and its impacts on the environment in the region, we studied the characteristics of rainy days and precipitation amount of different precipitation classes, such as light(0–5 and 5–10 mm), moderate(10–15, 15–20 and 20–25 mm) and heavy(≥25 mm) rains by analyzing the precipitation data of typical meteorological stations in the SRYR during the period 1961–2014, as well as the trends of persistent rainfall events and drought events. Results showed that annual average precipitation in this area had a non-significant(P>0.05) increasing trend, and 82.5% of the precipitation occurred from May to September. Rainy days of the 0–5 mm precipitation class significantly decreased, whereas the rainy days of 5–10, 10–15, and 20–25 mm precipitation classes increased and that of ≥25 mm precipitation class decreased insignificantly. The persistent rainfall events of 1-or 2-day and more than 2-day showed an increasing trend, with the 1-or 2-day events being more frequent. Meanwhile, the number of short drought periods(≤10 days) increased while long drought periods(>10 days) decreased. Since the 0–5 mm precipitation class had a huge impact on the grasslands productivity; the 5–10, 10–15, and 20–25 mm precipitation classes had positive effects on vegetation which rely on the deep soil water through moving nutrients and water into the root zone of these vegetation or through the plant-microbe interactions; the ≥25 mm precipitation class contributed to the floods; and more persistent rainfall events and fewer long drought events inferred positive effects on agriculture. Thus, these results indicate grassland degradation, less risk of floods, and the upgrading impact of climate change on agriculture. This study may provide scientific knowledge for policymakers to sustain the eco-environmental resources in the SYSR.     

Periodical characteristics of baseflow in the source region of the Yangtze River

Baseflow,which represents the drainage of groundwater aquifers,is an essential component of runoff in hydrological basins.In the source region of the Yangtze River,the change of baseflow typically reflects the interactions between groundwater system and climatic factors in cold and arid areas.With modified Kalinen separation method,annual baseflow between 1957 and 2009 in this region was estimated and calculated.In comparison with the inner-annual variations of total streamflow,baseflow showed a weaker fluctuation.Before the 1980s,it was in a steady state;and after then,it demonstrated dramatic variations and large amplitudes.Based on the calculation results of baseflow,the real Morlet wavelet method was applied to reveal the periodical characteristics of baseflow as well as the precipitation and air temperature in the study area.It was found that annual baseflow has a 43-year trend as well as a 21-year period and a 7-year period.The 21-year period is most significant,with its wavelet coefficient having the largest fluctuation and amplitude.Summation of wavelet coefficients on these periods exhibits a similar change pattern with respect to that of annual baseflow.The summation curve takes a"W"shape,which means that the baseflow follows a four-stage sequence of descending–ascending–descending–ascending.As analyzed,the relationship among baseflow,precipitation and temperature is implied in the correlation between their normalized wavelet coefficients at different temporal scales.By the significant positive linear correlations both between precipitation and baseflow(correlation coefficient is 0.98)and between temperature and baseflow(correlation coefficient is 0.90)for the 43-year wavelet coefficients,it is suggested that the long-term increasing trends of precipitation and air temperature will lead to an increasing trend of baseflow.For wavelet coefficients of 21-year and 7-year periods,the positive linear correlation between precipitation and baseflow is significant.However,the correlation between air temperature and baseflow is not so evident,especially for the 21-year period.As a conclusion, correlation analysis with normalized wavelet coefficients showed that the change of annual baseflow was contributed mostly by the change of precipitation and secondly by the change of temperature.     

Sensitivity and vulnerability of water resources in the arid Shiyang River Basin of Northwest China

The sensitivity and vulnerability of water resources to climate change is difficult to assess. In this study, we used a conceptual hydrologic model to investigate the sensitivity of streamflow to climate change. We also proposed a framework to evaluate the vulnerability of water resources in arid regions. We applied this framework to a case study of the Shiyang River Basin in Northwest China. Results showed that the precipitation and streamflow in Shiyang River Basin exhibited no significant trends of change from 1956 to 2010. In the past five decades, however, the temperature increased significantly by 0.37°C per decade. According to the sensitivity assessment, a 10% increase in precipitation and a 1°C increase in temperature altered mean annual streamflow by averages of 14.6% and –0.5%, respectively, from 1988 to 2005. In the 2000s, the calculated vulnerability of water resources in Shiyang River Basin was more than 0.95, indicating severe vulnerability. The increase in the amount of precipitation and the implementation of water-saving measures can reduce the vulnerability of water resources in the future; if precipitation increases by 10% per decade and the use of irrigation water decreases by 15% in the 2030s, the evaluated value of water resources vulnerability will be reduced to 0.79. However, the region remains highly vulnerable. The proposed framework for vulnerability assessment can be applied to the arid regions in Northwest China, and the results of our efforts can identify adaptation strategies and improve the management of water resources in such regions.     

Drought monitoring and reliability evaluation of the latest TMPA precipitation data in the Weihe River Basin,Northwest China

The high resolution satellite precipitation products bear great potential for large-scale drought monitoring, especially for those regions with sparsely or even without gauge coverage. This study focuses on utilizing the latest Version-7 TRMM Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis(TMPA 3B42V7) data for drought condition monitoring in the Weihe River Basin(0.135×106 km2). The accuracy of the monthly TMPA 3B42V7 satellite precipitation data was firstly evaluated against the ground rain gauge observations. The statistical characteristics between a short period data series(1998–2013) and a long period data series(1961–2013) were then compared. The TMPA 3B42V7-based SPI(Standardized Precipitation Index) sequences were finally validated and analyzed at various temporal scales for assessing the drought conditions. The results indicate that the monthly TMPA 3B42V7 precipitation is in a high agreement with the rain gauge observations and can accurately capture the temporal and spatial characteristics of rainfall within the Weihe River Basin. The short period data can present the characteristics of long period record, and it is thus acceptable to use the short period data series to estimate the cumulative probability function in the SPI calculation. The TMPA 3B42V7-based SPI matches well with that based on the rain gauge observations at multiple time scales(i.e., 1-, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month) and can give an acceptable temporal distribution of drought conditions. It suggests that the TMPA 3B42V7 precipitation data can be used for monitoring the occurrence of drought in the Weihe River Basin.     

Impact of climate change on the streamflow in the glacierized Chu River Basin,Central Asia

Catchments dominated by meltwater runoff are sensitive to climate change as changes in precipitation and temperature inevitably affect the characteristics of glaciermelt/snowmelt, hydrologic circle and water resources. This study simulated the impact of climate change on the runoff generation and streamflow of Chu River Basin(CRB), a glacierized basin in Central Asia using the enhanced Soil and Water Assessment Tool(SWAT). The model was calibrated and validated using the measured monthly streamflow data from three discharge gauge stations in CRB for the period 1961–1985 and was subsequently driven by downscaled future climate projections of five Global Circulation Models(GCMs) in Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 5(CMIP5) under three radiative forcing scenarios(RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). In this study, the period 1966–1995 was used as the baseline period, while 2016–2045 and 2066–2095 as the near-future and far-future period, respectively. As projected, the climate would become warmer and drier under all scenarios in the future, and the future climate would be characterized by larger seasonal and annual variations under higher RCP. A general decreasing trend was identified in the average annual runoff in glacier(–26.6% to –1.0%), snow(–21.4% to +1.1%) and streamflow(–27.7% to –6.6%) for most of the future scenario periods. The projected maximum streamflow in each of the two future scenarios occurred one month earlier than that in the baseline period because of the reduced streamflow in summer months. Results of this study are expected to arouse the serious concern about water resource availability in the headwater region of CRB under the continuously warming climate. Changes in simulated hydrologic outputs underscored the significance of lowering the uncertainties in temperature and precipitation projection.     

Drought trend analysis in a semi-arid area of Iraq based on Normalized Difference Vegetation Index,Normalized Difference Water Index and Standardized Precipitation Index

Drought was a severe recurring phenomenon in Iraq over the past two decades due to climate change despite the fact that Iraq has been one of the most water-rich countries in the Middle East in the past.The Iraqi Kurdistan Region(IKR)is located in the north of Iraq,which has also suffered from extreme drought.In this study,the drought severity status in Sulaimaniyah Province,one of four provinces of the IKR,was investigated for the years from 1998 to 2017.Thus,Landsat time series dataset,including 40 images,were downloaded and used in this study.The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)and the Normalized Difference Water Index(NDWI)were utilized as spectral-based drought indices and the Standardized Precipitation Index(SPI)was employed as a meteorological-based drought index,to assess the drought severity and analyse the changes of vegetative cover and water bodies.The study area experienced precipitation deficiency and severe drought in 1999,2000,2008,2009,and 2012.Study findings also revealed a drop in the vegetative cover by 33.3%in the year 2000.Furthermore,the most significant shrinkage in water bodies was observed in the Lake Darbandikhan(LDK),which lost 40.5%of its total surface area in 2009.The statistical analyses revealed that precipitation was significantly positively correlated with the SPI and the surface area of the LDK(correlation coefficients of 0.92 and 0.72,respectively).The relationship between SPI and NDVI-based vegetation cover was positive but not significant.Low precipitation did not always correspond to vegetative drought;the delay of the effect of precipitation on NDVI was one year.     

Spatial distribution of δ~2H and δ~18O values in the hydrologic cycle of the Nile Basin

Existing δ2H and δ18O values for precipitation and surface water in the Nile Basin were used to analyze precipitation inputs and the influence of evaporation on the isotopic signal of the Nile River and its tributaries. The goal of the data analysis was to better understand basin processes that influence seasonal streamflow for the source waters of the Nile River, because climate and hydrologic models have continued to produce high uncertainty in the prediction of precipitation and streamflow in the Nile Basin. An evaluation of differences in precipitation δ2H and δ18O values through linear regression and distribution analysis indicate variation by region and season in the isotopic signal of precipitation across the Nile Basin. The White Nile Basin receives precipitation with a more depleted isotopic signal compared to the Blue Nile Basin. The hot temperatures of the Sahelian spring produce a greater evaporation signal in the precipitation isotope distribution compared to precipitation in the Sahara/Mediterranean region, which can be influenced by storms moving in from the Mediterranean Sea. The larger evaporative effect is reversed for the two regions in summer because of the cooling of the Sahel from inflow of Indian Ocean monsoon moisture that predominantly influences the climate of the Blue Nile Basin. The regional precipitation isotopic signals convey to each region's streamflow, which is further modified by additional evaporation according to the local climate. Isotope ratios for White Nile streamflow are significantly altered by evaporation in the Sudd, but this isotopic signal is minimized for streamflow in the Nile River during the winter, spring and summer seasons because of the flow dominance of the Blue Nile. During fall, the contribution from the White Nile may exceed that of the Blue Nile, and the heavier isotopic signal of the White Nile becomes apparent. The variation in climatic conditions of the Nile River Basin provides a means of identifying mechanistic processes through changes in isotope ratios of hydrogen and oxygen, which have utility for separating precipitation origin and the effect of evaporation during seasonal periods. The existing isotope record for precipitation and streamflow in the Nile Basin can be used to evaluate predicted streamflow in the Nile River from a changing climate that is expected to induce further changes in precipitation patterns across the Nile Basin.     

Streamflow responses to climate change and LUCC in a semi-arid watershed of Chinese Loess Plateau

Climate change and Land Use/Cover Change(LUCC) have been identified as two primary factors affecting watershed hydrological regime. This study analyzed the trends of streamflow, precipitation, air temperature and potential evapotranspiration(PET) from 1962 to 2008 in the Jihe watershed in northwestern Loess Plateau of China using the Mann-Kendall test. The streamflow responses to climate change and LUCC were quantified independently by the elasticity method. The results show that the streamflow presented a dramatic decline with a turning point occurred in 1971, while the precipitation and PET did not change significantly. The results also show that the temperature rose markedly especially since 1990 s with an approximate increase of 1.74°C over the entire research period(1962–2008). Using land use transition matrix, we found that slope cropland was significantly converted to terrace between 1970 s and 1990 s and that forest cover increased relatively significantly because of the Grain for Green Project after 2000. The streamflow reduction was predominantly caused by LUCC and its contribution reached up to 90.2%, while the contribution of climate change to streamflow decline was only 9.8%. Although the analytical results between the elasticity method and linear regression model were not satisfactorily consistent, they both indicated that LUCC(human activity) was the major factor causing streamflow decline in the Jihe watershed from 1962 to 2008.     

Reconstructing the annual precipitation variation since 1899 based on tree-ring width in the western Hedong sandy land of Ningxia

Based on the analysis of the correlation between the tree-ring width of Pinus tabulaeformis and the climate factors in the western Hedong sandy land of Ningxia, a conversion equation between the annual precipitation and the tree-ring width since 1899 was reconstructed. The results of cross verification indicated that the conversion equation is stable and the reconstructed results are reliable. The result of reconstructed annual precipitation showed the remarkable fluctuation of precipitation and dry-to-wet variation before the 1940s. The smaller fluctuation and high frequent changes of precipitation occurred during the period of 1940s-1980s and after the 1980s the change trend of the precipitation became high periodic extent and low frequent. The study found that there were some coincidences with the climate change in Changling Mountains, Helan Mountains and the east of Qilian Mountains. The relatively dry periods in the beginning of 20th century, 1920s to 1930s, the end of the 20th century and 2004 to 2006 in the western Hedong sandy land of Ningxia accelerated the desertification, while the relatively humid period during the periods of the 1910s-1920s, 1930s-1940s and 1990s is favorable to prevent and control the desertification, and to weaken the climate warming and drying. The periods of annual precipitation variation in the western Hedong sandy land of Ningxia since 1899 are approximately 2-4 years, 5-7 years and 10 years.     

Impacts of temperature and precipitation on runoff in the Tarim River during the past 50 years

The relationship between climate change and water resources in the Tarim River was analyzed by combining the temperature,precipitation and streamflow data from 1957 to 2007 from the four headstreams of the Tarim River (Aksu,Hotan,Yarkant and Kaidu rivers) in the study area.The long-term trend of the hydrological time series including temperature,precipitation and streamflow were studied using correlation analysis and partial correlations analysis.Holt double exponential smoothing was used to fit the trends between streamflow and the two climatic factors of Aksu River,Hotan River and Yarkant River.The streamflow of the main stream was forecasted by Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average Model (ARIMA) modeling by the method of time series analysis.The results show that the temperature experienced a trend of monotonic rising.The precipitation and runoff of the four headstreams of the Tarim River increased,while the inflow to the headstreams increased and the inflow into the Tarim River decreased.Changes of temperature and precipitation had a significant impact on runoff into the four headstreams of the Tarim River: the precipitation had a positive impact on water flow in the Aksu River,Hotan River and Kaidu River,while the temperature had a positive impact on water flow in the Yarkant River.The results of Holt double exponential smoothing showed that the correlation between the independent variable and dependent variable was relatively close after the model was fitted to the headstreams,of which only the runoff and temperature values of Hotan River showed a significant negative correlation.The forecasts by the ARIMA model for 50 years of annual runoff at the Allar station followed the pattern of the measured data for the same years.The short-term forecasts beyond the observed series adequately captured the pattern in the data and showed a decreasing tendency in the Tarim River flow of 3.07% every ten years.The results showed that global warming accelerated the water recharge process of the headstreams.The special hydrological characteristics of the arid area determined the significant association between streamflow and the two climatic factors studied.Strong glacier retreat is likely to bring a series of flood disasters within the study area.     

The climatic and hydrological changes and environmental responses recorded in lake sediments of Xinjiang, China

Based on the analyses of environmental proxy data in lake sediments and instrumental records of Xinjiang in northwest China,the Holocene climate and hydrological variability and its environmental responses were studied in different time scales and regions. The results showed that the Holocene climate variability had obvious differences between the north and south of Xinjiang. In northern Xinjiang,the Holocene climate was dry in the early period,humid in the middle period,and then changed to dry in the late period. However,the climate transition times were not consistent in different regions. In southern Xinjiang,although there were many different types of climate change patterns inferred from different catchments,the warm and wet climate was recorded in most lake sediments in the middle Holocene. According to comparisons of some millennium scale records in lake sediments,the climate was warm and dry in the past 100 years. It can be concluded the climate showed a trend of aridity in Holocene. Especially in recent 50 years,the lake area has been shrinking rapidly because of the population growth and social economic development,which brings some environmental problems. Lake level and area changes were sensitively affected by the climate variation in geological history of Xinjiang and the lake level will continue to shrink because of the drought climate and strengthened human activities.     

Drought analysis in Antakya-Kahramanmara? Graben,Turkey

The most parts of the Earth experience precipitation variability as a part of their normal climates over both short- and long-time periods. These variations of precipitation will have unpredictable and perhaps unexpectedly extreme consequences(such as drought and flood) with respect to frequency and intensity for many regions of the Earth. Because of high precipitation fluctuations, the Mediterranean region is also the areas of the world sensitive to precipitation changes which often involve frequent drought conditions in Turkey. In this study, drought conditions at annual, seasonal and monthly time scales over the period of 1975–2010 were examined for Antakya-Kahramanmara? Graben which is located in the eastern part of the Mediterranean region of Turkey. Application of appropriate measures to analyze and monitor droughts is recognized as a major challenge to scientists involved in atmospheric studies. Standardized Precipitation Index(SPI) and cumulative deviation curve techniques were used to determine drought conditions. Results indicated that the study area presented a cyclic pattern of variations with alternating drier and wetter years. From analyses of annual, seasonal and monthly drought series it can be seen that precipitation characteristic of the area is changing. By the results, apparent wet and dry periods can be distinguished. This study also indicated that precipitation totals of winter, spring and summer seasons were slightly decreased during the study period. Drought frequency was increased especially for the northern part of the area in the last ten years. Drought periods were divided into 1982–1985, 1999–2002 and 2004–2008, respectively. According to our analyses, the time scale of 1999–2002 was the driest period in the most of the graben area. The study area, which covers agriculturally important fertile alluvial plains, will experience increasing pressure on its water resources because of its growing population and industry, ever-larger demands for intensive agricultural activities, and frequent drought events.     

Performance of different drought indices for agriculture drought in the North China Plain

The Palmer drought severity index(PDSI), standardized precipitation index(SPI), and standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index(SPEI) are used worldwide for drought assessment and monitoring. However, substantial differences exist in the performance for agricultural drought among these indices and among regions. Here, we performed statistical assessments to compare the strengths of different drought indices for agricultural drought in the North China Plain. Small differences were detected in the comparative performances of SPI and SPEI that were smaller at the long-term scale than those at the short-term scale. The correlation between SPI/SPEI and PDSI considerably increased from 1-to 12-month lags, and a slight decreasing trend was exhibited during 12-and 24-month lags, indicating a 12-month scale in the PDSI, whereas the SPI was strongly correlated with the SPEI at 1-to 24-month lags. Interestingly, the correlation between the trend of temperature and the mean absolute error and its correlation coefficient both suggested stronger relationships between SPI and the SPEI in areas of rapid climate warming. In addition, the yield–drought correlations tended to be higher for the SPI and SPEI than that for the PDSI at the station scale, whereas small differences were detected between the SPI and SPEI in the performance on agricultural systems. However, large differences in the influence of drought conditions on the yields of winter wheat and summer maize were evident among various indices during the crop-growing season. Our findings suggested that multi-indices in drought monitoring are needed in order to acquire robust conclusions.     

A STUDY ON THE BALANCE OF WATER AND SOIL RESOURCES IN THE HEXI CORRIDOR,GANSU PROVINCE

<正> 1. Actual water resources In the Hexi Corridor, annual precipitation is only 35-200mm, showing semi-desertand desert landscape. But in the Qilian Mountains which are in the south of the Hexi Corri-dor, there is more precipitation. In the Shiyanghe, Heihe, Shulehe River basins average an-nual precipitation is respectively 2.3, 2.7, 3.6 times larger than that of the Hexi Corridor     

Distribution of isotopes and chemicals in precipitation in Shule River Basin,northwestern China:an implication for water cycle and groundwater recharge

The distribution of stable isotopes and ions in precipitation in the Shule River Basin,northwestern China,were investigated to understand the regional water cycle and precipitation input to groundwater recharge.The study found that the mean annual concentrations of Ca2+,Na+,SO42–,Cl–,Mg2+,NO3–,and K+ in the basin were lower than those in other arid areas of northwestern China.The average concentrations of ions in the lower reaches of the Shule River were higher than those in the upper reaches.The results showed that the main ionic concentrations decreased with the increase of precipitation amount,indicating that heavy precipitation cannot only wash crustal aerosols out of the atmosphere,but also create a dilution effect.Cl– and Na+ in precipitation had a strong and positive correlation,suggesting a common origin for the two ions.However,the excess of Na+,combined with non-marine SO42– and NO3–,indicated that some ions were contributed by terrestrial origins.In the extremely arid regions of northwestern China,the evaporation process obviously changes the original relationship between δ2H and δ18O in precipitation,and leads to dexcess values 8‰.δ18O and temperature were significantly correlated,suggested that temperature strongly affected the characteristics of isotopes in the study area.The δ18O value indicates a dominant effect of westerly air masses and southwest monsoon in warm months,and the integrated influence of westerly and Siberian-Mongolian polar air masses in cold months.The d-excess values were generally lower in warm months than those in cold months,indicating that post-condensation processes played a significant role in the water cycle.The results provide reliable precipitation input information that can be used in future groundwater recharge calculations in the study area.     

Estimation of net primary productivity and its driving factors in the Ili River Valley,China

Net primary productivity(NPP), as an important variable and ecological indicator in grassland ecosystems, can reflect environmental change and the carbon budget level. The Ili River Valley is a wetland nestled in the hinterland of the Eurasian continent, which responds sensitively to the global climate change. Understanding carbon budget and their responses to climate change in the ecosystem of Ili River Valley has a significant effect on the adaptability of future climate change and sustainable development. In this study, we calculated the NPP and analyzed its spatio-temporal pattern of the Ili River Valley during the period 2000–2014 using the normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI) and an improved Carnegie-Ames-Stanford(CASA) model. Results indicate that validation showed a good performance of CASA over the study region, with an overall coefficient of determination(R2) of 0.65 and root mean square error(RMSE) of 20.86 g C/(m~2·a). Temporally, annual NPP of the Ili River Valley was 599.19 g C/(m~2·a) and showed a decreasing trend from 2000 to 2014, with an annual decrease rate of –3.51 g C/(m~2·a). However, the spatial variation was not consistent, in which 55.69% of the areas showed a decreasing tendency, 12.60% of the areas remained relatively stable and 31.71% appeared an increasing tendency. In addition, the decreasing trends in NPP were not continuous throughout the 15-year period, which was likely being caused by a shift in climate conditions. Precipitation was found to be the dominant climatic factor that controlled the inter-annual variability in NPP. Furthermore, the correlations between NPP and climate factors differed along the vertical zonal. In the medium-high altitudes of the Ili River Valley, the NPP was positively correlated to precipitation and negatively correlated to temperature and net radiation. In the low-altitude valley and high-altitude mountain areas, the NPP showed a negative correlation with precipitation and a weakly positive correlation with temperature and net radiation. The results suggested that the vegetation of the Ili River Valley degraded in recent years, and there was a more complex mechanism of local hydrothermal redistribution that controlled the growth of vegetation in this valley ecosystem.