Rapid warming and increasing moisture levels in the Qaidam Basin

• Published in: Theoretical and applied climatology 2024-08, Vol.155 (8), p.7121-7132
• Main Authors: Zeng, Fangming, Zhang, Xiying, Zhan, Tao, Zhang, Zhenqing, Chen, Lin, Chen, Lingkang, Ji, Ming
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absolute humidity; Annual temperatures; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Atmospheric Sciences; Climate change; Climatology; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Evaporation; Evaporation rate; Humidity; Humidity variations; Indicators; Lakes; Moisture; Mutation; Plant cover; Precipitation; Precipitation variations; Variation; Vegetation; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Wind speed
• ISSN: 0177-798X; 1434-4483
• DOI: 10.1007/s00704-024-05058-7

The climate change in the Qaidam Basin has significant impacts on local humans and ecological environment. However, the humidity variation and relationship between climate factors in the Qaidam Basin remain insufficient. Here we study the modern climate change in the Qaidam Basin. The mean annual temperature in the Qaidam Basin has increased rapidly by 0.5 °C/10a between 1959 and 2022, exhibiting cycles of 9.1 a and 3.2 a. Concurrently, the pattern of precipitation variations has displayed an upward trend, with a rate of increase amounting to 9.2 mm/10a and a cycle of 2.5 a. The Qaidam Basin has witnessed a considerable increase in temperature since 1977, as indicated by the Mann–Kendall mutation test. Within the Qaidam Basin, the mutation point at which precipitation transitioned from a lesser amount to a more volume occurred in 2001. Furthermore, a reduction in the variation of evaporation was observed between 1959 and 2003, possibly attributed to decreased sunshine and wind speed within the basin. The moist coefficient (precipitation/evaporation) and absolute humidity serve as direct indicators of the level of humidity in the environment. The moist coefficient has displayed an upward trend, accompanied by a corresponding increase in absolute humidity. The lake area and vegetation coverage are indirect indicators that reflect the level of humidity in the environment. In the Qaidam Basin, the lakes have expanded in surface area and there has been a noticeable increase in vegetation coverage. Collectively, these indicators unambiguously show that the Qaidam Basin is undergoing a process of increased moisture levels. Thus, it can be deduced that the modern Qaidam Basin is both experiencing warming and becoming wet.