Study Predicts Warmer, Wetter Future for Northern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau
Chinese researchers have forecasted that global warming will make the northern margin of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau warmer and wetter in the future. This region, often referred to as the “roof of the world,” is a climatically sensitive zone influenced by both monsoon systems and westerly winds.
The study, conducted by researchers from the College of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Lanzhou University, delved into the paleoclimate records of the plateau. By comparing temperature and precipitation data from the mid-Holocene warm period, the medieval climate anomaly, the current warm period, and projections for future warming, they sought to understand how the region’s climate might evolve.
The findings suggest that the future climate of the northern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau will resemble that of the mid-Holocene warm period, which occurred approximately 6,000 years ago. During that time, the climate was predominantly influenced by the orbit-controlled East Asian summer monsoon, bringing warmer and more humid conditions to the area.
“Continued global warming is expected to expand the westerly wind belt, leading to a progressively humid climate in the region,” said Professor Li Yu from Lanzhou University. “Our research indicates that climate change is generally cyclical. Understanding past warm periods can provide valuable historical references for future weather predictions.”
Interestingly, despite the warming and wetting trends predicted for the northern plateau, the study notes that the overall climate patterns in China are not expected to undergo significant changes. This highlights the complex and localized nature of climate dynamics within the vast expanse of China\’s geography.
The research has been published in the journal Science China: Earth Sciences, contributing important insights into how global climate trends may impact ecologically sensitive and geopolitically significant regions like the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.
Reference(s):
North Qinghai-Xizang Plateau warmer, wetter in the future: study
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