CLIMATE CHANGE AND POTENTIAL EFFECTS ON VEGETATION OF BORDERLAND AMONG SHAAN XI AND GANSU PRO VINCES , AND NING XIA HUI AUTONOMOUS REGION
J.H. DAI, M.M. WANG, H.J. WANG
Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, 11A Datun Road, Beijing, 100101, China daijh@igsnrr.ac.cn
Keywords: borderland between Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia, climate change, relationship between climate and vegetation
Abstract
Indices of temperature, precipitation and relative evapotranspiration (RET) for the last 51 years in the borderland
between Shaanxi and Gansu Provinces, and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (BSGNAR) were calculated
to analyze the climate change in this area. During the past 50 years, the average temperature increased
significantly, while precipitation decreased slightly with regional differences. RET change was not so distinct
in general, but had a minor increase at the late stage of the study period. Under such circumstances, climate
change had clear effects on distribution of potential vegetation in the area, with a tendency to transit to warming
and drying vegetation types.
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