Advances in Earth Science ›› 2020, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (1): 1-17. doi: 10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2020.002

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Cryospheric Changes and Their Impacts on Water Resources in the Belt and Road Regions

Shichang Kang 1, 2, 3( ),Wanqin Guo 1,Tonghua Wu 1,Xinyue Zhong 4( ),Rensheng Chen 5,Min Xu 1,Jinlei Chen 1,Ruimin Yang 6   

  1. 1.State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science,Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Lanzhou 730000,China
    2.Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth;Sciences,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China
    3.University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China
    4.Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing of Gansu Province,Northwest Institute of Eco-;Environment and Resources,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Lanzhou 730000,China
    5.Qilian Alpine Ecology;and Hydrology Research Station,Key Laboratory of Ecohydrology of Inland River Basin,Northwest;Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Lanzhou 730000,China
    6.College of Earth and Environmental Science,Lanzhou University,Lanzhou 730000,China
  • Received:2019-11-12 Revised:2019-12-15 Online:2020-01-20 Published:2020-02-27
  • Contact: Xinyue Zhong E-mail:shichang.kang@lzb.ac.cn;xyzhong@lzb.ac.cn
  • About author:Kang Shichang (1969-), male, Longxi County, Gansu Province, Professor. Research areas include cryosphere and climate change. E-mail: shichang.kang@lzb.ac.cn
  • Supported by:
    the Innovative Research Groups of the National Natural Science Foundation of China "Cryosphere and climate change"(41721091);The Frontier Science Key Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences "Cryospheric changes and sustainable development in the Arctic"(QYZDY-SSW-DQC021)

Shichang Kang, Wanqin Guo, Tonghua Wu, Xinyue Zhong, Rensheng Chen, Min Xu, Jinlei Chen, Ruimin Yang. Cryospheric Changes and Their Impacts on Water Resources in the Belt and Road Regions[J]. Advances in Earth Science, 2020, 35(1): 1-17.

“Belt and Road” regions include Asia, Europe and eastern and northern Africa, with a wide spatial distribution. The cryosphere is undergoing rapid changes in the Belt and Road regions with global warming, and has an important impact on water resources, ecosystems and Arctic waterways in these regions. This article reviewed recent cryospheric changes and associated impacts on water resources in the Belt and Road regions during the last decades. The main cognitions are as follows: Most glaciers are shrinking and glacier mass balances are most negative, but there are regional differences in the changes of glaciers. Global temperature rise has resulted in permafrost degradation, including a rise in permafrost temperature and decreasing permafrost thickness as well as an increase in active layer thickness. There is a significant decrease in snow cover extent and an increase in snow depth. Snow cover duration has shortened, the onset of snow cover has delayed, and the end of snow cover has advanced. However, there are still obvious regional differences in the changes of snow cover. Arctic sea ice has declined precipitously in both extent and thickness in summer, and multi-year sea ice has decreased,indicating the precipitous retreat of sea ice. The freeze-up date of some lakes has been delayed, the break-up date has advanced, and the ice cover duration of river/lake ice has significantly shortened. Glacial runoff has increased significantly in China. Snowmelt and permafrost degradation have also increased the basin runoff, which indicates the important impact of cryospheric changes on runoff. This study will provide a baseline and important scientific support for addressing climate change and regional sustainable development.

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