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Permafrost degradation on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and its environmental impacts
Author(s) -
Shaoling Wang,
Huijun Jin,
Shuxun Li,
Lin Zhao
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
permafrost and periglacial processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.867
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1099-1530
pISSN - 1045-6740
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1530(200001/03)11:1<43::aid-ppp332>3.0.co;2-h
Subject(s) - permafrost , plateau (mathematics) , thermokarst , desertification , physical geography , geology , geomorphology , hydrology (agriculture) , forestry , geography , ecology , geotechnical engineering , mathematical analysis , oceanography , mathematics , biology
An increase of mean annual air temperature (MAAT) of about 0.2–0.4 °C on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau as compared with the 1970s, and especially winter warming, has resulted in extensive permafrost degradation. An increase of 0.1–0.5 °C in the mean annual ground temperature (MAGT) has been observed. Discontinuous permafrost bodies and thawed nuclei have been widely detected. The lower altitudinal limit of permafrost has risen 40–80 m on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The total permafrost area on the Plateau has shrunk about 10 5 km 2 . Permafrost degradation has caused environmental deterioration, including the destabilization of buildings, impacted upon cold regions hydrology and water resources, and accelerated desertification. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.