Response of Two Major Lakes in the Changtang National Nature Reserve, Tibetan Plateau to Climate and Anthropogenic Changes over the Past 50 Years
Areal changes in alpine lakes on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are reliable indicators of climate change and anthropogenic disturbance. This study used long-term Landsat images and meteorological records to monitor the temporal evolution patterns of lakes within the Changtang National Nature Reserve betw...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Land |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/2/267 |
| _version_ | 1797619889966415872 |
|---|---|
| author | Zhilong Zhao Zengzeng Hu Jun Zhou Ruliang Kan Wangjun Li |
| author_facet | Zhilong Zhao Zengzeng Hu Jun Zhou Ruliang Kan Wangjun Li |
| author_sort | Zhilong Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Areal changes in alpine lakes on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are reliable indicators of climate change and anthropogenic disturbance. This study used long-term Landsat images and meteorological records to monitor the temporal evolution patterns of lakes within the Changtang National Nature Reserve between 1972 and 2021 and examine the climatic and anthropogenic impacts on lake area changes. The results revealed that the area of Lake LongmuCo and Lake Jiezechaqia significantly expanded by 12.81% and 12.88% from 1972 to 2021, respectively. After 1999, Lake LongmuCo and Lake Jiezechaqia entered into a period of rapid expansion. During 1972–2021, the annual mean temperature significantly increased at a rate of 0.05 °C/a, while the change in annual precipitation was not significant. The temperature change was a major contributor to the observed changes of Lake LongmuCo and Lake Jiezechaqia between 1972 and 2021, while human intervention also played a vital role during 2013–2021. The glaciers around these two lakes decreased by 21.81%, and the increase in water supply from warming-triggered glacier melting was a reason of expansion of Lake LongmuCo and Lake Jiezechaqia. The areas of the two artificial salt lakes affiliated with Lake LongmuCo and Lake Jiezechaqia were 0.24 km<sup>2</sup> and 2.67 km<sup>2</sup> in 2013 and rose to 0.51 km<sup>2</sup> and 9.80 km<sup>2</sup> in 2021, respectively. In particular, the continuous exploitations of salt lakes to extract lithium resources have retarded the rate of expansion of Lake LongmuCo and Lake Jiezechaqia. The dams constructed by industrial enterprises have blocked the expansion of Lake LongmuCo to the south. This paper sheds new light on the influences of recent human intervention and climatic variation on alpine lakes within the TP. Due to the importance of alpine lakes in the TP, we need more comprehensive and in-depth efforts to protect the lake ecosystems within the national nature reserves. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:34:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3de98c7e3e0c473d9d76fec1b16f7d36 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:34:24Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-3de98c7e3e0c473d9d76fec1b16f7d362023-11-16T21:34:57ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2023-01-0112226710.3390/land12020267Response of Two Major Lakes in the Changtang National Nature Reserve, Tibetan Plateau to Climate and Anthropogenic Changes over the Past 50 YearsZhilong Zhao0Zengzeng Hu1Jun Zhou2Ruliang Kan3Wangjun Li4College of Economics and Management, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, ChinaBeijing Academy of Sciences and Technology, Beijing 100089, ChinaCollege of Economics and Management, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, ChinaCollege of Economics and Management, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, ChinaSchool of Geography Science and Geomatics Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, ChinaAreal changes in alpine lakes on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are reliable indicators of climate change and anthropogenic disturbance. This study used long-term Landsat images and meteorological records to monitor the temporal evolution patterns of lakes within the Changtang National Nature Reserve between 1972 and 2021 and examine the climatic and anthropogenic impacts on lake area changes. The results revealed that the area of Lake LongmuCo and Lake Jiezechaqia significantly expanded by 12.81% and 12.88% from 1972 to 2021, respectively. After 1999, Lake LongmuCo and Lake Jiezechaqia entered into a period of rapid expansion. During 1972–2021, the annual mean temperature significantly increased at a rate of 0.05 °C/a, while the change in annual precipitation was not significant. The temperature change was a major contributor to the observed changes of Lake LongmuCo and Lake Jiezechaqia between 1972 and 2021, while human intervention also played a vital role during 2013–2021. The glaciers around these two lakes decreased by 21.81%, and the increase in water supply from warming-triggered glacier melting was a reason of expansion of Lake LongmuCo and Lake Jiezechaqia. The areas of the two artificial salt lakes affiliated with Lake LongmuCo and Lake Jiezechaqia were 0.24 km<sup>2</sup> and 2.67 km<sup>2</sup> in 2013 and rose to 0.51 km<sup>2</sup> and 9.80 km<sup>2</sup> in 2021, respectively. In particular, the continuous exploitations of salt lakes to extract lithium resources have retarded the rate of expansion of Lake LongmuCo and Lake Jiezechaqia. The dams constructed by industrial enterprises have blocked the expansion of Lake LongmuCo to the south. This paper sheds new light on the influences of recent human intervention and climatic variation on alpine lakes within the TP. Due to the importance of alpine lakes in the TP, we need more comprehensive and in-depth efforts to protect the lake ecosystems within the national nature reserves.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/2/267lake area changesclimate changeanthropogenic activityTibetan Plateaunature reserveremote sensing monitoring |
| spellingShingle | Zhilong Zhao Zengzeng Hu Jun Zhou Ruliang Kan Wangjun Li Response of Two Major Lakes in the Changtang National Nature Reserve, Tibetan Plateau to Climate and Anthropogenic Changes over the Past 50 Years Land lake area changes climate change anthropogenic activity Tibetan Plateau nature reserve remote sensing monitoring |
| title | Response of Two Major Lakes in the Changtang National Nature Reserve, Tibetan Plateau to Climate and Anthropogenic Changes over the Past 50 Years |
| title_full | Response of Two Major Lakes in the Changtang National Nature Reserve, Tibetan Plateau to Climate and Anthropogenic Changes over the Past 50 Years |
| title_fullStr | Response of Two Major Lakes in the Changtang National Nature Reserve, Tibetan Plateau to Climate and Anthropogenic Changes over the Past 50 Years |
| title_full_unstemmed | Response of Two Major Lakes in the Changtang National Nature Reserve, Tibetan Plateau to Climate and Anthropogenic Changes over the Past 50 Years |
| title_short | Response of Two Major Lakes in the Changtang National Nature Reserve, Tibetan Plateau to Climate and Anthropogenic Changes over the Past 50 Years |
| title_sort | response of two major lakes in the changtang national nature reserve tibetan plateau to climate and anthropogenic changes over the past 50 years |
| topic | lake area changes climate change anthropogenic activity Tibetan Plateau nature reserve remote sensing monitoring |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/2/267 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zhilongzhao responseoftwomajorlakesinthechangtangnationalnaturereservetibetanplateautoclimateandanthropogenicchangesoverthepast50years AT zengzenghu responseoftwomajorlakesinthechangtangnationalnaturereservetibetanplateautoclimateandanthropogenicchangesoverthepast50years AT junzhou responseoftwomajorlakesinthechangtangnationalnaturereservetibetanplateautoclimateandanthropogenicchangesoverthepast50years AT ruliangkan responseoftwomajorlakesinthechangtangnationalnaturereservetibetanplateautoclimateandanthropogenicchangesoverthepast50years AT wangjunli responseoftwomajorlakesinthechangtangnationalnaturereservetibetanplateautoclimateandanthropogenicchangesoverthepast50years |