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Arid Land Geography ›› 2024, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (10): 1640-1650.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2024.092

• The Third Xinjiang Scientific Expedition • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Responses of glacier and lake to local climate change in the Jingyu Lake Basin, east Kunlun Mountains

CHEN Lihua1,2(), CHE Yanjun1,2(), CAO Yun1, ZHANG Mingjun3,4, GU Lailei3,4, WU Jiakang1,2, LYU Weiwei1,2   

  1. 1. School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, Jiangxi, China
    2. Department of Geographical Science, Yichun University, Yichun 336000, Jiangxi, China
    3. College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
    4. Key Laboratory of Resource Environment and Sustainable Development of Oasis, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
  • Received:2024-02-15 Revised:2024-06-03 Online:2024-10-25 Published:2024-11-27
  • Contact: CHE Yanjun E-mail:chen_lh@126.com;che_yanjun@126.com

Abstract:

Glaciers and lakes are highly sensitive to climate change. This study examines the boundaries of glaciers and lakes in the Jingyu Lake Basin, east Kunlun Mountains from 1990 to 2023 using Landsat series imagery. In addition, the DAHITI water level dataset and the global glacier mass balance dataset were utilized to analyze changes in glacier area, volume, and mass balance, as well as the area, water level, and volume of the Jingyu Lake Basin. ERA5 meteorological reanalysis data were employed to assess the response of glaciers and lakes in the basin to climate change. The results indicate a significant expansion trend in the Jingyu Lake. From 1990 to 2023, Jingyu Lake expanded by 133.30 km2 at a rate of 4.66 km2·a-1. Between 2013 and 2023, the lake’s water level rose by 5.19 m, with an annual increase rate of 0.55 m·a-1, and its volume increased by 1.31 km3, averaging an annual increment of 0.16 km3. During the same period, the glacier area decreased by 4.59 km2 at a rate of -0.12 km2·a-1, and the glacier volume declined by 0.38 km3 at a rate of -0.01 km3·a-1. The average annual glacier mass balance from 2000 to 2020 was -1.22×10-4 m w.e. The average annual temperature in the Jingyu Lake Basin increased significantly from 1990 to 2021, with an annual warming rate of 0.02 ℃·a-1. In contrast, summer precipitation showed no significant warming trend, while the annual precipitation increased notably at a rate of 2.11 mm·a-1, with 78.9% of precipitation occurring in summer. Precipitation is identified as the primary factor contributing to lake expansion in the basin. This study highlights the response of glaciers and lakes in the Jingyu Lake Basin to climate change, providing valuable insights for local governments in optimizing water resource allocation and management.

Key words: Jingyu Lake, glaciers, climate change, east Kunlun Mountains