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Arid Land Geography ›› 2024, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (8): 1292-1303.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2024.094

• The Third Xinjiang Scientific Expedition • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Changes in terrestrial water storage and its drivers on the north slope of Kunlun Mountains

XIA Tingting1(), XUE Xuan2, WANG Haowei2, XU Wenzhe2, SHENG Ziyi2, WANG Yang1()   

  1. 1. College of Grassland Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, Xinjiang, China
    2. College of Resources and Environment, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, Xinjiang, China
  • Received:2024-02-17 Revised:2024-03-31 Online:2024-08-25 Published:2024-09-02
  • Contact: WANG Yang E-mail:320220036@xjau.edu.cn;wangyang@xjau.edu.cn

Abstract:

Terrestrial water storage are crucial in the hydrological cycle. Analyzing the dynamics of these reserves and their main driving mechanisms provides a scientific basis for the macro-control, management, and protection of water resources. This study examines the dynamic changes in terrestrial water storage on the north slope of the Kunlun Mountains from 1990 to 2020, utilizing multi-source data including GRACE data, meteorological data, actual evapotranspiration, and human activities. It quantitatively evaluates the influence of various factors on the long-term changes in water storage in this region. The results indicate significant variation and differentiation in water reserves across the area. Notably, 79.63% of the area showed an increasing trend. Water reserves in the Yarkant River Basin exhibited deficits, while those in the Kumukuli Basin displayed significant surpluses. The overall increase in water reserves on the north slope was 0.123 cm·a-1, with the peak rate occurring in 2005—2006, marking a change of 2.253 cm. The Kumukuli Basin, along with the Keriya River Basin, Qarqan River Basin, and Hotan River Basin, all demonstrated increasing trends, especially notable in the Kumukuli Basin. Both temperature, precipitation and evapotranspiration showed fluctuating upward trends from 1990 to 2020, with average annual precipitation varying significantly and exhibiting spatial heterogeneity. The correlation between terrestrial water storage and average annual temperature, precipitation, and actual evapotranspiration over the 30-year period showed varying degrees of correlation, with positive correlation areas accounting for 40.78%, 54.19%, and 44.74%, respectively. Among meteorological factors, temperature and precipitation were the primary drivers of changes in terrestrial water storage. The strongest explanatory power was observed in the interaction between temperature and population density (0.823), and between temperature and precipitation (0.713) among meteorological factors, indicating that their combined impact significantly exceeds that of any single factor.

Key words: terrestrial water storage, GRACE, climate change, human activities, north slope of Kunlun Mountains