Transcript weng_seminar-chinesevegetation

Vegetation distribution of China and
its responses to climate change
Ensheng Weng
Geographic features of China
Summer circulation
Westerly jet
South-east monsoon
South-west monsoon
Tibetan Plateau plays a critical role
Winter circulation
Siberia-Mongolian
cold high
Westerly jet
Tibetan cold high
Tibetan Plateau plays a critical role
Climate of China
Climate of China
T (Jan.)
T (Jul.)
Climate-Vegetation Relationships
• Climate
determines
vegetation
distribution
• Precipitation
and temperature
are two key
factors
from Whittaker, 1975
Vegetation of China
Wu, CY, 1980. Vegetation of China
Vegetation of China
Taiga
-
Mixed forest
Temperate forest
Sub-Tropical forest
Tropical forest
Wu, CY, 1980. Vegetation of China
+
Vegetation of China
-
+
Forest
Meadow
steppe
Typical
steppe
Desert
steppe
Desert
Wu, CY, 1980. Vegetation of China
Vegetation of China
Alpine deserts
Alpine steppes
Alpine meadows
Conifer forests
Wu, CY, 1980. Vegetation of China
Vegetation of China
-
+
Forest
Meadow
steppe
Typical
steppe
Desert
steppe
Desert
Taiga
-
Mixed forest
Alpine deserts
Alpine steppes
Temperate forest
Alpine meadows
Conifer forests
Sub-Tropical forest
Tropical forest
Wu, CY, 1980. Vegetation of China
+
How it response to climate change
Changes of Temperature in
past 50 years
Northern area
Changes of Precipitation in
past 50 years
Central China
Scenarios at the end of 21st century
CO2 SRES-A2
CO2 SRES-B2
BIOME model
• Defined 14 plant functional types (PFTs);
• Assigned a climatic envelope for every
PFT;
• porsposed a rule to regulate the co-exist of
PFTs;
• Biomes (vegetation types) are the
combinations of PFTs.
BIOME model
BIOME model
Calibration
Simulated map from original parameters
• the boundary between forests and steppes
• forests shift southwards
Calibration
Priestley-Taylor coefficient
Calibration
Temperature of January
Calibration
The same PFTs occur in the colder and dryer areas
The results from new parameters
Kappa=0.67
Response of vegetation
distribution to climate change
CO2 SRES-A2
CO2 SRES-B2
Vulnerable areas
• Northern China
• Southwestern China
• Tibetan Plateau
Effects on Human being
Desertification
Deforestation
Thank you!