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Snow effects on alpine vegetation in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Wang, Kun ; Zhang, Li ; Qiu, Yubao ; Ji, Lei ; Tian, Feng LU ; Wang, Cuizhen and Wang, Zhiyong (2015) In International Journal of Digital Earth 8(1). p.56-73
Abstract

Understanding the relationships between snow and vegetation is important for interpretation of the responses of alpine ecosystems to climate changes. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is regarded as an ideal area due to its undisturbed features with low population and relatively high snow cover. We used 500 m Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) datasets during 2001–2010 to examine the snow–vegetation relationships, specifically, (1) the influence of snow melting date on vegetation green-up date and (2) the effects of snow cover duration on vegetation greenness. The results showed that the alpine vegetation responded strongly to snow phenology (i.e., snow melting date and snow cover duration) over large areas of the... (More)

Understanding the relationships between snow and vegetation is important for interpretation of the responses of alpine ecosystems to climate changes. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is regarded as an ideal area due to its undisturbed features with low population and relatively high snow cover. We used 500 m Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) datasets during 2001–2010 to examine the snow–vegetation relationships, specifically, (1) the influence of snow melting date on vegetation green-up date and (2) the effects of snow cover duration on vegetation greenness. The results showed that the alpine vegetation responded strongly to snow phenology (i.e., snow melting date and snow cover duration) over large areas of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Snow melting date and vegetation green-up date were significantly correlated (p < 0.1) in 39.9% of meadow areas (accounting for 26.2% of vegetated areas) and 36.7% of steppe areas (28.1% of vegetated areas). Vegetation growth was influenced by different seasonal snow cover durations (SCDs) in different regions. Generally, the December–February and March–May SCDs played a significantly role in vegetation growth, both positively and negatively, depending on different water source regions. Snow's positive impact on vegetation was larger than the negative impact.

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author
; ; ; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
NDVI, phenology, snow cover duration, snow melting date, vegetation green-up date
in
International Journal of Digital Earth
volume
8
issue
1
pages
18 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:84920179769
ISSN
1753-8947
DOI
10.1080/17538947.2013.848946
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
26b700b3-9eb1-44c6-85b0-68da9ef53b51
date added to LUP
2018-06-08 14:39:55
date last changed
2022-04-25 07:46:33
@article{26b700b3-9eb1-44c6-85b0-68da9ef53b51,
  abstract     = {{<p>Understanding the relationships between snow and vegetation is important for interpretation of the responses of alpine ecosystems to climate changes. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is regarded as an ideal area due to its undisturbed features with low population and relatively high snow cover. We used 500 m Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) datasets during 2001–2010 to examine the snow–vegetation relationships, specifically, (1) the influence of snow melting date on vegetation green-up date and (2) the effects of snow cover duration on vegetation greenness. The results showed that the alpine vegetation responded strongly to snow phenology (i.e., snow melting date and snow cover duration) over large areas of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Snow melting date and vegetation green-up date were significantly correlated (p &lt; 0.1) in 39.9% of meadow areas (accounting for 26.2% of vegetated areas) and 36.7% of steppe areas (28.1% of vegetated areas). Vegetation growth was influenced by different seasonal snow cover durations (SCDs) in different regions. Generally, the December–February and March–May SCDs played a significantly role in vegetation growth, both positively and negatively, depending on different water source regions. Snow's positive impact on vegetation was larger than the negative impact.</p>}},
  author       = {{Wang, Kun and Zhang, Li and Qiu, Yubao and Ji, Lei and Tian, Feng and Wang, Cuizhen and Wang, Zhiyong}},
  issn         = {{1753-8947}},
  keywords     = {{NDVI; phenology; snow cover duration; snow melting date; vegetation green-up date}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{56--73}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Digital Earth}},
  title        = {{Snow effects on alpine vegetation in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17538947.2013.848946}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/17538947.2013.848946}},
  volume       = {{8}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}