Accelerated climate change and its potential impact on Yak herding livelihoods in the eastern Tibetan plateau

Michelle A. Haynes, King Jau Samuel Kung, Jodi S. Brandt, Yang Yongping, Donald M. Waller

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Tibetan Plateau has experienced rapid warming like most other alpine regions. Regional assessments show rates of warming comparable with the arctic region and decreasing Asian summer monsoons. We used meteorological station daily precipitation and daily maximum and minimum temperature data from 80 stations in the eastern Tibetan Plateau of southwest China to calculate local variation in the rates and seasonality of change over the last half century (1960-2008). Daily low temperatures during the growing season have increased greatly over the last 24 years (1984-2008). In sites of markedly increased warming (e.g., Deqin, Yunnan and Mangya, Qinghai), daily and growing season daily high temperatures have increased at a rate above 5 °C/100 years. In Deqin, precipitation prior to the 1980s fell as snow whereas in recent decades it has shifted to rain during March and April. These shifts to early spring rains are likely to affect plant communities. Animals like yaks adapted to cold climates are also expected to show impacts with these rising temperatures. This region deserves further investigation to determine how these shifts in climate are affecting local biodiversity and livelihoods.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)147-160
Number of pages14
JournalClimatic Change
Volume123
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2014

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