Duration of vegetation green-up response to snowmelt on the Tibetan Plateau
<p>The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is characterized by abundant snow and heightened sensitivity to climate change. Although the impact of snowmelt on vegetation green-up is well recognized, the duration of vegetation response to snowmelt on the TP remains unclear. This study calculates the time diffe...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Biogeosciences |
| Online Access: | https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/22/2637/2025/bg-22-2637-2025.pdf |
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| Summary: | <p>The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is characterized by abundant snow and heightened sensitivity to climate change. Although the impact of snowmelt on vegetation green-up is well recognized, the duration of vegetation response to snowmelt on the TP remains unclear. This study calculates the time differences between the green-up date and the start of snowmelt from 2001–2018 on the TP, denoted as <span class="inline-formula">Δ<i>D</i></span>. Exploratory spatial data analysis and the Mann–Kendall test were then applied to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution feature of <span class="inline-formula">Δ<i>D</i></span>. Subsequently, partial correlation and multiple linear regression analysis were employed to examine the impact of spring mean temperature, spring total rainfall, and daily snowmelt on <span class="inline-formula">Δ<i>D</i></span>. The results reveal that the mean <span class="inline-formula">Δ<i>D</i></span> across the TP was 38.5 d, with a spatially clustered distribution: low <span class="inline-formula">Δ<i>D</i></span> values were concentrated in the Hengduan Mountains, while high <span class="inline-formula">Δ<i>D</i></span> values were observed in the Bayankara and Himalaya mountains. Additionally, <span class="inline-formula">Δ<i>D</i></span> shortened with increasing spring temperature, total rainfall, and daily snowmelt, which accounted for 23.5 %, 28.8 %, and 35.4 % of <span class="inline-formula">Δ<i>D</i></span> variation, respectively. In 67 % of arid areas and 64 % of regions with low vegetation, daily snowmelt was the dominant factor influencing <span class="inline-formula">Δ<i>D</i></span>. Conversely, spring temperature played a primary role in 48 % of humid areas and 37 % of regions with high vegetation. Our findings enhance the understanding of vegetation responses to snowmelt and provide a scientific foundation for further research on the stability of alpine ecosystems and the impacts of climate change on the TP.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1726-4170 1726-4189 |