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The risk of water erosion in mainland China is intensifying due to climate change. A high-precision rainfall erosivity dataset is crucial for revealing the spatiotemporal patterns of rainfall erosivity and identifying key areas of water erosion. However, due to the insufficient spatiotemporal resolution of historical precipitation data, there are certain biases in the estimation of rainfall erosivity in China, especially in regions with complex terrain and climatic conditions. Over the past decade, the China Meteorological Administration has continuously improved its ground-based meteorological observation capabilities, forming a dense network of ground-based observation stations. These high-precision precipitation data provide a solid foundation for quantifying the patterns of rainfall erosivity in China. In this study, we first performed rigorous quality control on the 1-minute ground observation precipitation data from nearly 70,000 stations nationwide from 2014 to 2022, ultimately selecting 60,129 available stations. Using the precipitation data from these stations, we calculated event rainfall erosivity and generated a national mean annual rainfall erosivity dataset with a spatial resolution of 0.25°. This dataset shows that the mean annual rainfall erosivity in mainland China is approximately 1241 MJ·mm·ha−1·h−1·yr−1, with areas exceeding 4000 MJ·mm·ha−1·h−1·yr−1 mainly concentrated in the southern China and southern Tibetan Plateau. Compared to our study, previously released datasets overestimate China's mean annual rainfall erosivity by 31 %~65 %, and there are significant differences in performance across different river basins. In summary, the release of this dataset facilitates a more accurate assessment of the current water erosion intensity in China. The dataset is available from the National Tibetan Plateau/Third Pole Environment Data Center (https://doi.org/10.11888/Terre.tpdc.301206 ; Chen, 2024). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A long-series mass balance (MB) of glaciers can be used to study glacier–climate relationships. Using a distributed simplified energy balance model (SEBM) and an enhanced temperature-index model (ETIM), the MB of Laohugou Glacier No. 12 (LHG12) was reconstructed from 1980 to 2020, driven by a calibrated ERA5 reanalysis dataset. The simulation of SEBM performs better than that of ETIM. The results showed that the annual MB of LGH12 is a fluctuating trend of declining from 1980 to 2020, with annual means of −0.39 ± 0.28 m w.e. a−1 and cumulative value of −16 ± 4 m w.e. During 1980–1990, the annual MB fluctuated in a small range, while after 1990, LHG12 accelerated melting owing to rising air temperature, with annual means of −0.48 m w.e. a−1, three times as large as that of 1980–1990. The largest mass loss occurred during 2001–2010 at an average rate of −0.57 m w.e. a−1. The average equilibrium line altitude (ELA) was 4976 m a.s.l., and since 1980, the ELA has been increasing at a rate of 37.5 m/10 a. LHG12 is most sensitive to air temperature, and the MB sensitivity reaches −0.51 m w.e. a−1 with air temperature increase of 1 °C. The sensitivity of MB to incoming shortwave radiation (+10%) simulated by SEBM is −0.30 m w.e. a−1, three times larger than that simulated by ETIM. This is mainly because the two models have different conditions for controlling melting. Melting is controlled only by air temperature for ETIM, while for SEBM, it is controlled by air temperature and incoming shortwave radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: The topography and climate background determine that the hazard happens periodically, and these factors are fundamental for the weak vulnerability in the Sedongpu basin; The dynamic glacier simulations with the Elmer/Ice model showed that the glacier surface velocity can reach 19 cm/d on the Dongpu glacier; Heavy rain and an earthquake were triggering factors of the ice avalanche that led to the glacial debris flow. In this paper, the glacial debris flow blockage event, on 17 October 2018, in the Sedongpu basin of the Yarlung Zangbo River is taken as an example to analyse the occurrence and development of glacier hazards in this region. Multi-sources including remote sensing products, DEM, earthquake records and meteorological data were used to analyse the characteristics and mechanism of glacier hazards. The Elmer/Ice dynamic model was chosen to simulate the glacial surface velocity. It was found that topography and climate background determine that the hazard happens periodically. Based on the meteorological records of the Linzhi station, the warming rate was greater than 0.40 °C/10a during the period 1960–2017. The short-term heavy rainfall with daily values of 9.3 mm before the blockage event was also regarded as a factor. Both heavy rain and earthquake were triggering factors of the ice avalanche that led to the glacial debris flow. The glacier surface velocity of the Dongpu glacier simulated by Elmer/Ice model can reach 19 cm/d. This study has extensive applicability significance in glacier hazard mitigation under a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By combining in situ measurements and a two-dimensional thermomechanically coupled ice flow model, we investigate the thermomechanical features of the largest valley glacier (Laohugou Glacier No. 12; LHG12) on Qilian Shan located in the arid region of western China. Our model results suggest that LHG12, previously considered as fully cold, is probably polythermal, with a lower temperate ice layer overlain by an upper layer of cold ice over a large region of the ablation area. Modelled ice surface velocities match well with the in situ observations in the east branch (main branch) but clearly underestimate those near the glacier terminus, possibly because the convergent flow is ignored and the basal sliding beneath the confluence area is underestimated. The modelled ice temperatures are in very good agreement with the in situ measurements from a deep borehole (110m deep) in the upper ablation area. The model results are sensitive to surface thermal boundary conditions, for example surface air temperature and near-surface ice temperature. In this study, we use a Dirichlet surface thermal condition constrained by 20m borehole temperatures and annual surface air temperatures. Like many other alpine glaciers, strain heating is important in controlling the englacial thermal structure of LHG12. Our transient simulations indicate that the accumulation zone becomes colder during the last two decades as a response to the elevated equilibrium line altitude and the rising summer air temperatures. We suggest that the extent of accumulation basin (the amount of refreezing latent heat from meltwater) of LHG12 has a considerable impact on the englacial thermal status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The parameters of the empirical models for rainfall erosivity estimation vary with month. • The new reconstructed rainfall erosivity estimates closely correlated with the observed values. • The rainfall erosivity over the TP presents a significant increasing trend over the past 40 years. As a typical fragile ecological plateau area, the risk of water erosion on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) in China continues to increase with climate change. Rainfall erosivity is one of the most widely used indicators to assess the potential impact of rainfall events on water erosion. However, limited by the scarcity of historical in situ precipitation observations with sufficient spatiotemporal resolution, the estimates of rainfall erosivity over the TP have much larger biases than those of other regions in China. To accurately investigate the spatiotemporal evolution of rainfall erosivity, empirical models were first established to estimate monthly rainfall erosivity using 1-minute in situ precipitation observations from 1711 meteorological stations on the TP. The independent assessment showed that the correlation correction values between the observed and estimated monthly values were greater than 0.81 for all months. The annual rainfall erosivity data were then produced with a 0.1° spatial resolution for the 1979–2018 period based on the China Meteorological Forcing Dataset (CMFD) precipitation data using newly established estimation models. Our results show that the CMFD-based estimates successfully captured the decreasing spatial pattern of the multiyear average annual rainfall erosivity from the southeast to northwest of the TP. In addition, the CMFD-based annual rainfall erosivity had a good linear relationship with the observed values but with a certain overestimation. Therefore, standardized annual rainfall erosivity values were used to detect the changes in rainfall erosivity. For most regions on the TP, annual rainfall erosivity values have exhibited significant increasing trends over the last 40 years. This study provides a theoretical basis and reference for controlling water erosion and climate adaptation on the TP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time we investigate the basal thermal condition in the upper area of Jima Yangzong Glacier, the headstream of Yarlung Zangbo River, using ground-penetrating radar techniques. With common offset and common mid-point surveys we analyze the radar velocities in ice with respect to cold-temperate ice transition surface (0.1751 ± 0.0028 m ns) and ice-bedrock interface (0.1657 ± 0.0033 m ns), indicating a radar velocity of 0.1410 ± 0.0154 m ns for the temperate ice layer (16.6 ± 1.8 m). We estimate that the temperate ice layer has a water content of around 6 % ± 4 %, suggesting that the Jima Yangzong Glacier, previously known as continental-type, now possibly becomes polythermal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of ski industries would bring socio-economic benefits to mountain regions. At present, the ski industry in China is developing rapidly, and the number of ski areas is increasing dramatically. However, the understanding of the spatial pattern and driving factors for these ski areas is limited. Affected by climate change, the sustainable development of ski industry in China faces many challenges. This study collected detailed data about ski areas and their surrounding natural and economic factors in China. Criteria for classification of ski areas were proposed, and a total of 589 Alpine ski areas in China were classified into three types: ski resorts for vacationing (va-ski resorts), ski areas for learning (le-ski areas) and ski parks to experience skiing (ex-ski parks), with proportions of 2.1, 15.4 and 82.5%, respectively, which indicated that the Chinese ski industry was still dominated by small-sized ski areas. The theory and method of spatial autocorrelation were first used to analyse the spatial pattern and driving factors of ski areas. The results showed that ski areas in country-level cities had a positive spatial autocorrelation with a Moran's index value of 0.25. The results of Local Indications of Spatial Association (LISA) showed that ski areas were mainly concentrated in 3 regions: the Beijing-centred Yanshan-Taihang Mountains and Shandong Hill areas, the Harbin-centred Changbai Mountain areas and the Urumqi-centred Tianshan-Altay Mountain areas. The first location was mainly driven by socio-economic factors, and the latter two locations were mainly driven by natural factors. However, the average snow depth of 591 Chinese Alpine ski areas and non-operational snow fields varied from 0 cm to 18 cm in the winter, 69% of the ski areas had snow depths of less than 1 cm; 27.7% had snow depths of 1-10 cm, and only 3.3% had snow depths of more than 10 cm. The insufficient snow cover indicated that the natural snow resources in China hardly met the 100 days-principle, and the ski areas were primarily dependent on artificial snow, which increased the cost of skiing. The climate change will increase this risk, while not conducive to the sustainable development of the industry, especially in low-altitude and small sized ski areas. In the future, the government sector should strengthen supervision, develop a ski industry alliance, and promote the healthy and sustainable development of the ski industry in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of vegetation to past global warming, as revealed by geological records, can provide insights into future changes. We used pollen records to reconstruct spatial changes in the boundary between steppe and forest/forest-steppe for the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), mid-Holocene, Last Interglacial (LIG), and mid-Pliocene, representing major changes in global temperature. The results showed that in the region east of 110° E, the trend of the boundary between steppe and forest/forest-steppe rotated anticlockwise by around 30°, 5° and 10°, during the warm periods of the mid-Holocene, LIG, and mid-Pliocene, relative to the LGM, mid-Holocene, and LIG, respectively. However, in the region west of 110° E, the boundary remained stationary during the mid-Holocene compared with the LGM, while it shifted northward during the LIG relative to the mid-Holocene, and it shifted southward during the mid-Pliocene relative to the LIG. Overall, our results indicate an enhanced east-west climatic contrast in northern China under past global warming. Climate simulation results showed that the warming-induced northward shift and westward extension of the western Pacific subtropical high promoted the northwestward displacement of the East-Asian monsoon rainfall belt. This suggests that in the future, under a warmer climate, the eastern region of northern China will become wetter, and that the extent of sandy desert will decrease. • The southern boundary of steppe in northern China rotated anticlockwise with warming. • The western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) expanded during past warm intervals. • The expansion of the WPSH increased precipitation in northern China. • Global warming enhanced the east–west climatic contrast in northern China. • The area of sandy deserts in the eastern China will decrease under a warm climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Locally absent rings can be the proxy to locate tipping points of forest systems. • Pinus tabuliformis suffered increasing locally absent rings since 2000s. • The highest locally absent ring frequency was at the driest distribution margin. • Loally absent ring frequency increased along with tree age and moisture deficit. • Locally absent ring risk would gradually increase in the future. Global climatic change indicates that some climate systems have passed tipping points, e.g. the inner East Asia; however it's still uncertain when the tipping point of forest mortality could be triggered. Absent rings are early warnings of irreversible mortality. They widely exist in Northern Hemisphere forests, but they're locally rare and under-discussed in previous studies. We reported a tree ring network, including 17 collections among the extensive distribution of Pinus tabuliformis in North China. Locally absent rings (LAR) were counted and logistic models were built to determine biotic and abiotic driving forcings of LAR. Pinus tabuliformis suffered increasing LAR frequency in recent decades, and the highest LAR frequency occurred at the driest distributional margin. At the semi-arid region, LAR frequency increased along with increasing age, decreasing previous September moisture, and decreasing May moisture. LAR risk would gradually increase, and older trees would suffer quite high LAR risk in the future. We highlight the connection between frequent LAR and extreme droughts in semi-arid pine forests, and propose that LAR can be a proxy of the potential tipping points of forest systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]