Lakes on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are an indicator and sentinel of climatic changes. We extended lake area changes on the TP from 2010 to 2021, and provided a long and dense lake observations between the 1970s and 2021. We found that the number of lakes, with area larger than 1 k㎡ , has increased to ~1400 in 2021 from ~1000 in the 1970s. The total area of these lakes decreased between the 1970s and ~1995, and then showed a robust increase, with the exception of a slight decrease in 2015. This expansion of the lakes on the highest plateau in the world is a response to a hydrological cycle intensified by recent climate changes.
ZHANG Guoqing
Contact Support
Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, CAS 0931-4967287 poles@itpcas.ac.cnLinks
National Tibetan Plateau Data CenterFollow Us
A Big Earth Data Platform for Three Poles © 2018-2020 No.05000491 | All Rights Reserved | No.11010502040845
Tech Support: westdc.cn