Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Dynamic Changes of Plateau Wetlands in the Damqu River Basin, Yangtze River Source Region, China, 1988–2015

  • Wetlands and Climate Change
  • Published:
Wetlands Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The assessment of wetland changes on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is an important component of global change research. The Damqu River Basin (DRB) lies within the southern source of the Yangtze River and is part of the core wetlands area of the Three Rivers Source Region (TRSR). We examined the distribution of wetlands across this region based on remote sensing image interpretations. The results revealed clear evidence of changes over the period between 1988 and 2015, with the ​​wetland area in 2015 being 8964.51 km2 (53.52% of the total basin). Wetlands at this time were concentrated between 4700 and 5000 m (upper limit: 5600 m), with land slopes between 0 and 6°, and a northward aspect. The data also showed that the wetland area decreased by 71.16 km2 between 1988 and 2015, equivalent to 0.79% of the 1988 total. The annual value of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) decreased over 63.36% of the region within the DRB during 1988–2015. The area of three major lakes in the DRB declined from 2009 to 2015. The results of this analysis demonstrated that precipitation variation was the underlying cause of the observed vegetation index and lake area changes within the DRB between 1988 and 2015.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Cao SX, Zhang JZ, Su W (2018) Net value of wetland ecosystem services in China. Earths Future 6(10):1433–1441

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen DL, Xu BQ, Yao TD et al (2015) Assessment of past, present and future environmental changes on the Tibetan plateau. Chinese Science Bulletin 60(32):3025–3035

    Google Scholar 

  • Cizkova H, Kvet J, Comin FA, Laiho R, Pokorny J, Pithart D (2013) Actual state of European wetlands and their possible future in the context of global climate change. Aquatic Sciences 75:3–26

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clair TA (1998) Canadian freshwater wetlands and climate change. Climatic Change 40:163–165

    Google Scholar 

  • Costanza R, Groot R, Sutton P, Ploeg S, Anderson SJ, Kubiszewski I, Farber S, Turner RK (2014) Changes in the global value of ecosystem services. Global Environmental Change 26(3):152–158

    Google Scholar 

  • Dai X, Yang GS, Wan RR, Li YY (2018) The effect of the Changjiang River on water regimes of its tributary Lake east Dongting. Journal of Geographical Sciences 28(8):1072–1084

    Google Scholar 

  • Erwin KL (2009) Wetlands and global climate change: the role of wetland restoration in a changing world. Wetlands Ecology and Management 17:71–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Finlayson CM (2013) Climate change and the wise use of wetlands: information from Australian wetlands. Hydrobiologia 708:145–152

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Foti R, del Jesus M, Rinaldo A, Rodriguez-Iturbe I (2013) Signs of critical transition in the Everglades wetlands in response to climate and anthropogenic changes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 110:6296–6300

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gallant AL (2015) The challenges of remote monitoring of wetlands. Remote Sensing 7:10938–10950

    Google Scholar 

  • Gedan KB, Kirwan ML, Wolanski E, Barbier EB, Silliman BR (2011) The present and future role of coastal wetland vegetation in protecting shorelines: answering recent challenges to the paradigm. Climatic Change 106:7–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Gopal B (2013) Future of wetlands in tropical and subtropical Asia, especially in the face of climate change. Aquatic Sciences 75:39–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartig EK, Grozev O, Rosenzweig C (1997) Climate change, agriculture and wetlands in Eastern Europe: vulnerability, adaptation and policy. Climatic Change 36:107–121

    Google Scholar 

  • Howes NC, FitzGerald DM, Hughes ZJ, Georgiou IY, Kulp MA, Miner MD, Smith JM, Barras JA (2010) Hurricane-induced failure of low salinity wetlands. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 107:14014–14019

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hu SJ, Niu ZG, Chen YF, Li LF, Zhang HY (2017) Global wetlands: potential distribution, wetland loss, and status. Science of the Total Environment 586:319–327

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Immerzeel WW, van Beek LPH, Bierkens MFP (2010) Climate change will affect the Asian water towers. Science 328:1382–1385

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2001) Climate change 2001: the scientific basis. KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering 19(2):359–365

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiang WG, Lv JX, Wang CC, Chen Z, Liu YH (2017) Marsh wetland degradation risk assessment and change analysis: a case study in the Zoige plateau, China. Ecological Indicators 82:316–326

    Google Scholar 

  • Junk WJ, An SQ, Finlayson CM, Gopal B, Kvet J, Mitchell SA, Mitsch WJ, Robarts RD (2013) Current state of knowledge regarding the world's wetlands and their future under global climate change: a synthesis. Aquatic Sciences 75:151–167

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lemly AD, Kingsford RT, Thompson JR (2000) Irrigated agriculture and wildlife conservation: conflict on a global scale. Environmental Management 25:485–512

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li JL, Sheng YW, Luo JC, Shen ZF (2011) Remotely sensed mapping of inland lake area changes in the Tibetan plateau. Journal of Lake Sciences 23:311–320 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Li Z, Zhou T, Zhao X, Huang K, Gao S, Wu H (2015) Assessments of drought impacts on vegetation in China with the optimal time scales of the climatic drought index. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 12:7615–7634

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Li ZJ, Jin ZW, Zhou YJ, Yan X, Xu P (2016) Preliminary analysis on characteristics of flow and sediment of Dangqu as the south source of Yangtze River. Journal of Yangtze River Scientific Research Institute 33(3):35–37 (in Chinese)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu JY, Shao QQ, Fan JW (2013a) Ecological construction achievements assessment and its revelation of ecological project in three Rivers headwaters region. Chinese Journal of Nature 35(1):40–46 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu XF, Ren ZY, Lin ZH, Liu YX, Zhang DH (2013b) The spatial-temporal changes of vegetation coverage in the Three-River headwater region in recent 12 years. Acta Geographica Sinica 68(7):897–908 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu HY, Deng B, Liu YZ, Jiang CB, Wu ZY, Long YN (2018) Preliminary numerical analysis of the efficiency of a Central Lake reservoir in enhancing the flood and drought resistance of Dongting Lake. Water 10(2):225

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma TT, Li XW, Bai JH, Ding SY, Zhou FW, Cui BS (2019) Four decades' dynamics of coastal blue carbon storage driven by land use/land cover transformation under natural and anthropogenic processes in the Yellow River Delta, China. Science of the Total Environment 655:741–750

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mao DH, Wang ZM, Yang H et al (2018) Impacts of climate change on Tibetan lakes: patterns and processes. Remote Sensing 10:358

    Google Scholar 

  • Middelkoop H, Daamen K, Gellens D et al (2001) Impact of climate change on hydrological regimes and water resources management in the Rhine basin. Climatic Change 49:105–128

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mitsch WJ, Gosselink JG (2000) The value of wetlands: importance of scale and landscape setting. Ecological Economics 35(1):25–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitsch WJ, Hernandez ME (2013) Landscape and climate change threats to wetlands of north and Central America. Aquatic Sciences 75:133–149

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mortsch LD (1998) Assessing the impact of climate change on the Great Lakes shoreline wetlands. Climatic Change 40:391–416

    Google Scholar 

  • Namaalwa S, Van DA, Funk A, Ajie GS, Kaggwa RC (2013) A characterization of the drivers, pressures, ecosystem functions and services of Namatala wetland. Environmental Science and Policy 34:44–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Nasiru IM (2015) Handbook of climate change adaptation. Springer, In

    Google Scholar 

  • Nie Y, Zhang YL, Ding MJ, Liu LS, Wang ZF (2013) Lake change and its implication in the vicinity of Mt. Qomolangma (Everest), central high Himalayas, 1970-2009. Environmental Earth Sciences 68:251–265

    Google Scholar 

  • Pan BT, Li JJ (1996) Qinghai-Tibetan plateau: a driver and amplifier of global climatic change. Journal of Lanzhou University (natural sciences) 32(1):108–115 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrescu AMR, Lohila A, Tuovinen J-P, Baldocchi DD, Desai AR, Roulet NT, Vesala T, Dolman AJ, Oechel WC, Marcolla B, Friborg T, Rinne J, Matthes JH, Merbold L, Meijide A, Kiely G, Sottocornola M, Sachs T, Zona D, Varlagin A, Lai DY, Veenendaal E, Parmentier FJ, Skiba U, Lund M, Hensen A, van Huissteden J, Flanagan LB, Shurpali NJ, Grünwald T, Humphreys ER, Jackowicz-Korczyński M, Aurela MA, Laurila T, Grüning C, Corradi CA, Schrier-Uijl AP, Christensen TR, Tamstorf MP, Mastepanov M, Martikainen PJ, Verma SB, Bernhofer C, Cescatti A (2015) The uncertain climate footprint of wetlands under human pressure. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 112:4594–4599

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Piao SL, Yin GD, Tan JG, Cheng L, Huang M, Li Y, Liu R, Mao J, Myneni RB, Peng S, Poulter B, Shi X, Xiao Z, Zeng N, Zeng Z, Wang Y (2015) Detection and attribution of vegetation greening trend in China over the last 30 years. Global Change Biology 21:1601–1609

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Prigent C, Papa F, Aires F, Jimenez C, Rossow WB, Matthews E (2012) Changes in land surface water dynamics since the 1990s and relation to population pressure. Geophysical Research Letters 39(8):85–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramsar Convention (2018) Global wetland outlook: state of the world’s wetlands and their services to people

  • Shao QQ, Liu JY, Huang L, Fan JW, Xu XL, Wang JB (2013) Integrated assessment on the effectiveness of ecological conservation in Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve. Geographical Research 32(9):1645–1656 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Shao QQ, Fan JW, Liu JY et al (2016) Assessment on the effects of the first-stage ecological conservation and restoration project in Sanjiangyuan region. Acta Geographica Sinica 71(1):3–20 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Song C, Sheng Y (2015) Contrasting evolution patterns between glacier-fed and non-glacier-fed lakes in the Tanggula Mountains and climate cause analysis. Climate Change 135:493–507

    Google Scholar 

  • Vymazal J, Greenway M, Tonderski K, Brix H, Mander U (2005) Constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment. Ecological Engineering 25:475–477

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang YD, Hou XY, Shi P, Yu LJ (2013a) Detecting shoreline changes in typical coastal wetlands of Bohai rim in North China. Wetlands 33(4):617–629

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang M, Zhou CP, Wu L, Xu XL, Ouyang H (2013b) Wet-drought pattern and its relationship with vegetation change in the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau during 2001-2010. Arid Land Geography 36(1):49–56 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wania R (2007) Modelling northern peatland surface processes, vegetation dynamics and methane emissions. Univ. Bristol, In

    Google Scholar 

  • Webb EL, Friess DA, Krauss KW, Cahoon DR, Guntenspergen GR, Phelps J (2013) A global standard for monitoring coastal wetland vulnerability to accelerated sea-level rise. Nature Climate Change 3:458–465

    Google Scholar 

  • White L, Brisco B, Dabboor M, Schmitt A, Pratt A (2015) A collection of SAR methodologies for monitoring wetlands. Remote Sensing 7:7615–7645

    Google Scholar 

  • Winter TC (2000) The vulnerability of wetlands to climate change: a hydrologic landscape perspective. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 36:305–311

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodward C, Shulmeister J, Larsen J, Jacobsen GE, Zawadzki A (2014) The hydrological legacy of deforestation on global wetlands. Science 346:844–847

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Xie GD (2018) Research on the maintenance mechanism of national ecological security. Environmental Protection 46(3–4):13–16 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Xie GD, Zhang CX, Zhang CS, Xiao Y, Lu CX (2015) The value of ecosystem services in China. Resources Science 37(9):1740–1746 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Xing Y (2015) Spatial responses of wetland change to climate in 32 years in Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Remote Sensing for Land and Resources 27(3):99–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu XL, Wang L, Li J, Cai HY (2017) Analysis of the grassland restoration trend and degradation situation in the “Three-River headwaters” region since the implementation of the ecological project. Journal of Geo-information Science 19(1):50–58 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Xue WX, Gu S, Su WJ, Jiang S, Xiao RS, Xiao JS, Zhang J (2012) Spatial pattern and its variations of aridity/humidity during 1971-2010 in Three-River source region on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Arid Land Geography 35(1):46–55 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Xue ZS, Lyu XG, Chen ZK, Zhang ZS, Jiang M, Zhang K, Lyu YL (2018) Spatial and temporal changes of wetlands on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau from the 1970s to 2010s. Chinese Geographical Science 28(6):935–945

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang K, Lu H, Yue SY, Zhang GQ, Lei YB, La Z, Wang W (2018) Quantifying recent precipitation change and predicting lake expansion in the inner Tibetan plateau. Climatic Change 147(1–2):149–163

    Google Scholar 

  • Yao TD (2014) TPE international program: a program for coping with major future environmental challenges of the third pole region. Progress in Geography 33(7):884–892 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yao TD, Thompson L, Yang W et al (2012a) Different glacier status with atmospheric circulations in Tibetan plateau and surroundings. Nature Climate Change 2:663–667

    Google Scholar 

  • Yao TD, Thompson LG, Mosbrugger V et al (2012b) Third pole environment (TPE). Environmental Development 3:52–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Yao FF, Wang JD, Yang KH, Wang C, Walter BA, Cretaux J-F (2018) Lake storage variation on the endorheic Tibetan plateau and its attribution to climate change since the new millennium. Environmental Research Letters 13(6):64011

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu XJ, Yan Q, Liu ZJ, Xi LH, Wang Y (2013) Quantitative estimation and dynamic changes of vegetation fractional coverage in the Sanjiangyuan region. Resources and Environment in the Yangtze Basin 22(1):66–74 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang YL, Li BY, Zheng D (2002) A discussion on the boundary and area of the Tibetan plateau in China. Geographical Research 21(1):1–9 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang JP, Zhang YL, Liu LS, Ding MJ, Zhang XR (2011) Identifying alpine wetlands in the Damqu River basin in the source area of the Yangtze River using object-based classification method. Journal of Resources and Ecology 2(2):186–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang YL, Li BY, Zheng D (2014) Datasets of the boundary and area of the Tibetan Plateau. Global Change Research Data Publishing and Repository. http://www.geodoi.ac.cn/WebEn/doi.aspx?doi=10.3974/geodb.2014.01.12.v1, last accessed on 15 June 2014

  • Zhang F, Yushanjiang A, Jing YQ (2019) Assessing and predicting changes of the ecosystem service values based on land use/cover change in Ebinur Lake wetland National Nature Reserve, Xinjiang, China. Science of the Total Environment 656:1133–1144

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao ZL (2017) Dynamic of wetland in Damqu River basin in the source region of the Yangtze River and the influencing factors. Univ. Chinese Academy of Sciences, In (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao F, Liu H, Zhang HQ, Zou WT (2012) Driving forces for wetland changes in the typical region of the origin of the three major rivers. Wetland Science and Management 8(3):57–60 (in Chinese)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao ZL, Zhang YL, Liu LS, Liu FG, Zhang HF (2015) Recent changes in wetlands on the Tibetan plateau: a review. Journal of Geographical Sciences 25(7):879–896

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao ZL, Zhang YL, Liu LS, Hu ZZ (2018) The impact of drought on vegetation conditions within the Damqu River basin, Yangtze River source region, China. PLoS One 13(8):e0202966

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng YM, Zhang HY, Niu ZG, Gong P (2012) Protection efficacy of national wetland reserves in China. Chinese Science Bulletin 57(10):1116–1134

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research (grant No. 2019QZKK06000), Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (grant No. XDA20040200), National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant No. 41671104) and Program of Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation of Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research of CAS (GJ-2020-0x). We extend our sincere thanks to the editors and anonymous reviewers for their valuable time.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Zhilong Zhao, Linshan Liu, Zhaofeng Wang, Yili Zhang & Lanhui Li

  2. Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Zhilong Zhao

  3. CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Yili Zhang

  4. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Yili Zhang

  5. College of Geographic Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, 810008, China

    Fenggui Liu

Authors
  1. Zhilong Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Linshan Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zhaofeng Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yili Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Lanhui Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Fenggui Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yili Zhang.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 17 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhao, Z., Liu, L., Wang, Z. et al. Dynamic Changes of Plateau Wetlands in the Damqu River Basin, Yangtze River Source Region, China, 1988–2015. Wetlands 40, 1409–1424 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-020-01271-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-020-01271-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation