Abstract
The shrinking and drying up of wetlands in arid and semiarid areas of China have been widely observed in the recent years, but there has been no consensus on whether the aggravation is caused by human activities or by global climate warming. For a better understanding of the cause, this study investigates the dynamic changes of Baiyangdian Lake wetland over the last 40 years. It is shown that since the 1980s, Baiyangdian Lake has suffered from an insufficient water input and shrunk considerably. By using SPSS11.0, this study undertakes a detailed analysis on the significance of the effects of the possible driving factors for the degradation. It is identified that the North China Plain has been warming up significantly in recent years, which causes a significant reduction in the precipitation and inflow to the lake. Although human disturbances such as the irrigation and storage of water in reservoirs do not play a decisive role, they accelerate the degradation and their effects should be minimized.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Brock T C M, Van Vierssen W, 1992. Climatic change and hygrophyte dominated communities in inland wetland ecosystem. Wetland Ecology and Management, 2: 37–49.
Burkeet J K, 2000. Climate change: potential impacts and interactions in wetlands of the United States, Virginia. Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 36(2): 313–320.
Deng Wei, Pan Xiangliang, Luan Zhaoqing, 2003. Advance in wetland hydrology. Advance in Water Science, 14(4): 521–527. (in Chinese)
Fu Guobin, Li Kerang, 2001. Progress in the study on the relationship between global warming and wetland ecological system. Geographical Research, 20(1): 120–128. (in Chinese)
Gu Jianqing, Mu Zhongyi, 1994. The effects of water exploitation on the ecosystem in Baiyangdian. Journal of Academy of Sciences of Hebei, (1): 29–34. (in Chinese)
Han Mei, Li Yanhong, Zhang Weiying et al., 2003. A review and prospect of lake and environmental evolution in China. Progress in Geography, 22(2): 125–132. (in Chinese)
Jin Xiangcan, 1993. Lake Environments in China. Beijing: Ocean Press. 1–26, 244–274. (in Chinese)
Kenneth D, David C, 1997. Climate change and water resources. In: Kenneth D (ed.). The Management of Water Resources 2: Water Resources and Climate Change. Montpellier Parade: Edward Elgar Glensanda Publishing House. 36–52.
Lahmer W, Pfuetnner B, Becher A, 2001. Assessment of land use and climate change impacts on the mesoscale. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth (B), 26(7–8): 565–575.
Li Yinghua, Cui Baoshan, Yang Zhifeng, 2004. Influence of hydrological characteristic change of Baiyangdian onthe ecological environment in wetland. Journal of Natural Resources, 19(1): 62–68. (in Chinese)
Liu Xiaoying, Lin Erda, 2004. Impacts of climate change on water requirement of main crops in North China. Journal of Water Conservancy, (2): 77–87. (in Chinese)
Lu Xianguo, Liu Hongyu, Yang Qing, 2000. Wetland in China: Feature, value and protection. Chinese Geographical Science, 10(4): 296–301.
Mortsch L D, 1998. Assessing the impact of climate change on the great lakes shoreline wetlands. Climate Change, 40(2): 391–416.
Patrick J, Michael J, 1997. Impacts of climate change on water resources: findings of the IPCC regional assessment of vulnerability for North America. In: Kenneth D (ed.). The Management of Water Resources 2: Water Resources and Climate Change. Montpellier Parade: Edward Elgar Glensanda Publishing House. 53–58.
Qin Boqiang, 1993. Analysis of the influence of climatic change on inland lakes. Scientia Geographica Sinica, 13(3): 212–219. (in Chinese)
Qin Boqiang, 1999. A preliminary investigation of the lake evolution in 20-century in inland Mainland Asia with relation to the global warming. Journal of Lake Science, 11(1): 11–19. (in Chinese)
Shi Yafeng, Zhang Xiangsong, 1995. Influence of climatic change on surface water resources in the arid region of Northwest district. Science in China (Series B), 25(9): 968–977. (in Chinese)
Song Changchun, 2003. Influence of global climate change on wetlands. Wetland Science, 1(2): 122–127. (in Chinese)
Vourltis G L, Oechel W C, 1997. Landscape-scale CO2, H2O vapor and energy flux of moist-wet coastal tundra ecosystem over two growing seasons. Journal of Ecology, 85: 575–590.
Wang Hongdao, 1990. Analysis of recently change on the lakes in China. Oceanologia et Limnologia Sinica, 21(6): 522–528. (in Chinese)
Wang Hongdao, Zhang Xuebin, 1991. Recent Lake changes in the arid areas of Northwest China. Advance in Water Resources, 2(4): 238–243. (in Chinese)
Wang Shuji, 1989. The activity of human Being in recent 40 years had influence over arid lake in China. Arid Land Geography, 12(1): 1–5. (in Chinese)
Xia Jun, 2002. A perspective on hydrological base of water security problem and its application study in North China. Progress in Geography, 21(6): 517–526. (in Chinese)
Zhang Shuqing, Zhang Bai, Wang Aihua, 2001. Study on the relationship between distributive variation of wetlands and regional climate change in Sanjiang Plain. Advance in Earth Science, 6(6): 836–841. (in Chinese)
Zhao Xiang, Cui Baoshan, Yang Zhifeng, 2005. A study of the lowest ecological water level of Baiyangdian Lake. Acta Ecological Sinica, 25(5): 1033–1040. (in Chinese)
Zhou Yunjun, Zhou Lihua, 1997. The main meteorological factors of formation and development of paludification meadow in Qinghai Lake drainage area. Scientia Geographica Sinica, 17(3): 271–277. (in Chinese)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Foundation item: Under the auspices of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30570303)
Biography: LIU Chunlan (1978–), female, a native of Zunhua of Hebei Province, Ph.D. candidate, specialized in ecological risk assessment and regional resources and environment management.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liu, C., Xie, G. & Huang, H. Shrinking and drying up of Baiyangdian Lake wetland: A natural or human cause?. Chin. Geograph.Sc. 16, 314–319 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-006-0314-9
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11769-006-0314-9