Please wait a minute...
Journal of Arid Land  2015, Vol. 7 Issue (1): 1-9    DOI: 10.1007/s40333-014-0009-5     CSTR: 32276.14.s40333-014-0009-5
Brief Communication     
Change of lake area in the southeastern part of China’s Badain Jaran Sand Sea and its implications for recharge sources
Zhi ZHANG, ZhiBao DONG*, ChangZhen YAN, GuangYin HU
Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Download:   PDF(369KB)
Export: BibTeX | EndNote (RIS)      

Abstract  Understanding the relationship between the changes in lake water volume and climate change can provide valuable information to the recharge sources of lake water. This is particularly true in arid areas such as the Badain Jaran Sand Sea, an ecologically sensitive area, where the recharge sources of lakes are heatedly debated. In this study, we determined the areas of 50 lakes (representing 70% of the total permanent lakes in this sand sea) in 1967, 1975, 1990, 2000 and 2010 by analyzing remote-sensing images using image processing and ArGIS software. In general, the total lake area decreased from 1967 to 1990, remained almost unchanged from 1990 to 2000, and increased from 2000 to 2010. Analysis of the relationship between these changes and the contemporaneous changes in annual mean temperature and annual precipitation in the surrounding areas suggests that temperature has significantly affected the lake area, but that the influence of precipitation was minor. These results tend to support the palaeo-water recharge hypothesis for lakes of the Badain Jaran Sand Sea, considering the fact that the distribution and area of lakes are closely related to precipitation and the size of megadunes, but the contemporaneous precipitation can hardly balance the lake water.

Key wordssoil organic carbon      spatial variability      desert grasslands      elevation      edaphic factor      Qilian Mountains     
Received: 20 December 2013      Published: 10 February 2015
Fund:  

We gratefully acknowledge funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41130533).

Corresponding Authors:
Cite this article:

Zhi ZHANG, ZhiBao DONG, ChangZhen YAN, GuangYin HU. Change of lake area in the southeastern part of China’s Badain Jaran Sand Sea and its implications for recharge sources. Journal of Arid Land, 2015, 7(1): 1-9.

URL:

http://jal.xjegi.com/10.1007/s40333-014-0009-5     OR     http://jal.xjegi.com/Y2015/V7/I1/1

Chen J S, Li L, Wang J Y, et al. 2004. Water resource: Groundwater maintains dune landscape. Nature, 432: 459–460.

Ding H W, Wang G L. 2007. Study on the formation mechanism of the lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert. Arid Zone Research, 24(1): 1–7. (in Chinese)

Dong Z, Wang T, Wang X. 2004. Geomorphology of the megadunes in the Badain Jaran Desert. Geomorphology, 60: 191–203.

Dong Z, Qian G, Luo W, et al. 2009. Geomorphological hierarchies for complex megadunes and their implications for megadune evolution in the Badain Jaran Desert. Geomorphology, 106: 180–185.

Dong Z, Qian G, Lü P, et al. 2013. Investigation of the sand sea with the tallest dunes on Earth: China’s Badain Jaran Sand Sea. Earth Science Reviews, 120: 20–39.

Gates J B, Edmunds W M, Darling W G, et al. 2008a. Conceptual model of recharge to southeastern Badain Jaran Desert groundwater and lakes from environmental tracers. Applied Geochemistry, 23: 3519–3534.

Gates J B, Edmunds W M, Ma J, et al. 2008b. Estimating groundwater recharge in a cold desert environment in Northern China using chlo¬ride. Hydrogeology Journal, 16: 893–910.

Hofman J. 1996. The lakes in the SE part of Badain Jaran Shamo, their limnology and geochemistry. Geowissenschaften, 7: 275–278.

Jäkel D. 1996. The Badain Jaran Desert: its origin and development. Geowissenschaften, 7: 272–274.

Li B G, Ma L C, Jiang P A, et al. 2008. High precision topographic data on Lop Nor basin’s lake “Great Ear” and the timing of its becoming a dry salt lake. Chinese Science Bulletin, 53(6): 905–914.

Li B S, Gao Q Z, Yan M C, et al. 2005. A recent study on sedimentary sequence of southeastern Badain Jaran Desert since 150 ka BP. Jour¬nal of Desert Research, 25(4): 457–464. (in Chinese)

Li J L, Sheng Y W. 2013. Spatiotemporal pattern and process of inland lake change in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau during the period of 1976–2009. Arid Zone Research, 30(4): 571–581. (in Chinese)

Lu Y, Wang N A, Li G P, et al. 2010. Spatial distribution of lakes hydro-chemical types in Badain Jaran Desert. Journal of Lake Sciences, 22(5): 774–782. (in Chinese)

Lu Y, Wang N A, Li Z L, et al. 2011. Research on the relationship between lake hydro-chemical characteristics and its area in the Badain Jaran Desert. Geographical Research, 30(11): 2083–2091. (in Chinese)

Ma J, Edmunds W M. 2006. Groundwater and lake evolution in the Badain Jaran Desert ecosystem, Inner Mongolia. Hydrogeology Journal, 14: 1231–1243.

Ma J, Huang T, Ding Z, et al. 2007. Environmental isotopes as the indicators of the groundwater recharge in the south Badain Jaran Desert. Advances in Earth Science, 22(9): 922–930. (in Chinese)

Ma J, Edmunds W M, He J, et al. 2009. A 2000 year geochemical record of palaeoclimate and hydrology derived from dune sand moisture. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 276: 38–46.

Ma N, Wang N A, Li Z L, et al. 2011a. Analysis on climate change in the northern and southern marginal zones of the Badain Jaran Desert during the period 1960–2009. Arid Zone Research, 28(2): 242–230. (in Chinese)

Ma N, Wang N A, Zhu J F, et al. 2011b. Climate change around the Badain Jaran Desert in recent 50 years. Journal of Desert Research, 31(6): 1541–1547. (in Chinese)

Wang T. 1990. Formation and evolution of Badain Jirin Sandy Desert, China. Journal of Desert Research, 10(1): 29–40. (in Chinese)

Yang X, Williams M A J. 2003. The ion chemistry of lakes and late Holocene desiccation in the Badain Jaran Desert, Inner Mongolia, China. Catena, 51: 45–60.

Yang X . 2006. Chemistry and late Quaternary evolution of ground and surface waters in the area of Yabulai Mountains, western Inner Mongolia, China. Catena, 66: 135–144.

Yao X J, Liu S Y, Li L, et al. 2013. Spatial-temporal variations of lake area in Hoh Xil region in the past 40 years. Acta Geographica Sinica, 68(7): 886–896. (in Chinese)

Zhang H, Ma Y, Peng J, et al. 2002. Palaeolake and palaeoenvironment between 42 and 18 kaBP in Tengger Desert, NW China. Chinese Science Bulletin, 47: 1946–1956.

Zhang Z Y, Wang N A, Wu Y, et al. 2013. Remote sensing on spatial changes of lake area in Badain Jaran Desert hinterland during 1973–2010. Journal of Lake Sciences, 25(4): 514–520. (in Chinese)

Zhao J B, Shao T J, Hou Y L, et al. 2011a. Moisture content of sand layer and its origin in a megadune area in the Badain Jaran Desert. Journal of Natural Resources, 26(4): 694–702. (in Chinese)

Zhao L, Xiao H, Dong Z, et al. 2011b. Origins of groundwater inferred from isotopic patterns of the Badain Jaran Desert, Northwestern China. Groundwater, 50: 715–725.

Zhu J F, Wang N A, Li Z L, et al. 2011. RS-based monitoring seasonal changes of lake in Badain Jaran Desert. Journal of Lake Sciences, 23(4): 657–664. (in Chinese)

Zhu Z D, Wu Z, Liu S, et al. 1980. Deserts in China. Beijing: Science Press, 107. (in Chinese)
[1] MA Xinxin, ZHAO Yunge, YANG Kai, MING Jiao, QIAO Yu, XU Mingxiang, PAN Xinghui. Long-term light grazing does not change soil organic carbon stability and stock in biocrust layer in the hilly regions of drylands[J]. Journal of Arid Land, 2023, 15(8): 940-959.
[2] GAO Xiang, WEN Ruiyang, Kevin LO, LI Jie, YAN An. Heterogeneity and non-linearity of ecosystem responses to climate change in the Qilian Mountains National Park, China[J]. Journal of Arid Land, 2023, 15(5): 508-522.
[3] YANG Yuxin, GONG Lu, TANG Junhu. Reclamation during oasification is conducive to the accumulation of the soil organic carbon pool in arid land[J]. Journal of Arid Land, 2023, 15(3): 344-358.
[4] TONG Shan, CAO Guangchao, ZHANG Zhuo, ZHANG Jinhu, YAN Xin. Soil microbial community diversity and distribution characteristics under three vegetation types in the Qilian Mountains, China[J]. Journal of Arid Land, 2023, 15(3): 359-376.
[5] YANG Jingyi, LUO Weicheng, ZHAO Wenzhi, LIU Jiliang, WANG Dejin, LI Guang. Soil seed bank is affected by transferred soil thickness and properties in the reclaimed coal mine in the Qilian Mountains, China[J]. Journal of Arid Land, 2023, 15(12): 1529-1543.
[6] WANG Ziyi, LIU Xiaohong, WANG Keyi, ZENG Xiaomin, ZHANG Yu, GE Wensen, KANG Huhu, LU Qiangqiang. Tree-ring δ15N of Qinghai spruce in the central Qilian Mountains of China: Is pre-treatment of wood samples necessary?[J]. Journal of Arid Land, 2022, 14(6): 673-690.
[7] ZHAO Yanni, CHEN Rensheng, HAN Chuntan, WANG Lei. Adjustment of precipitation measurements using Total Rain weighing Sensor (TRwS) gauges in the cryospheric hydrometeorology observation (CHOICE) system of the Qilian Mountains, Northwest China[J]. Journal of Arid Land, 2022, 14(3): 310-324.
[8] QIU Dong, TAO Ye, ZHOU Xiaobing, Bagila MAISUPOVA, YAN Jingming, LIU Huiliang, LI Wenjun, ZHUANG Weiwei, ZHANG Yuanming. Spatiotemporal variations in the growth status of declining wild apple trees in a narrow valley in the western Tianshan Mountains, China[J]. Journal of Arid Land, 2022, 14(12): 1413-1439.
[9] HAI Xuying, LI Jiwei, LIU Yulin, WU Jianzhao, LI Jianping, SHANGGUAN Zhouping, DENG Lei. Manipulated precipitation regulated carbon and phosphorus limitations of microbial metabolisms in a temperate grassland on the Loess Plateau, China[J]. Journal of Arid Land, 2022, 14(10): 1109-1123.
[10] WANG Hairu, SU Haohai, Asim BISWAS, CAO Jianjun. Leaf stoichiometry of Leontopodium lentopodioides at high altitudes on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China[J]. Journal of Arid Land, 2022, 14(10): 1124-1137.
[11] WANG Lei, FAN Lianlian, JIANG Li, TIAN Changyan. Elevated CO2 increases shoot growth but not root growth and C:N:P stoichiometry of Suaeda aralocaspica plants[J]. Journal of Arid Land, 2021, 13(11): 1155-1162.
[12] Batande Sinovuyo NDZELU, DOU Sen, ZHANG Xiaowei. Corn straw return can increase labile soil organic carbon fractions and improve water-stable aggregates in Haplic Cambisol[J]. Journal of Arid Land, 2020, 12(6): 1018-1030.
[13] CHENG Junhui, SHI Xiaojun, FAN Pengrui, ZHOU Xiaobing, SHENG Jiandong, ZHANG Yuanming. Relationship of species diversity between overstory trees and understory herbs along the environmental gradients in the Tianshan Wild Fruit Forests, Northwest China[J]. Journal of Arid Land, 2020, 12(4): 618-629.
[14] ZHOU Zuhao, HAN Ning, LIU Jiajia, YAN Ziqi, XU Chongyu, CAI Jingya, SHANG Yizi, ZHU Jiasong. Glacier variations and their response to climate change in an arid inland river basin of Northwest China[J]. Journal of Arid Land, 2020, 12(3): 357-373.
[15] GONG Yidan, XING Xuguang, WANG Weihua. Factors determining soil water heterogeneity on the Chinese Loess Plateau as based on an empirical mode decomposition method[J]. Journal of Arid Land, 2020, 12(3): 462-472.