The meteorological data of 616 stations in China were used to calculate the potential evapotranspira-tion and aridity/humidity index by applying the modified FAO-Penman-Monteith model. Regional difference of trends in precipitation, potential evapotranspiration and arid-ity/humidity index over China and their interdecadal varia-tions were analyzed from 1971 to 2000. The results show that all the four climatic factors trends have obvious regional difference and interdecadal variations. Annual precipitation during the 30-year period shows an increasing trend over most regions of China, with decreasing trends in potential evapotranspiration and aridity/humidity index. Most regions in China become more humid, especially significant in northern Xinjiang, eastern Tibet, western Sichuan, and northern Yunnan. The average value over China would mask the regional difference of climate change because of the com-plex environmental condition in China. Therefore regional difference should be analyzed to further understand climate change and its impacts. Both water supply and demand need to be considered when attempting to study regional arid-ity/humidity conditions.
To clarify aridity/humidity status of land surface is helpful for studying environmental background and regional differences, seeking causes of environmental change, and providing a scientific basis for researches on climate change in the future. In this paper, the authors calcu- lated potential evapotranspiration of China using data from 616 meteorological stations during the period of 1971―2000 with the Penman-Monteith model recommanded by FAO in 1998. Vy- sothkii’s model was used to calculate aridity/humidity index. Then the calculated results of sta- tions were interpolated to land surface using ArcGIS. Results show that the annual average po- tential evapotranspiration is 400―1500 mm in the whole country, 600―800 mm in most parts of it; and 350―1400 mm in growing season (April―Octobor), which is nearly 200 mm less than the annual average. According to the aridity/humidity indexes of 1.0, 1.5 and 4.0, the aridity/humidity status is categorized to four types, namely, humid, subhumid, semiarid and arid. A majority of stations (76%) are more humid in growing season than the annual average. Results of com- prisons between the distribution map of aridity/humidity index with that of precipitation and vegetation indicate a good consistence of aridity/humidity status with natural environment. Therefore potential evapotranspiration calculated with modified FAO’s Penman-Monteith model in combination with aridity/humidity index that considers water balance can more reasonably explain the actual land surface aridity/humidity status of China.
WU Shaohong1, YIN Yunhe1,2, ZHENG Du1 & YANG Qinye1 1. Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100101, China
