Details zur Publikation

Kategorie Textpublikation
Referenztyp Zeitschriften
DOI 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2010.03.011
Titel (primär) Inter-annual rainfall variability in Central Asia - A contribution to the discussion on the importance of environmental stochasticity in drylands
Autor von Wehrden, H.; Hanspach, J.; Ronnenberg, K.; Weschke, K.
Quelle Journal of Arid Environments
Erscheinungsjahr 2010
Department BZF
Band/Volume 74
Heft 10
Seite von 1212
Seite bis 1215
Sprache englisch
Keywords China; Grazing; Mongolia; Precipitation variability; Rangeland productivity
Abstract Drylands are characterised by pronounced climatic fluctuations, especially in regard to precipitation. We tested the relationship between mean precipitation and variability values using monthly data from climate stations in both arid and semi-arid parts of Central and High Asia. Total annual and growing season precipitation values were also compared in order to produce results relevant to plant biomass productivity and thus land use. Our study confirmed the well known observation that variability increases with lower overall precipitation levels. The observed correlation indicated that growing season precipitation variability increased dramatically where mean precipitation levels fell below 100 mm. This sheds new light on the transition between regimes with more regular rainfall patterns and those with episodic rainfall; a focus on the growing season indicates a stronger relation between rainfall sums and rainfall variability compared to annual values. We therefore encourage future analysis for other parts of the world to improve our understanding of the relationship between climatic conditions and productivity in drylands.
dauerhafte UFZ-Verlinkung https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=10637
von Wehrden, H., Hanspach, J., Ronnenberg, K., Weschke, K. (2010):
Inter-annual rainfall variability in Central Asia - A contribution to the discussion on the importance of environmental stochasticity in drylands
J. Arid. Environ. 74 (10), 1212 - 1215 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2010.03.011