Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Permafrost characteristics over the Heihe River Basin in western China

Author(s):

Qingfeng Wang ^{1, 2}, Tingjun Zhang ^{3, 4, 5}*, Jichun Wu ¹, Xiaoqing Peng ¹, Xinyue Zhong ¹, Cuicui Mu ¹, Qingbai Wu ¹, Guodong Cheng ¹

Recieved Date: 2013-08-15, Accepted Date: 2013-10-18

Abstract:

Permafrost characteristics and its distribution are of great importance for systematically understanding regional climate and environmental changes, ecological- hydrological processes, water resources assessment, infrastructure constructions and resource development over the Heihe River Basin. Extensive field drilling and investigation of permafrost conditions were conducted during the summers of 2011 and 2012 over the upper reaches of Heihe River Basin in the middle range of Qilian Mts. in western China. Based on borehole core samples information and temperature profiles measured several months after the completion of drilling, it is found that the lower boundary of permafrost is between 3650 and 3700 m a. s. l. Due to the short span of the latitude within the study area, spatial changes in permafrost conditions are mainly controlled by altitude. Mean annual ground temperatures (MAGTs) at 20-m depth increases from -1.74°C at 4132 m a. s. l. to -0.19°C at 3700 m and 0.17°C at 3650 m a. s. l., respectively. The active layer thickness (ALT) varies from 1.6 m at 4132 m a. s. l. to 3.9 m at 3700 m a. s. l. Permafrost thickness decreases from 111.6 m at 4132 m a. s. l. to 13.0 m at 3700 m a. s. l. At the same time, the other local factors, such as slope, aspects, soil type, soil water content, vegetation, and river channels, may also have significant impact on permafrost conditions. Permafrost regions occupy approximately 1.43-1.50 ×10⁴ km², or 10.5-11.0% of the Heihe River Basin.

Keywords:

Lower boundary of permafrost, altitude, ALT, MAGT, local factors, Heihe River Basin

---

Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2013
Volume: 11
Issue: 3&4
Category: Environment
Pages: 2160-2166

---

Full text for Subscribers

---

Information:

Note to users

The requested document is freely available only to subscribers/registered users with an online subscription to the Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment. If you have set up a personal subscription to this title please enter your user name and password. All abstracts are available for free.

Article purchasing

If you like to purchase this specific document such as article, review or this journal issue, contact us. Specify the title of the article or review, issue, number, volume and date of the publication. Software and compilation, Science & Technology, all rights reserved. Your use of this website details or service is governed by terms of use. Authors are invited to check from time to time news or information.

---

Purchase this Article:   20 Purchase PDF Order Reprints for 15

---

Share this article :