Importance and vulnerability of water towers across Northwest China  

作　　者：Yi HUANG Cun-De XIAO Bo SU 

机构地区：[1]State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology,Beijing Normal University,Beijing 100875,China

出　　处：《Advances in Climate Change Research》2022年第1期63-72,共10页气候变化研究进展（英文版）

基　　金：This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41690145,41671058);the Beijing Normal University Talent Introduction Project of China(12807-312232101).

摘　　要：High mountains(known as water towers)in the arid areas of Northwest China(ARNWC)are major suppliers of water resources for the downstream oasis region,where large populations and economic activities are concentrated.Studies on both water supply and water demand in central Asia including ARNWC have been explored in recent decades,but a precise study on the importance and vulnerability of fine-scale water towers still needs to be conducted,because oases are isolated each other and each oasis has its own specific tower(s).Here we ranked the importance of water tower units(WTUs)using a simplified water tower index(WTI)based on water amount of supply/demand side at a fine river basin scale.Then the vulnerability of these WTUs is assessed with the consideration of future changes in climate,population.GDP,water stress,etc.We con eluded that the WTU of the Mid-branch Rivers of the Junggar Basin is the most important with the highest WTI.while the Yarkant River Basin is the most vulnerable.The WTUs such as the Yarkant,Hotan and Kaxgar of the Tarim River Basin as well as the Hei River of the Hexi Corridor are important at present and vulnerable under a considerable pressure from future climate change scenarios.To respond to these opportunities and risks,it is better to reduce the proportion of the primary industry appropriately,improve the efficiency of water use and strengthen the supervision of water resources utilization,especially in the industrial and urban planning as well as ecological engineering projects.

关 键 词：Water towers Oasis-human vulnerability Cryospheric service 

分 类 号：F426.9[经济管理—产业经济]