The study shows that temperatures increased at 77 percent of the sites, reflecting a statistically significant warming trend between 1961 and 2008.
“I think glacial loss is caused mainly by rises in temperature, especially in the high altitude regions," said lead author Dr.Zongxing. “From the 14 weather stations above 4000 meters, there was an annual mean temperature increase of 1.73 degrees Celsius from 1961 to 2008. It is imperative we determine the relationship between climate change and glacier variations, particularly the role of precipitation, as the consequences of glacial retreat are far reaching," he added.
The researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences collated a broad range of research on glaciers during this time period and identified three characteristics that were consistent with the increasing trend in temperature; drastic retreats were observed in the glacial regions, along with large losses of mass and an increase in the area of glacial lakes.
In the Pengqu basin of the Himalayas, for example, the 999 glaciers had a combined area loss of 131 km2 between 1970 and 2001, whilst the Yalong glacier in the Gangrigabu Mountains retreated over 1500 meters from 1980 to 2001.
The implications of these changes are far more serious than simply altering the landscape; glaciers are an integral part of thousands of ecosystems and play a crucial role in sustaining human populations. Read the full report here.
Source: by Bob Berwyn, Summit County Citizens Voice.
