ISSN:
1440-1703
Keywords:
China
;
Distribution of vegetation
;
Evergreen broadleaf forest
;
Moisture index
;
Thornthwaite's system
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract Distributions of 29 vegetation types in China as a function of climatic humidity or aridity were analysed using Thornthwaite's system, by employing meteorological records from 671 stations in China. The annual potential evapotranspiration and the humidity/aridity indices were calculated for every station, and distribution maps of water deficiency, water surplus and moisture index (Im) were constructed. The Im map showed that arid areas (Im〈0) occupied about 56% of the country. The effect of the difference in soil water storage capacity on Thornthwaite's indices was examined, and Im values were found to differ little, although some differences were observed in actual annual evapotranspiration, water deficiency and water surplus values. Correlations between Im values and distributions of 29 vegetation types, identified from a vegetation map with a scale of 1/4000000, were investigated. The distributions of desert, steppe, woodland, deciduous forest and evergreen forest corresponded to Im values of below −40, −40–−20, −20-0, 0–60 and over 60, respectively. In addition, climatic factors delimiting the northern distribution of evergreen broadleaf forest were investigated, and it was clarified that the northern limit was restricted by combined hydrothermal conditions, and not by the low temperature in winter.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02348460
