CLIMATE CHANGES AND LANDSCAPE RESPONSES OF CHINA DURING THE PAST 40 YEARS (1979–2018) UNDER KÖPPEN-GEIGER CLIMATE CLASSIFICATION

Abstract. Under the background of global warming, China with diverse climate types is experiencing dramatic climate change. In this study, we produced a series of climate type map of China at 0.1° resolution from 1979 to 2018 using Köppen-Geiger climate classification, which provided continuous fine-scale decadal climate classification data for climate researches in China. Based on these climate maps, we divided China into four main climate zones: arid climate zone located on the north of Tibetan Plateau and west of Inner Mongolian Plateau, temperate climate zones in southern China, cold climate zone occupied most of Northeast Plain and North China Plain, and polar climate zone on Tibetan Plateau. The distribution of main climate classes in China have not changed significantly over 40 years, while the climate change mainly occurs at the levels of climate type and subtype changes. The frequency of climate changes shows the climate sensitivity of the region, and we identified the transition areas of climate zones with a high sensitivity to climate change. The change of climate types shows an obvious trend of rising temperature in all climate zones of China and increasing precipitation in most climate zones of China (the cold climate zone shows no significant dry or wet change). Overall, the climate in China is generally getting warmer and wetter in the past 40 years. Furthermore, we analysed the landscape responses on climate change with land cover data, e.g. the vegetation type variations in southern China and the snow cover fluctuations on Tibetan Plateau.