Responses of permafrost to climate change and their environmental significance, Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau

In this paper we summarize recent research in geocryological studies carried out on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau that show responses of permafrost to climate change and their environmental implications. Long‐term temperature measurements indicate that the lower altitudinal limit of permafrost has moved up by 25 m in the north during the last 30 years and between 50 and 80 m in the south over the last 20 years. Furthermore, the thickness of the active layer has increased by 0.15 to 0.50 m and ground temperature at a depth of 6 m has risen by about 0.1° to 0.3°C between 1996 and 2001. Recent studies show that freeze‐thaw cycles in the ground intensify the heat exchange between the atmosphere and the ground surface.…