Eungul LEE, Kyung Hee University, Korea (Republic of)
Yaqian HE, University of Central Arkansas, United States
Yaeone KIM , Kyung Hee University, Korea (Republic of)
Ahyeong IM, Kyung Hee University, Korea (Republic of)
Jieun OH, Kyung Hee University, Korea (Republic of)
Minseok KIM, Kyung Hee University, Korea (Republic of)
Significant changes in monsoon systems have been attributed to changes and variability in land surface conditions as well as in sea surface temperatures (e.g., Shanahan et al., 2009; Lee et al., 2009). Changes in land surface properties influence monsoon development and overall strength by affecting the land-sea heating contrast and land-atmosphere feedbacks (Meehl, 1994). Monsoon variability and change in the East Asian region address some of the most challenging problems in climate prediction and modeling, because of unique features and complex climate dynamic processes closely interacting with the coupled land and ocean systems. The East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) region has experienced significant changes in land cover and land use (such as deforestation, afforestation, and cropland changes), particularly in recent decades due to rapid economic development in China. These human-induced changes in land surface conditions could lead to changes in heat and moisture properties over the monsoon region and affect monsoon variability. This study investigated the effects of the recent land cover and land use changes (LCLUCs) on change and variability of the EASM using satellite-based, observational and reanalysis datasets of land surface, and atmospheric variables through comprehensive statistical analyses. Based on our classified annual LCLU maps in the EASM region for 34 years (1982-2015), we detected that croplands and forests significantly increased, and the dominant transition was from croplands to forests over the last three decades. The physical processes that link the LCLUCs with EASM variability from both energy and water balance perspectives were suggested in the detected LCLUC and neighboring regions. The physical processes proposed in this study will advance current theories in land-atmosphere interactions and therefore contribute to simulating monsoon dynamics in earth system models and to facilitating more accurate monsoon predictions.
Keywords: Monsoon Variability|Land Cover and Land Use Changes|Land-Atmosphere Interactions|East Asia
A104144EL