J.Geogr.Sci.2023,33(3):449-463DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-023-2091-0©2023SciencePressSpringer-VerlagAnoverallconsistentincreaseofglobalaridityin1970–2018LUODengnan1,*HUZhongmin2,3,DAILicong2,HOUGuolong1,DIKai1,LIANGMinqi1,CAORuochen4,ZENGXiang11.SchoolofGeography,SouthChinaNormalUniversity,Guangzhou510631,China;2.KeyLaboratoryofAgro-ForestryEnvironmentalProcessesandEcologicalRegulationofHainanProvince,HainanUniversity,Haikou570228,China;3.SouthernMarineScienceandEngineeringGuangdongLaboratory(Zhuhai),Zhuhai519082,Guangdong,China;4.InternationalInstituteforEarthSystemSciences,NanjingUniversity,Nanjing210023,ChinaAbstract:Climatechangeisexpectedtointroducemorewaterdemandinthefaceofdimin-ishingwatersupplies,intensifyingthedegreeofaridityobservedinterrestrialecosystemsinthe21stcentury.Thisstudyinvestigatedspatiotemporalvariabilitywithinglobalaridityindex(AI)valuesfrom1970–2018.Theresultsrevealedanoveralldryingtrend(0.0016yr-1,p<0.01),withhumidandsemi-humidregionsexperiencingmoresignificantdryingthanotherregions,includingthoseclassifiedasaridorsemi-arid.Inaddition,theQinghai-TibetPlateauhasgottenwetter,largelyduetotheincreasesinprecipitation(PPT)observedinthatregion.GlobaldryingisdrivenprimarilybydecreasingandincreasingPPTandpotentialevapotran-spiration(PET),respectively.DecreasesinPPTaloneorincreasesinPETalsodriveglobalaridification,thoughtoalesserextent.PPTandincreasingpotentialevapotranspiration(PET),withincreasingPETaloneordecreasingPPTalone.Slightlylessthanhalfoftheworld’slandareahasexhibitedawettingtrend,largelyowingtoincreasesinregionalPPT.Insomepartsoftheworld,thecombinedeffectsofincreasedPPTanddecreasedPETdriveswetting,withdecreasesinPETaloneexplainingwettinginothers.Theseresultsindicatethat,withoutconsiderationofotherfactors(e.g.,CO2fertilization),ariditymaycontinuetointensify,espe-ciallyinhumidregions.Keywords:aridityindex;climatechange;aridarea;dryingtrend1IntroductionIncreasingaridity,amanifestationofclimatechange,isaseriousthreattoecosystems(H...
