Project by YNU researchers among national list

The China Geographical Society recently announced the top 10 research advancements in Chinese geographical science for the year 2023, with "The Influence of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau on the Evolution of Southeast Asian Civilization over the Past Millennium" included in the selection.

This project was led by Researcher Chen Feng from the Institute of International Rivers and Ecology Security at Yunnan University.

Chen collaborated with other Chinese teams, as well as international teams, to reconstruct the total runoff changes of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, Mekong River, and Salween River over the past millennium based on tree-ring width data from the southern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. They also combined relevant models to predict the future trends of runoff changes.

The research indicates a significant positive correlation between runoff from the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and the amount of vegetation in the downstream basin during the dry season, highlighting the importance of the Tibetan Plateau runoff for ecological and social system functions in Southeast Asia.

The related findings were published in prestigious international journals such as Nature Geoscience in 2023, attracting worldwide attention.

"The Top 10 Research Advancements in Chinese Geographical Science" reflects the forefront and latest developments in the field of geographical science in China. The selection criteria for these achievements require innovation, advancement, significant academic value, application prospects, or positive social benefits.