Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 4
Projected Impacts of Cultivated Land
Changes on Surface Climates in China
Qingling Shi, Haiming Yan, Ruijie Qu and Zhaohua Li
China, as a typical agricultural country with large demand for grain in the world, is
vitally important to international grain market. According to Medium and Long
Term Planning Outline of National Food Security (2008-2020), the grain output of
China would reach 545 billion kg by 2020. Substantial cultivated land would be
reclaimed in China in order to meet the growing food demands, which would
greatly influence the future surface climate. The cultivated land reclamation in
Northeast China has lasted for many years since the last century due to population
continual growth and economic development at the cost of large-scale overcon-
sumption of resources. As a result, the frequent and uneven occupation and rec-
lamation of cultivated land have led to the significant dynamic change of the
spatial pattern of cultivated land in Northeast China. This chapter analyzes the
possible effects of cultivated land change on the climate in Northeast China and
North China Plain based on the simulation result of the Weather Research and
Forecast (WRF) model.
The possible effects of the climate change on the grain yield and the potential
influence on the food security were analyzed in the first part. In the second part, we
also focus on the Northeast China and analyze the possible biogeophysical effects of
