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some extent, as well as the temperature. This can be explained by that the flux and
wind speed gradient will accelerate the convection and telecommunication in the
study area, which will offset the negative effects of hydrometerological anomalies.
Thus, the land cover structure, which means the area and continuity of each land
cover type, will also rouse uncertainties to regional climate changes.
7.3.3 Concluding Remarks on the Anthropogenic Tropical
Forests Changes
In this case study, WRF model is used to simulate the effects of future tropical
deforestation on regional climate between 2090 and 2100 in Brazilian Amazon.
High resolution land surface maps (30 km 9 30 km) with USGS land use and land
cover classification, projected from the respectable land surface product, are uti-
lized in this model. Land surface changes are quite different from previous studies.
Forests are mainly converted into pasture and woodland, distributed along the edge
of the study area and river branches. The simulated climatic results caused by these
potential future land surface changes show that expanding deforestation will
principally trigger the reduction of precipitation and increase of surface temper-
ature in the deforested area. The sum of sensible heat flux and latent heat flux tends
to show a decline at the same period.
However, only the impacts of deforestation on climate are evaluated in this
study. In fact, various intangible factors will impose a synthetic effect on
regional and global biogeophysical and biogeochemical processes, which will
influence the hydrological cycle and energy budget, and further result in the
climate
changes.
Thus,
the
sensitivity
analysis
on
other
factors
should
be
required in further studies.
7.4 Impacts of Future Grassland Changes on Surface
Climate in Mongolia
Mongolia is located in the middle of Asia with bordering Russia to the north and
the Inner Mongolia of China to the south, east, and west. It is the second-largest
inland country all over the world with total area of 1.56 million km
2
, ranking the
18th in the world. Much of the country's area (*70 %) is covered by steppes
(Fig.
7.16
). Mongolia is located in the Mongolian Plateau. Most areas are
mountainous region with eastern part comprising hills and plains, and the southern
part is Gobi desert. Mongolia is far away from the coast and has obvious inland
climate characteristics. There is a large difference of the daily and seasonal tem-
peratures. The winter in Mongolia is cold and long and the summer is warm and
short. According to the data from Mongolia Meteorological Administration from
1960 to 2006, the temperature is relatively low with annual average temperature of
