Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
HESS
Articles | Volume 24, issue 7
Articles | Volume 24, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3835-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-3835-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 24, issue 7
Research article
 | Highlight paper
 | 
29 Jul 2020
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 29 Jul 2020

Survival of the Qaidam mega-lake system under mid-Pliocene climates and its restoration under future climates

Dieter Scherer

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Short summary
During the Pliocene, the Qaidam Basin on the Tibetan Plateau contained a mega-lake system. During the Pleistocene, it disappeared almost completely. Today, hyperarid climates prevail in the low-altitude parts of the basin. This study reveals that today's mean water balance of the Qaidam Basin is nearly zero and is positive during warmer, less dry years. The results explain how the mega-lake system could survive for a long time in the past and could eventually be restored in the future.
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