The analysis of climatic variation and its impact on water resources in northern slopes of the Karkas

جغرافیاوتوسعه ناحیه ای

Article 9, Volume 9, Issue 2 - Serial Number 17, March 2012   

Document Type: scientific-research article

DOI: 10.22067/geography.v9i17.14492

Authors

Dariush Rahimi^* ; Marzieh Majd

Abstract

From the viewpoint of many experts in climatology, climate fluctuation is considered a natural phenomenon repeated in the course of a long-term cycle. This study will analyze the elements of temperature, precipitation and evaporation in the northern mountains of the Karkas range in terms of seasonal and annual cycles, using a non-parametric test of Man-Kendall during two time periods from 1980 to 2009 and from 2007 to 1987. Based on the results, the data with a confidence level of 95% indicate that the days with a precipitation of over 10 mm especially during the winter suggest no certain trend. The years 1987-2007 indicate an increasing trend towards higher temperatures and evaporation compared to the period of 1980-2009, so that the annual averages and the maximum and minimum temperatures show a significant increasing trend, but no trend of precipitation or evaporation is seen. The regression line of evaporation, however, showed an increase of 2 to 16 millimeters per year, a process suggesting increased water demands, reduced soil moisture, decrease in pastures and agricultural products, and exerting more pressure on underground water resources.

Keywords

Climate change; Man–Kendall test; the Karkas range; trends in temperature and precipitation