Snow cover dynamics in and around the Shangri-La County, southeast margin of the Tibetan Plateau, 1974–2012: the influence of climate change and local tourism activities

Over the past four decades (1974–2012), snow cover in and around Shangri-La County, a core zone of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas, has dramatically declined by 78%, from 4,188 km² to just 901 km². This reduction was most pronounced at mid-altitudes (4,000–5,000 meters) and more severe in the northwest than the southeast. While rising air temperatures (+0.22°C per decade) were the primary driver of this decline, local tourism activities in the southeastern Yulong Snow Mountains exacerbated snow loss compared to similar trends in the Meili Snow Mountains. The study analyzed 28 Landsat images to quantify spatial and temporal snow cover changes, revealing critical insights into the dual threats of climate change and human activity on this ecologically significant region.

Yan, Y., Zhang, Y., Shan, P., Zhao, C., Wang, C., & Deng, H. (2014). Snow cover dynamics in and around the Shangri-La County, southeast margin of the Tibetan Plateau, 1974–2012: the influence of climate change and local tourism activities. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 22(2), 156–164. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2014.918909