Spatial and Temporal Variability of ETo in Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China during 1957–2017

Abstract

This article scientifically studies the direct impact of climate problems on the time transition of reference crop evapotranspiration in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China from 1957 to 2017, which is conducive to formulating irrigation scheduling and adaptive capacity countermeasures. The objective of this study is to investigate the impacts of climate change on ETo for the cotton growing seasons. The meteorological data were collected from 48 meteorological stations in the region and analyzed using the Mann–Kendall test and linear trend. The results show the following points: (1) the ETo decreases from low to high elevations, and with the increase in northern latitude. (2) The annual mean ETo and average values of ETo during the growing seasons for cotton exhibited two abrupt changes in the period 1957–2017, with the first abrupt change in 1995 to 1999 and the second abrupt change in 2006 to 2011. (3) The ETo in Xinjiang of China demonstrates a decreasing trend during 1957–1996; a significant decreasing trend during 1997–2008; and a significant increasing trend during 2009–2017.