100a climate change and its impact on vegetation ecological zoning in China

The temporal and spatial characteristics of climate change in China during the recent 100 years were analyzed using CRU05 climate data. We studied the impacts of climate change during the recent 100 years on vegetation ecological zones in China by using Holdridge Life Zone Classification Model and Center-of-Gravity Model. It is concluded that the precipitation and temperature increased and climate became wetter and warmer in most areas of China during the study period with an exception in the subtropical area to the south of Qinhuai River where climate changed toward more precipitation and lower temperature (wetter and colder). The climate change during recent 100 years had strong impacts on vegetation ecological zones in China. It was shown by the variations of spatial distributions of vegetation ecological zoning in three time periods in China and the space displacements of the centers of the gravity that the boreal type and cool temperate zone type in the vegetation ecological zone in China had expanded toward south; wet, moist, and rain forest types had moved forward to the west; the climate change in China during the recent 100 years had improved environmental quality and made the environment in China more suitable for plants to live and grow.