Climate Elasticity of Annual Runoff: Observation in Fifteen Forested Catchments on a Latitudinal Gradient in East Asia

In order to overview the impact of climate change on runoff from forested catchments over Asian countries, we collected water balance data fifteen long-term catchment monitoring stations (total period 1975–2018, not continuous), spanning Sabah, Malaysia (our southernmost site), Hokkaido, Japan northernmost site). We then employed an elasticity analysis dataset examine how annual each responded inter-annual fluctuations in rainfall and mean air temperature. As a result, found that (1) was sensitive for all examined. addition, (2) seven changes temperature, which likely due forest evapotranspiration. Three catchments, however, exhibited increased hot year. Finally, (3) previous year (carry-over soil moisture) important explaining variation two tropical montane catchments. This study may serve as one pilot studies toward comprehensive understanding countries Asia, because examined are unevenly sparsely distributed area.