Differences in Reference Evapotranspiration Variation and Climate-Driven Patterns in Different Altitudes of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (1961–2017)

Reference evapotranspiration (ET0) in the hydrological cycle is one of processes that significantly affected by climate change. The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) universally recognized as a region sensitive to In this study, an area elevation curve used divide study into three zones: low (below 2800 m), medium (2800–3800 m) and high (3800–5000 m). cumulative anomaly curve, Mann–Kendall test, moving t-test Yamamoto test results show descending mutation occurred 1980s, ascending 2005. Moreover, delay effect on addition enhancement annual ET0 were coincident with increasing altitude below 5000 m. series for QTP different zones showed trend from 1961 2017 increased more increase elevation. Path analysis climate-driven patterns are quite different. However, after mutations 2005, maximum air temperature (Tmax) became common dominant driving factor whole zones.