Land surface temperature (LST) is an important parameter to evaluate environmental changes. In this paper, time series analysis was conducted to estimate the interannual variations in global LST from 2001 to 2016 based on moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) LST, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) products and fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) data from the Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group. The results showed that LST, seasonally integrated normalized difference vegetation index (SINDVI), and PM_2.5 increased by 0.17 K, 0.04, and 1.02 μg/m³ in the period of 2001–2016, respectively. During the past 16 years, LST showed an increasing trend in most areas, with two peaks of 1.58 K and 1.85 K at 72°N and 48°S, respectively. Marked warming also appeared in the Arctic. On the contrary, remarkable decrease in LST occurred in Antarctic. In most parts of the world, LST was affected by the variation in vegetation cover and air pollutant, which can be detected by the satellite. In the Northern Hemisphere, positive relations between SINDVI and LST were found; however, in the Southern Hemisphere, negative correlations were detected. The impact of PM_2.5 on LST was more complex. On the whole, LST increased with a small increase in PM_2.5 concentrations but decreased with a marked increase in PM_2.5. The study provides insights on the complex relationship between vegetation cover, air pollution, and land surface temperature.

In the context of global warming, the changes in major lakes and their responses to the influence factors in arid and semi-arid regions along the Silk Road are especially important for the sustainable development of local water resources. In this study, the areas of 24 lakes were extracted using MODIS NDVI data, and their spatial-temporal characteristics were analyzed. In addition, the relationship between lake areas and the influence factors, including air temperature, precipitation, evapotranspiration, land use and land cover change (LULCC) and population density in the watersheds, were investigated. The results indicated that the areas of most lakes shrank, and the total area decreased by 22,189.7 km² from 2001 to 2016, except for those of the lakes located on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The air temperature was the most important factor for all the lakes and increased at a rate of 0.113 °C/a during the past 16 years. LULCC and the increasing population density markedly influenced the lakes located in the middle to western parts of this study area. Therefore, our results connecting lake area changes in the study region highlight the great challenge of water resources and the urgency of implementation of the green policy in the One Belt and One Road Initiative through international collaboration.

As one of the most important geographical units affected by global climate change, lakes are sensitive to climatic changes and are considered “indicators” of climate and the environment. In this study, changes in the spatial-temporal characteristics of the water levels of 204 global major lakes are systematically analyzed using satellite altimetry data (Hydroweb product) from 2002 to 2010. Additionally, the responses of the major global lake levels to climatic fluctuations are analyzed using Global Land Surface Assimilation System (GLDAS) data (temperature and precipitation). The results show that the change rates of most global lakes exceed 0, which means that the lake levels of these lakes are rising. The change rates of the lake levels are between −0.3~0.3 m/a, which indicates that the rate of change in the water-level of most lakes is not obvious. A few lakes have a particularly sharp change rate, between −5.84~−2 m/a or 0.7~1.87 m/a. Lakes with increasing levels are mainly located in the mountain and plateau regions, and the change rates in the coastal highlands are more evident. The global temperatures rise by a change rate of 0.0058 °C/a, while the global precipitation decreases by a change rate of −0.6697 mm/a. However, there are significant regional differences in both temperature and precipitation. In addition, the impact of precipitation on the water level of lakes is significant and straightforward, while the impact of temperature is more complex. A study of lake levels on a global scale would be quite useful for a better understanding of the impact which climate change has on surface water resources.

In the published paper [1], the authors found some spelling mistakes.