Land Use Land Cover Changes and Their Effects on Surface Air Temperature in Myanmar and Thailand

Land use land cover (LULC) change is one of the main drivers contributing to global climate change. It alters surface hydrology and energy balance between the land surface and atmosphere. However, its impacts on surface air temperature have not been well understood in a dynamic region of LULC changes like Southeast Asia (SEA). This study quantitatively examined the contribution of LULC changes to temperature trends in Myanmar and Thailand as the typical parts of SEA during 1990-2019 using the observation minus reanalysis (OMR) method. Overall, the average maximum, mean, and minimum temperatures obtained from OMR trends indicate significant warming trends of 0.17 degrees C/10a, 0.20 degrees C/10a, and 0.42 degrees C/10a, respectively. The rates of minimum temperature increase were larger than maximum and mean temperatures. The decreases of forest land and cropland, and the expansions of settlements land fractions were strongly correlated with the observed warming trends. It was found that the effects of forest land converted to settlement land on warming were higher than forest conversion to cropland. A comprehensive discussion on this study could provide scientific information for the future development of more sustainable land use planning to mitigate and adapt to climate change at the local and national levels.

Automated summary

This study quantitatively examined the contribution of LULC changes to temperature trends in Myanmar and Thailand, typical parts of Southeast Asia. The results showed that the decreases of forest land and cropland, as well as the expansions of settlements land fractions, were strongly correlated with the observed warming trends. The study provides scientific information for future development of more sustainable land use planning.