TEMPORAL ANALYSIS OF TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION CHANGES IN CHOLISTAN, PUNJAB PAKISTAN

Abstract

The emission of greenhouse gases due to anthropogenic activities causes extensive global warming. Raise in the temperature also affect almost every ecosystem by shifting the rate of precipitation and other ecological factors. The current study focus to evaluate the temperature and precipitation fluctuation in desert Cholistan. Data was gathered from the nearest three metrological departments of Cholistan such as, Khan Pur, Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar and were statistically analyzed by using different procedures like linear regression, trend of the time series was analyzed using Mann-Kendal trend test and Sen’s slope. Result revealed that there were significant (p=0.0001) increases in the temperatures with trend magnitude of 0.92. Further it was also found that there was non-significant (0.052) increase in the rainfall in overall study period with the trend magnitude of 3.33. Increase in the temperatures result in the high rate of evaporation but unfortunately rate of evaporation is higher as compared to the rate of participation, that result in intense drought condition, which badly affect the flora and fauna of the targeted area of the Pakistan. Based on the current result, it is suggested Cholistan Development Authority and other concerned departments should make an effective strategic plan to decrease the susceptibility of the disaster-prone areas and to overcome the damages caused by meteorological droughts