Technical note: Why methods matter. A guidance for data-based climate and hydrological change assessments
Katy Unger-Shayesteh, Lars Gerlitz, Sergiy Vorogushyn
Short Communications
Abstract
An important topic of the journal “Integrated Water Resources Management in Central Asia” will be the assessment of past and future changes in climate and water resources in Central Asia. This technical note aims at providing guidance for sound data-based assessment of changes to be published in this journal. The main requirements for achieving credible results are (1) the use of consistent data series, (2) the selection of appropriate change detection methods, and (3) the discussion of the results, their uncertainties and limitations. Using an example of trend analysis, it is exemplarily shown how inhomogeneities in a data series, the selection of start and end points, the applied methods, and temporal aggregation may affect the results of change studies.
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