Brief communication: Evaluation and inter-comparisons of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau permafrost maps based on a new inventory of field evidence

Abstract

Many maps have been produced to estimate permafrost distribution over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP), but the errors and biases among them are poorly understood due to limited field evidence. Here we evaluate and inter-compare the results of six different QTP permafrost maps with a new inventory of permafrost presence or absence comprising 1475 field sites compiled from various sources. Based on the in situ measurements, our evaluation results showed a wide range of map performance, with Cohen's kappa coefficient from 0.21 to 0.58 and an overall accuracy between about 55 % and 83 %. The low agreement in areas near the boundary between permafrost and non-permafrost and in spatially highly variable landscapes highlights the need for improved mapping methods that consider more controlling factors at both medium–large and local scales.