Resumen
Active accumulated temperature is an important index of agricultural heat resources in a region. Based on the temperature data of the Yangtze River Basin from 1970 to 2014, this paper analyzed the characteristics of the temporal and spatial variations of the biological boundary temperature in the Yangtze River Basin. The main conclusions were drawn as follows: (1) since 1970, the accumulated temperature of =0 °C in the northern subtropical zone, mid-subtropical zone, and plateau climate zone showed overall increasing trends, and the trends were 122 (p < 0.001), 87.7 (p < 0.001), and 75.3 °C/10a (p < 0.001), respectively. The accumulated temperature of =5 °C showed an upward trend, and the change tendency rates were 122.6 (p < 0.001), 90.5 (p < 0.001), and 81.4 °C/10a (p < 0.001), respectively. The accumulated temperature of =10 °C showed overall increasing trends and the trends were 115.7 (p < 0.001), 92.5 (p < 0.001), and 78.9 °C/10a (p < 0.001). Accumulated temperatures of =0 °C, =5 °C, and =10 °C in the northern subtropical zone increased significantly higher than that in the mid-subtropical zone and plateau climate zone. (2) The accumulated temperatures of =0 °C, =5 °C, and =10 °C in the northern subtropical zone showed an abrupt change in 1997. In the mid-subtropical zone and plateau climate zone, there was an abrupt change in the accumulated temperatures of =0 °C and =5 °C in 1994, and in the northern subtropical zone, the abrupt change of the accumulated temperature =10 °C occurred in 1998. (3) There are obvious differences in the biological boundary temperature within the Yangtze River Basin, and the stations with large increases are mainly distributed in the middle and lower reaches, such as the Hanshui Basin, the Poyang Lake Basin, the Taihu Lake Basin, and the middle and lower reaches of the mainstream area. The initial day, final day, and continuous days showed a trend of advancement, postponement, and extension, respectively. Besides, the heat resources showed significant increasing trends, which is of guiding significance for the future production and development of agriculture in the region. With the increase of heat resources in the Yangtze River Basin, appropriate late-maturing varieties should be selected in variety breeding, to make full use of heat resources and improve the quality of agricultural products. Secondly, the planting system should be adjusted and the multiple cropping index improved to steadily increase agricultural output. This brings new opportunities to adjust the structure of the agricultural industry and increase farmers? income, in the Yangtze River basin.