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The mass balance of the Xiao (Lesser) Dongkemadi Glacier located in the Tanggula Mountains, of the central Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau has been monitored since 1989. The results show that the mass balance of the glacier has recently shown a deficit trend, and that the glacial terminus was also retreating. Positive mass balance of the glacier was dominant during the period 1989-1993, and the accumulated mass balance reached 970 mm. However, negative mass balance of the glacier has occurred since 1994, except for the large positive mass balance year 1997. The mass balance was -701 mm in 1998, an extremely negative glacier mass balance year. The equilibrium line altitude showed a significant increasing trend. The mass balance of the glacier has changed from a significantly positive mass balance to a strongly negative mass balance since 1994. Meteorological data suggest that the rapid decrease in the mass balance is related to summer season warming. Copyright (C) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.