Variation in ecosystem water use efficiency and its attribution analysis during 1982-2018 in Qingzang Plateau

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2021.0187

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Water use efficiency (WUE) is a crucial parameter reflecting the coupling of carbon and water cycles in terrestrial ecosystems. Qingzang Plateau (QP) is the ecological barrier of China and its accommodated ecosystem is extremely sensitive to global change. Revealing the ecosystem WUE pattern and the driving forces is critical for improving our understanding on the process and mechanism of carbon and water cycles in the alpine ecosystem of the QP, which are the basis for vegetation conservation and restoration.

Methods Using the Global Land Surface Satellite (GLASS) data, meteorological data and vegetation type data, the spatio-temporal changes of WUE and their responses to temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, vapor pressure deficit (VPD), CO₂ concentration and leaf area index (LAI) during 1982-2018 over the QP were analyzed in this study. The trend magnitude and the influencing factors on WUE were further compared among vegetation types.

Important findings (1) The WUE decreases gradually from southeast to northwest on the QP, with an overall annual mean value of 1.64 g C·kg^-1. Evident differences in WUE are observed among vegetation types, with the highest value in forest and the lowest value in alpine desert. In addition, the WUE in alpine meadow is higher than that in alpine steppe. (2) The QP is prevailed by an increasing trend in WUE. Significantly increasing trends are observed in all vegetation types except for forest and cultural vegetation. Meanwhile, the variation of WUE is dominated by ecosystem gross primary productivity over 77.84% of the study area. (3) The WUE variation is mainly regulated by LAI and CO₂ concentration on the QP, and these two factors both cause positive effects on WUE. Increasing VPD inhibits WUE in alpine steppe, alpine vegetation, cultural vegetation and alpine desert.

Key words: water use efficiency, Qingzang Plateau, influencing factor, leaf area index, CO₂ concentration, vegetation type

ZHENG Zhou-Tao, ZHANG Yang-Jian. Variation in ecosystem water use efficiency and its attribution analysis during 1982-2018 in Qingzang Plateau[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2022, 46(12): 1486-1496.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2021.0187

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2022/V46/I12/1486

Figures/Tables 7

References 54

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植被类型 Vegetation type	GPP (g C·m^-2)	GPP变化趋势 Trend in GPP (g C·m^-2·a^-1)	ET (mm)	ET变化趋势 Trend in ET (mm·a^-1)	WUE (g C·kg^-1)	WUE变化趋势 Trend in WUE (10^-2 g C·kg^-1·a^-1)
森林 Forest	1 034.34	1.30	385.20	0.17	2.69	0.24
灌丛 Shrubland	585.69	4.27^***	303.49	0.59^***	1.93	1.05^***
高寒草甸 Alpine meadow	328.76	4.45^***	222.48	0.84^***	1.48	1.46^***
高寒草原 Alpine steppe	100.31	1.58^***	121.64	0.69^***	0.82	0.84^***
高山植被 Alpine vegetation	156.39	2.60^***	179.60	0.41^***	0.87	1.26^***
栽培植被 Cultural vegetation	834.41	2.18^***	370.99	0.73^***	2.25	0.16
高寒荒漠 Alpine desert	86.00	1.60^***	130.12	1.36^***	0.66	0.54^***

植被类型 Vegetation type	GPP (g C·m^-2)	GPP变化趋势 Trend in GPP (g C·m^-2·a^-1)	ET (mm)	ET变化趋势 Trend in ET (mm·a^-1)	WUE (g C·kg^-1)	WUE变化趋势 Trend in WUE (10^-2 g C·kg^-1·a^-1)
森林 Forest	1 034.34	1.30	385.20	0.17	2.69	0.24
灌丛 Shrubland	585.69	4.27^***	303.49	0.59^***	1.93	1.05^***
高寒草甸 Alpine meadow	328.76	4.45^***	222.48	0.84^***	1.48	1.46^***
高寒草原 Alpine steppe	100.31	1.58^***	121.64	0.69^***	0.82	0.84^***
高山植被 Alpine vegetation	156.39	2.60^***	179.60	0.41^***	0.87	1.26^***
栽培植被 Cultural vegetation	834.41	2.18^***	370.99	0.73^***	2.25	0.16
高寒荒漠 Alpine desert	86.00	1.60^***	130.12	1.36^***	0.66	0.54^***

WUE变化主导因子 Dominant factors controlling WUE change	判定标准 Criterions
WUE变化主导因子 Dominant factors controlling WUE change	GPP变化趋势 Trend in GPP	ET变化趋势 Trend in ET	WUE变化趋势 Trend in WUE
总初级生产力 GPP	+	+	+
总初级生产力 GPP	-	-	-
蒸散发 ET	+	+	-
蒸散发 ET	-	-	+
总初级生产力和蒸散发 GPP + ET	+	-	+
总初级生产力和蒸散发 GPP + ET	-	+	-

WUE变化主导因子 Dominant factors controlling WUE change	判定标准 Criterions
WUE变化主导因子 Dominant factors controlling WUE change	GPP变化趋势 Trend in GPP	ET变化趋势 Trend in ET	WUE变化趋势 Trend in WUE
总初级生产力 GPP	+	+	+
总初级生产力 GPP	-	-	-
蒸散发 ET	+	+	-
蒸散发 ET	-	-	+
总初级生产力和蒸散发 GPP + ET	+	-	+
总初级生产力和蒸散发 GPP + ET	-	+	-

植被类型 Vegetation type	温度 Temperature	降水量 Precipitation	太阳辐射 Solar radiation	饱和水汽压差 Vapor pressure deficit	CO₂浓度 CO₂ concentration	叶面积指数 Leaf area index
所有植被 All vegetation	0.20	0.23	0.30	-0.24	0.55	0.72
森林 Forest	-	-0.54	-	-	-	0.59
灌丛 Shrubland	-	0.26	-	-	0.50	0.76
高寒草甸 Alpine meadow	0.16	0.09	0.25	-	0.81	0.74
高寒草原 Alpine steppe	-	0.16	0.13	-0.25	0.75	0.62
高山植被 Alpine vegetation	0.22	0.33	0.47	-0.23	0.71	0.79
栽培植被 Cultural vegetation	-	-0.43	-	-0.55	0.50	0.60
高寒荒漠 Alpine desert	-	-0.23	0.21	-0.15	1.03	0.80