Objective The impact of seasonal drought on water use efficiency (WUE) of ecosystems and its carbon-water coupling mechanisms was analyzed in order to provide a scientific basis for enhancing vegetation carbon sequestration capacity, optimizing water resource allocation, and formulating ecosystem protection strategies. Methods Based on data from China’s terrestrial ecosystems from 2001 to 2023, the spatiotemporal dynamics and seasonal patterns of WUE and its responses to drought were systematically assessed using trend and correlation analyses. By integrating the XGBoost-SHAP interpretable machine learning model with LOWESS fitting, the nonlinear response characteristics and threshold effects of drought stress factors were further quantified. Results The frequency of extreme drought events and the WUE of vegetation in China both exhibited pronounced seasonal patterns. Extreme droughts occurred most frequently and extensively in spring, while WUE reached its peak in summer. Its seasonal variations were jointly driven by gross primary productivity (GPP) and evapotranspiration in spring, gradually shifting to a ‘GPP-dominated’ pattern in summer and autumn, with a decreasing gradient from south to north. In spring, WUE was co-regulated by soil moisture and evapotranspiration, whereas in summer and autumn, it was primarily controlled by soil moisture. Conclusion The impact of drought on WUE exhibits significant seasonal differences and is primarily constrained by soil moisture conditions. Enhancing water management during the key controlling seasons and optimizing vegetation structure are essential strategies for improving ecosystem drought resilience and mitigating climate change and ecological risks.
文献参数: 刘祥平, 胡卓玮, 王永财, 等.季节性干旱对中国陆地生态系统碳-水耦合机制的影响[J].水土保持通报,2026,46(2):270-283. Citation:Liu Xiangping, Hu Zhuowei, Wang Yongcai, et al. Impacts of seasonal drought on carbon-water coupling mechanism in China’s terrestrial ecosystems [J]. Bulletin of Soil and Water Conservation,2026,46(2):270-283.
植被通过调节气孔导度来平衡光合碳吸收与蒸腾水分散失,从而决定碳固定效率与水分利用成本[5]。随着植被覆盖度提升,土壤-植物-大气连续体结构随之拓展,陆气之间的碳水交换被显著强化[6]。生态系统水分利用效率(water use efficiency, WUE)是刻画陆地生态系统碳增益和水分损失权衡关系的重要指标[7],反映植物在资源受限条件下的生理调节能力。然而,生态系统过程具有明显的季节性节律,使得干旱对植被功能的影响在不同生长季、气候背景或物候阶段表现出强烈的季节依赖性。已有研究表明,夏季干旱对WUE的影响比秋季干旱更为显著[8];在华中天然栎林中,秋季干旱降低WUE,而春夏干旱反而产生促进作用[9]。这些结果表明,即便在相似的干旱条件下,WUE响应可能因季节、植被类型与环境背景差异而呈现显著异质性[10-11]。中国生态系统类型复杂多样,但目前针对不同气候区和不同生物群系,季节性干旱如何影响WUE的全国尺度比较研究仍较为缺乏[12],季节依赖性的过程机制也缺乏系统量化。
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