1.School of Surveying and Geoinformation Engineering,East China University of Technology,Nanchang 330013,China
2.Key Laboratory of Mine Environmental Monitoring and Improving around Poyang Lake,Ministry of Natural Resources,East China University of Technology,Nanchang 330013,China
3.Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecological Processes and Information in Jiangxi Province,Nanchang 330013,China
Objective To clarify the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of the carbon-water compound use efficiency (COM) and its driving mechanisms in the Loess Plateau ecosystem. Methods Taking the Loess Plateau as the study area, the net primary productivity (NPP) was simulated using an improved Carnegie-Ames-Stanford approach (CASA) model, and the COM for 2002—2022 was calculated to analyze its spatiotemporal distribution and variation trends. The optimal parameters-based geographical detector (OPGD) and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) were further employed to investigate the driving mechanisms and influence pathways of COM. Results 1) The improved CASA model significantly enhanced the NPP estimation accuracy, with R² improved from 0.53 to 0.63. 2) From 2002 to 2022, COM on the Loess Plateau exhibited an overall improvement, with 87.8% of the area showing positive change. 3) Precipitation (Pre), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and land surface temperature (LST) had the strongest explanatory power for COM. Notably, the interactions of LST&Pre, Pop&Pre, and Pop&VPD were the most significant. 4) The total effects of terrain, climate, and human activities on potential variables were 0.264, 0.805, and 0.014, respectively. Among them, climate had a significant direct effect (0.800), terrain turned the total effect from negative to positive through indirect pathways (0.459), and the influence of human activities was relatively limited. Conclusion Climate is the dominant factor affecting COM on the Loess Plateau, terrain plays a key regulatory role through indirect pathways, and human activities mainly influence COM through interactions. The findings provide theoretical support and methodological reference for improving resource use efficiency and promoting sustainable ecosystem management in the region.
生态系统是生物群落与生存环境构成的动态平衡体系,其演变受碳水循环驱动。碳水利用效率是表征陆地生态系统碳-水循环的关键指标[1],对于理解陆地生态系统功能意义重大。在碳水循环中,植被作为生态系统物质能量交换的核心,其碳固存与水分利用受碳利用效率(carbon use efficiency,CUE)和水利用效率(water use efficiency,WUE)调控,二者分别从能量转化与资源权衡角度反映植被对环境的适应性。CUE指植被用于构建生物量的碳相对于总固定碳量的比例,可反映气候变化对植被碳固存潜力的作用关系[2]。WUE指生态系统每消耗一个单位的水分所生产的干物质的量[3],反映水分限制植被固碳能力和生产力的能力。在气候变化与人类活动的双重胁迫下,生态系统平衡面临严峻挑战,探究生态系统碳水利用效率及其耦合机制,已成为生态研究的重要方向。现有研究[4]多聚焦于单一碳/水利用效率的时空分异特征,难以揭示复杂环境下的碳水耦合关系。WANG等[5]提出的碳水复合利用效率(carbon-water compound use efficiency,COM)通过整合土壤湿度、植物生物量、碳同化和呼吸作用等关键因素,与单一指标相比,能综合评估生态系统对多因子响应,为区域生态恢复成效评估提供新视角[6]。尽管该指标在理论上具有优势,但在应用中仍面临2个挑战:一是如何在区域尺度上提高COM估算精度;二是如何系统识别COM驱动机制。
驱动机制分析是揭示碳水复合效率时空演变和空间分异的关键,对提升生态管理水平意义重大。在驱动机制研究层面,已有方法虽然各具优势但难以深入揭示兼顾全面性。地理探测器能够识别因子的空间解释力及交互作用,但依赖于尺度和分层的人工设定,且难以揭示变量间的因果路径[11];偏最小二乘结构方程模型(partial least squares structural equation modeling,PLS-SEM)则可量化直接与间接效应,理清作用链条,但在非线性关系和交互效应识别方面存在不足。单一方法往往难以完整揭示COM的复杂驱动过程。
针对上述问题,本研究在传统CASA模型的基础上引入基于核方法的kNDVI替代归一化差值植被指数NDVI优化光合有效辐射的比例(fraction of photosynthetically active radiation,FPAR),该指数在多种生态系统与气候条件下鲁棒性更高,能减弱植被指数与植被覆盖关系中的非线性影响[12]。同时,引入地表水分指数(land surface water index,LSWI)优化水分胁迫系数。LSWI对土壤湿度和植被质量分数敏感,在干旱与半干旱生态系统中可有效提升对湿度的模拟精度,准确反映研究区地表湿润情况[13]。最优参数地理探测器(optimal parameters-based geographical detector,OPGD)在传统地理探测器的基础上通过优化尺度和分层方式,提高解释力与交互作用识别的精度,能够有效捕捉非线性关系[14];PLS-SEM适合刻画因子的直接与间接效应,揭示因果路径[15]。因此,本研究将OPGD和PLS-SEM相结合进行驱动机制研究,能够互补不足,兼顾非线性交互与因果链条的解析,从而更全面地识别自然与人为因素对COM的驱动机制。
HEY, PIAOS L, LIX Y, et al. Global patterns of vegetation carbon use efficiency and their climate drivers deduced from MODIS satellite data and process-based models[J].Agricultural and Forest Meteorology,2018,256:150-158.
ZHANGP, CHENY F, DINGJ W, et al. Spatio-temporal evolution characteristics and driving analysis of ecosystem water use efficiency in Yangtze River basin[J].Pearl River, 2025,46(3):82-92.
YANGM H, WANGT Q, LIY, et al. Spatiotemporal variation of vegetation water use efficiency on the Loess Plateau and its response intensity to different influencing factors[J].Research of Soil and Water Conservation,2025,32(3):159-169.
[8]
WANGY X, PENGL, CHENT T, et al. Driving forces and ecological restoration revelation in southwest China based on the divergence characteristics of ecosystem compound use efficiency[J].Forests,2024,15(4):e641.
[9]
YANGY, NIEX W, CONGZ Y, et al. Assessing the carbon-water compound use efficiency in fragile karst region: The Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, China[J].Ecological Indicators,2024,166:e112320.
[10]
CAMPS-VALLSG, CAMPOS-TABERNERM, MORENO-MARTÍNEZÁ, et al. A unified vegetation index for quantifying the terrestrial biosphere[J].Science Advances,2021,7(9):eabc7447.
[11]
FUZ, CIAISP, WIGNERONJ P, et al. Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress[J].Nature Communications,2024,15(1):e4826.
[12]
HUANGX, HEL, HEZ W, et al. An improved Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach model for estimating ecological carbon sequestration in mountain vegetation[J].Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution,2022,10:e1048607.
LUT D, ZHANGY, ZENGS T, et al. Estimation of net primary productivity and correlation study with climate parameters in Jiangxi Province using the enhanced CASA model[J].China Environmental Science,2025,45(1):369-378.
KUIG X, SHIC Q, YANGJ Y, et al. Spatial-temporal variations of vegetation coverage and its driving force in Inner Mongolia grassland,China[J].Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology,2023,34(10):2713-2722.
[17]
WANGQ, MORENO-MARTÍNEZÁ, MUÑOZ-MARÍJ, et al. Estimation of vegetation traits with kernel NDVI[J].ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing,2023,195:408-417.
LIJ, HANH R, KANGF F, et al. Spatiotemporal dynamics and climate impact of vegetation NPP in the northern Shanxi Province region based on the improved CASA model[J].Journal of Beijing Forestry University,2023,45(7):47-60.
[20]
CENQ Y, ZHOUX C, QIUH F. Exploration of urban neighborhood blue-green space quality patterns and influencing factors in waterfront cities based on MGWR and OPGD models[J].Urban Climate,2024,55:e101942.
[21]
SHIJ, ZHANGP, LIUY, et al. Study on spatiotemporal changes of wetlands based on PLS-SEM and PLUS model: The case of the Sanjiang Plain[J].Ecological Indicators, 2024,169:e112812.
ZHANGY, WANGZ H, LUX P, et al. Evolution of ecosystem carbon sink and its driving factors in the Loess Plateau[J].Research of Soil and Water Conservation,2025,32(1):266-274.
[24]
NAM, LIUX, TONGZ J, et al. Analysis of water quality influencing factors under multi-source data fusion based on PLS-SEM model: An example of East-Liao River in China[J].Science of the Total Environment,2024,907:e168126.
ZHAOX R, HANL, LIUM, et al. Remote sensing estimation of vegetation NPP in Shaanxi Province based on improved CASA model[J].Research of Soil and Water Conservation,2024,31(3):247-256.
ZHUW Q, PANY Z, HEH, et al. Simulation of the maximum light utilization rate of typical vegetation in China[J].Chinese Science Bulletin,2006(6):700-706.
[29]
ZHANGY, WANGP, CHENY, et al. Daily dynamic thresholds of different agricultural drought grades for summer maize based on the vegetation water index[J].Journal of Hydrology,2023,625:e130070.
[30]
FENGY, GUOY, CHENX, et al. Classification of major crops using MODIS data in the Songhua River basin[J].Chinese Journal of Eco-Agriculture,2023,31(10):1602-1612.
[31]
LIJ, WUR, LIM, et al. The hydrological impact of greening and climate change on the Mu Us Sandy land of China under the background of declining ecological efficiency[J].Ecological Indicators,2025,174:e113495.
LID K, WANGZ. The characteristics of NPP of terrestrial vegetation in China based on MOD17A3 data[J].Ecologyand Environmental Sciences,2018,27(3):397-405.
YUANX, HUANGZ J, LUM H, et al. Seasonal evolution and cause analysis of ozone pollution in the Pearl River Delta based on observation and machine learning[J].Acta Scientiae Circumstantiae,2023,43(8):214-225.
LIUG, ZHAOH Q, HUANGFUX D, et al. The spatio-temporal evolution of long-term vegetation NPP in Ordos based on GEE[J].Arid Zone Research,2025,42(2):299-311.
[38]
ZHAOX Y, TANS C, LIY P, et al. Quantitative analysis of fractional vegetation cover in southern Sichuan urban agglomeration using optimal parameter geographic detector model, China[J].Ecological Indicators,2024,158:e111529.
DINGY R, SHIJ Y, YUX R, et al. Analysis of spatial-temporal heterogeneity and driving forces of quarterly PM2.5 concentrations in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region[J].Environmental Science and Technology,2025,48(8):202-212.
[41]
ADLERS J, SHARMAP N, RADOMIRL. Toward open science in PLS-SEM: Assessing the state of the art and future perspectives[J].Journal of Business Research,2023,169:e114291.
ZHANGJ G, LIJ J, YUH B. Dynamic changes and distribution characteristics of soil and water loss in Loess Plateau area of Yellow River basin[J].Research of Soil and Water Conservation,2025,32(4):110-116.
[44]
GUZ P, CHENX W, RUANW F, et al. Quantifying the direct and indirect effects of terrain, climate and human activity on the spatial pattern of kNDVI-based vegetation growth: A case study from the Minjiang River basin, southeast China[J].Ecological Informatics,2024,80:e102493.
JIANGN X, ZHANGH Q, SUNS L, et al. Vegetation restoration promoted the increase of water use efficiency on the Loess Plateau in the 21st century[J].Acta Ecologica Sinica,2024,44(14):6020-6036.
[47]
ZHANGQ, LUJ, XUX X, et al. Spatial and temporal patterns of carbon and water use efficiency on the Loess Plateau and their influencing factors[J].Land,2022,12(1):e77.
[48]
SIDDIQUIM N, LÉONJ, NAZA A, et al. Genetics and genomics of root system variation in adaptation to drought stress in cereal crops[J].Journal of Experimental Botany,2021,72(4):1007-1019.
WANGY, ZOUC X, LINN F, et al. Ecological supervision oriented evaluation indicator system for performance assessment of ecological protection and restoration project implementation[J].Acta Ecologica Sinica,2023,43(1):118-127.