Water conservation assessment and its influencing factors identification using the InVEST and random forest model in the northern piedmont of the Qinling Mountains

Study region: The north piedmont of the Qinling Mountains (NPQM), Northwest China. Study focus: By combining the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) and random forest model, the current study assessed the water conservation in the NPQM, one of the most significant Earth...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Song He, Hui Qian, Yuan Liu, Xiaoguang Zhao, Fengmei Su, Huan Ma, Zilong Guan, Tao Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-02-01
Series:Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825000187
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832591756876578816
author Song He
Hui Qian
Yuan Liu
Xiaoguang Zhao
Fengmei Su
Huan Ma
Zilong Guan
Tao Zhang
author_facet Song He
Hui Qian
Yuan Liu
Xiaoguang Zhao
Fengmei Su
Huan Ma
Zilong Guan
Tao Zhang
author_sort Song He
collection DOAJ
description Study region: The north piedmont of the Qinling Mountains (NPQM), Northwest China. Study focus: By combining the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) and random forest model, the current study assessed the water conservation in the NPQM, one of the most significant Earth's critical zone in China, and identified the key factors influencing it. New hydrological insights for the region: The average annual water conservation in the NPQM was calculated to be 90.8 mm in 1980, 85.0 mm in 1990, 61.1 mm in 2000, 97.4 mm in 2010, and 121.3 mm in 2020, respectively. Water conservation was significantly higher in the southern mountainous region of the Qinling Mountains compared to the northern alluvial plain region of the Wei River. Key determinants affecting water conservation included annual precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, the proportion of forest and agricultural land, and soil texture Furthermore, precipitation, forest coverage rate, and sand content in topsoil were demonstrated to positively influence water conservation. Conversely, evapotranspiration, agricultural land, and clay content in topsoil were found to negatively affect water conservation. This study reveals the spatiotemporal characteristics of water conservation and identifies its key influencing factors in the NPQM. Additionally, the effects of these factors on water conservation are further discussed. The results and conclusions of this study could provide scientific insights for water security and ecosystem management in the NPQM region.
format Article
id doaj-art-30ed9f886b0d444ba4b51306510b001c
institution Kabale University
issn 2214-5818
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
spelling doaj-art-30ed9f886b0d444ba4b51306510b001c2025-01-22T05:42:24ZengElsevierJournal of Hydrology: Regional Studies2214-58182025-02-0157102194Water conservation assessment and its influencing factors identification using the InVEST and random forest model in the northern piedmont of the Qinling MountainsSong He0Hui Qian1Yuan Liu2Xiaoguang Zhao3Fengmei Su4Huan Ma5Zilong Guan6Tao Zhang7PowerChina Northwest Engineering Corporation Limited, No. 18 Zhangbadong Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710065, China; School of Water and Environment, Chang'an University, No. 126 Yanta Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China; Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effects in Arid Region of the Ministry of Education, Chang'an University, No. 126 Yanta Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China; Key Laboratory of Water and Soil Resources Conservation and Restoration in the Middle and Lower Reaches of Yellow River Basin, MNR, Zhengzhou 450016, ChinaSchool of Water and Environment, Chang'an University, No. 126 Yanta Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China; Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effects in Arid Region of the Ministry of Education, Chang'an University, No. 126 Yanta Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, China; Corresponding author at: School of Water and Environment, Chang'an University, No. 126 Yanta Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710054, ChinaPowerChina Northwest Engineering Corporation Limited, No. 18 Zhangbadong Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710065, ChinaPowerChina Northwest Engineering Corporation Limited, No. 18 Zhangbadong Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710065, ChinaKey Laboratory of Water and Soil Resources Conservation and Restoration in the Middle and Lower Reaches of Yellow River Basin, MNR, Zhengzhou 450016, China; North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou, Henan 450046, ChinaPowerChina Northwest Engineering Corporation Limited, No. 18 Zhangbadong Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710065, ChinaPowerChina Northwest Engineering Corporation Limited, No. 18 Zhangbadong Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710065, ChinaPowerChina Northwest Engineering Corporation Limited, No. 18 Zhangbadong Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710065, ChinaStudy region: The north piedmont of the Qinling Mountains (NPQM), Northwest China. Study focus: By combining the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) and random forest model, the current study assessed the water conservation in the NPQM, one of the most significant Earth's critical zone in China, and identified the key factors influencing it. New hydrological insights for the region: The average annual water conservation in the NPQM was calculated to be 90.8 mm in 1980, 85.0 mm in 1990, 61.1 mm in 2000, 97.4 mm in 2010, and 121.3 mm in 2020, respectively. Water conservation was significantly higher in the southern mountainous region of the Qinling Mountains compared to the northern alluvial plain region of the Wei River. Key determinants affecting water conservation included annual precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, the proportion of forest and agricultural land, and soil texture Furthermore, precipitation, forest coverage rate, and sand content in topsoil were demonstrated to positively influence water conservation. Conversely, evapotranspiration, agricultural land, and clay content in topsoil were found to negatively affect water conservation. This study reveals the spatiotemporal characteristics of water conservation and identifies its key influencing factors in the NPQM. Additionally, the effects of these factors on water conservation are further discussed. The results and conclusions of this study could provide scientific insights for water security and ecosystem management in the NPQM region.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825000187Water conservationSpatiotemporal characteristicsEcosystem servicesNorth piedmont of the Qinling MountainsClimate change
spellingShingle Song He
Hui Qian
Yuan Liu
Xiaoguang Zhao
Fengmei Su
Huan Ma
Zilong Guan
Tao Zhang
Water conservation assessment and its influencing factors identification using the InVEST and random forest model in the northern piedmont of the Qinling Mountains
Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
Water conservation
Spatiotemporal characteristics
Ecosystem services
North piedmont of the Qinling Mountains
Climate change
title Water conservation assessment and its influencing factors identification using the InVEST and random forest model in the northern piedmont of the Qinling Mountains
title_full Water conservation assessment and its influencing factors identification using the InVEST and random forest model in the northern piedmont of the Qinling Mountains
title_fullStr Water conservation assessment and its influencing factors identification using the InVEST and random forest model in the northern piedmont of the Qinling Mountains
title_full_unstemmed Water conservation assessment and its influencing factors identification using the InVEST and random forest model in the northern piedmont of the Qinling Mountains
title_short Water conservation assessment and its influencing factors identification using the InVEST and random forest model in the northern piedmont of the Qinling Mountains
title_sort water conservation assessment and its influencing factors identification using the invest and random forest model in the northern piedmont of the qinling mountains
topic Water conservation
Spatiotemporal characteristics
Ecosystem services
North piedmont of the Qinling Mountains
Climate change
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825000187
work_keys_str_mv AT songhe waterconservationassessmentanditsinfluencingfactorsidentificationusingtheinvestandrandomforestmodelinthenorthernpiedmontoftheqinlingmountains
AT huiqian waterconservationassessmentanditsinfluencingfactorsidentificationusingtheinvestandrandomforestmodelinthenorthernpiedmontoftheqinlingmountains
AT yuanliu waterconservationassessmentanditsinfluencingfactorsidentificationusingtheinvestandrandomforestmodelinthenorthernpiedmontoftheqinlingmountains
AT xiaoguangzhao waterconservationassessmentanditsinfluencingfactorsidentificationusingtheinvestandrandomforestmodelinthenorthernpiedmontoftheqinlingmountains
AT fengmeisu waterconservationassessmentanditsinfluencingfactorsidentificationusingtheinvestandrandomforestmodelinthenorthernpiedmontoftheqinlingmountains
AT huanma waterconservationassessmentanditsinfluencingfactorsidentificationusingtheinvestandrandomforestmodelinthenorthernpiedmontoftheqinlingmountains
AT zilongguan waterconservationassessmentanditsinfluencingfactorsidentificationusingtheinvestandrandomforestmodelinthenorthernpiedmontoftheqinlingmountains
AT taozhang waterconservationassessmentanditsinfluencingfactorsidentificationusingtheinvestandrandomforestmodelinthenorthernpiedmontoftheqinlingmountains