Seasonal variation and key factors influencing evapotranspiration partitioning in alpine ecosystems of the Qinghai Lake Basin
This study partitioned evapotranspiration (ET) into vegetation transpiration (T) and soil evaporation (E) across three alpine ecosystems in the Qinghai Lake Basin, China, from 2019 to 2021 using a soil–plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) model. The model’s effectiveness was validated by its consistenc...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Ecological Indicators |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25007046 |
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| author | Wenyang Cao Yao Wu Jiayin Liu Yuan Yuan Cicheng Zhang Shaojie Zhao Pei Wang |
| author_facet | Wenyang Cao Yao Wu Jiayin Liu Yuan Yuan Cicheng Zhang Shaojie Zhao Pei Wang |
| author_sort | Wenyang Cao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study partitioned evapotranspiration (ET) into vegetation transpiration (T) and soil evaporation (E) across three alpine ecosystems in the Qinghai Lake Basin, China, from 2019 to 2021 using a soil–plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) model. The model’s effectiveness was validated by its consistency with observed energy fluxes, ground surface temperature, and the transpiration fraction of evapotranspiration (T/ET) derived from isotope methods, the underlying water use efficiency (uWUE) approach, and remote sensing data. Results show that T/ET ratios vary minimally from year to year, peaking in July or August and reaching their lowest in January. The subalpine shrub ecosystem exhibited the highest average T/ET, followed by temperate grasslands and alpine grasslands. Leaf area index, linked to canopy stomatal conductance, was the main driver of T/ET variability, along with environmental factors like radiation, soil moisture, and temperature. During the growing season, vegetation transpiration dominated ET, with T/ET rising in May and June due to thawing seasonally frozen soils and active plant growth. This research quantifies T/ET across various ecosystems in the Qinghai Lake Basin, highlighting the importance of canopy stomatal conductance in seasonal variations and its implications for ecohydrological processes and water resource management in alpine regions. The findings provide both theoretical support and practical guidance for optimizing water use efficiency, achieving sustainable ecosystem management, and ensuring water ecological security in alpine areas. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-caddef153e1f4e1db7ef08cef83daf4d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1470-160X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Indicators |
| spelling | doaj-art-caddef153e1f4e1db7ef08cef83daf4d2025-08-20T03:29:09ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2025-08-0117711377410.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113774Seasonal variation and key factors influencing evapotranspiration partitioning in alpine ecosystems of the Qinghai Lake BasinWenyang Cao0Yao Wu1Jiayin Liu2Yuan Yuan3Cicheng Zhang4Shaojie Zhao5Pei Wang6School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, ChinaSchool of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, ChinaSchool of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, ChinaSchool of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, ChinaSchool of Geographical Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, ChinaThe State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Hazards Risk Governance, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, ChinaThe State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Hazards Risk Governance, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; School of Natural Resources, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Corresponding author at: The State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Hazards Risk Governance, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.This study partitioned evapotranspiration (ET) into vegetation transpiration (T) and soil evaporation (E) across three alpine ecosystems in the Qinghai Lake Basin, China, from 2019 to 2021 using a soil–plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) model. The model’s effectiveness was validated by its consistency with observed energy fluxes, ground surface temperature, and the transpiration fraction of evapotranspiration (T/ET) derived from isotope methods, the underlying water use efficiency (uWUE) approach, and remote sensing data. Results show that T/ET ratios vary minimally from year to year, peaking in July or August and reaching their lowest in January. The subalpine shrub ecosystem exhibited the highest average T/ET, followed by temperate grasslands and alpine grasslands. Leaf area index, linked to canopy stomatal conductance, was the main driver of T/ET variability, along with environmental factors like radiation, soil moisture, and temperature. During the growing season, vegetation transpiration dominated ET, with T/ET rising in May and June due to thawing seasonally frozen soils and active plant growth. This research quantifies T/ET across various ecosystems in the Qinghai Lake Basin, highlighting the importance of canopy stomatal conductance in seasonal variations and its implications for ecohydrological processes and water resource management in alpine regions. The findings provide both theoretical support and practical guidance for optimizing water use efficiency, achieving sustainable ecosystem management, and ensuring water ecological security in alpine areas.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25007046Evapotranspiration partitioningAlpine ecosystemsSPAC modelTranspiration fractionCanopy stomatal conductanceLeaf area index |
| spellingShingle | Wenyang Cao Yao Wu Jiayin Liu Yuan Yuan Cicheng Zhang Shaojie Zhao Pei Wang Seasonal variation and key factors influencing evapotranspiration partitioning in alpine ecosystems of the Qinghai Lake Basin Ecological Indicators Evapotranspiration partitioning Alpine ecosystems SPAC model Transpiration fraction Canopy stomatal conductance Leaf area index |
| title | Seasonal variation and key factors influencing evapotranspiration partitioning in alpine ecosystems of the Qinghai Lake Basin |
| title_full | Seasonal variation and key factors influencing evapotranspiration partitioning in alpine ecosystems of the Qinghai Lake Basin |
| title_fullStr | Seasonal variation and key factors influencing evapotranspiration partitioning in alpine ecosystems of the Qinghai Lake Basin |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seasonal variation and key factors influencing evapotranspiration partitioning in alpine ecosystems of the Qinghai Lake Basin |
| title_short | Seasonal variation and key factors influencing evapotranspiration partitioning in alpine ecosystems of the Qinghai Lake Basin |
| title_sort | seasonal variation and key factors influencing evapotranspiration partitioning in alpine ecosystems of the qinghai lake basin |
| topic | Evapotranspiration partitioning Alpine ecosystems SPAC model Transpiration fraction Canopy stomatal conductance Leaf area index |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25007046 |
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