Arid Zone Research ›› 2021, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (3): 589-599.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2021.03.01

• Water Resources and Ulilization •     Next Articles

Dynamic assessment of Tarim River carbon storage under enhanced water resources management

GUO Jing1,2,3(),WANG Guangyan4,XU Shengwu4,ZHANG Guangpeng1,2,3,YUAN Kaiye1,2,3,LING Hongbo1,2(),Xiayidan Wumaierjiang5   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China
    2. Akesu National Station of Observation and Research for Oasis Agro-ecosystem, Akesu 843017, Xinjiang, China
    3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
    4. Management Bureau of the Main Stream of Xinjiang Tarim River Basin, Korla 841000, Xinjiang, China
    5. Xinjiang Tarim River Basin Management Bureau, Korla 832000, Xinjiang, China
  • Received:2020-05-08 Revised:2020-07-03 Online:2021-05-15 Published:2021-06-17
  • Contact: Hongbo LING E-mail:guojing18@mails.ucas.edu.cn;linghongbo0929@163.com

Abstract:

Since the implementation of comprehensive governance in 2001 and unified management in 2011, the water resources management capacity of the Tarim River Basin has been continuously enhanced. However, the effectiveness of water resources management at improving the carbon storage capacity of watershed ecosystems has not been evaluated. Therefore, based on land use/cover change data from 2000, 2010, and 2018, this paper used the InVEST model to analyze the change characteristics of the carbon storage of watershed ecosystems under enhanced water resources management in the upper and middle reaches of the Tarim River where Populus euphratica forest is concentrated. In 2000, 2010, and 2018, the total carbon storage in the upper and middle reaches of the Tarim River was 93.70, 93.92, and 93.01 Tg, respectively, and the average carbon density was 67.63, 67.78, and 67.12 t·hm-2, respectively. Woodland was the primary carbon pool in the upper and middle reaches of the Tarim River Basin, followed by grassland. From 2000 to 2010, the carbon storage in the study area increased by 0.22 Tg, primarily due to the conversion of a large number of grassland types (69.35 t·hm-2) into arable land types (73 t·hm-2). After the implementation of comprehensive management of the Tarim River in 2001, vegetation restoration led to an increase in the surface biomass, carbon density, and carbon storage of woodland and grassland. From 2010 to 2018, carbon storage decreased by 0.91 Tg, and the carbon loss pathways primarily originated from the conversion of a large number of woodland types (73.77 t·hm-2) to arable land types (73 t·hm-2). Simultaneously, the total carbon storage of grassland decreased. The spatial distribution of carbon storage in the study area had a strong spatial heterogeneity, and its characteristics gradually decreased around the upper and middle reaches of the Tarim River. The areas with significant changes in carbon storage were consistent with the spatial distribution of land use changes. This research provides a scientific basis for an in-depth understanding of the carbon cycle and climate change in the study area, informing the improvement of the carbon storage capacity of the watershed ecosystem, optimizing the allocation of water resources, and promoting the sustainable development of river basins.

Key words: InVEST model, water resources management, carbon storage, land use/cover change, Tarim River