Arid Zone Research ›› 2025, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (7): 1211-1221.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2025.07.05

• Land and Water Resources • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Patterns of spatial and temporal variation of evapotranspiration in Aksu River Basin and factors driving them

YANG Chen1,2,3(), MA Bin4,5,6, HE Xuemin1,2,3(), HAO Zhe4,5,6, MA Yu4,5,6   

  1. 1. College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, Xinjiang, China
    2. Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology of Education Ministry, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, Xinjiang, China
    3. Xinjiang Jinghe Observation and Research Station of Temperate Desert Ecosystem, Ministry of Education, Jinghe 833300, Xinjiang, China
    4. Urumqi Comprehensive Survey Center on Natural Resources, Urumqi 830057, Xinjiang, China
    5. Observation and Research Station of Soil and Water Processes and Ecologica Security of Oasis in the Headstream Area of the Tarim River, Urumqi 830000, Xinjiang, China
    6. Field Observation and Research Station of Water Resources and Ecological Effect in Lower Reaches of Tarim River Basin, Urumqi 830057, Xinjiang, China
  • Received:2024-12-02 Revised:2025-03-26 Online:2025-07-15 Published:2025-07-07
  • Contact: HE Xuemin E-mail:yangchen1517@stu.xju.edu.cn;hxm@xju.edu.cn

Abstract:

Evapotranspiration, as a crucial component of the water cycle, is vital for regulating water resources and protecting the environment, especially in arid regions where it plays a significant role in water consumption and redistribution. This study focused on Aksu River Basin and used MOD16 evapotranspiration product data from 2001 to 2022 to systematically analyze the patterns of spatial and temporal variation of actual evapotranspiration (AET ) and potential evapotranspiration (PET ), along with an exploration of the factors influencing them. The findings provide a scientific basis for managing regional water resources and protecting the environment. The results indicate the following: (1) The MOD16 product data are consistent with ET0 data (R2=0.8133), and the product accuracy meets the requirements for studying the spatial and temporal distribution of evapotranspiration in Aksu River Basin. (2) The multi-year average AET and PET are 168.36 mm and 1569.03 mm, respectively. AET shows an overall increasing trend, while PET exhibits a decreasing one. There are significant differences in the spatial distribution of AET and PET, with the opposite trends being exhibited. (3) Over the last 22 years, AET in Aksu River Basin has significantly increased, mainly in cultivated land, forestland, and oases, while PET has decreased overall but increased near the edges of oases and along river channels. AET is less stable than PET, and the Hurst indices of both indicate that the trends may change in future, with 56% of the area showing anti-persistence for AET and 89% for PET. (4) Changes in AET and PET are intrinsically linked to changes in climatic factors, with wind speed and relative humidity being the main factors influencing regional variations in these two variables. This study provides an important scientific reference for managing and using water resources in arid regions.

Key words: evapotranspiration, water cycle, spatial and temporal variation, water resource management, Aksu River Basin