Arid Zone Research ›› 2025, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (6): 1004-1020.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2025.06.05

• Land and Water Resources • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research advances and arid zone applications of coupled models for water resources carrying capacity

WANG Yixuan1,2(), DENG Xiaohong3, FAN Huiwenqing1,2, HAN Jiangzhe4, LI Zongxing1,4()   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Arid Region Ecological Security and Sustainable Development, Qilian Mountains Isotope Ecohydrology and National Park Observation and Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
    2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
    3. School of Economics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
    4. College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
  • Received:2025-02-16 Revised:2025-04-09 Online:2025-06-15 Published:2025-06-11
  • Contact: LI Zongxing E-mail:wyxvv07@163.com;lizxhhs@163.com

Abstract:

As the scarcity of global water intensifies, accurate assessments of water resource carrying capacity (WRCC) have become essential for sustainably managing regional water resources and combating the adverse effects of climate change. However, the water resources-ecology-society system is highly complex, involving multidimensional interactions anddynamic internal changes that cannot be fully captured by a single evaluation method. This paper reviews the application status and research progress of coupled-model methods for WRCC evaluation. A systematic comparative analysis reveals the strengths and limitations of the major evaluation methods—systems analysis, comprehensive evaluation, and machine learning—in WRCC evaluation. Particular attention is devoted to the challenges of these methods in arid regions. The dynamic feedback mechanisms, nonlinear modeling capabilities, data-driven characteristics, and applicabilities of different methods are analyzed through a horizontal comparison study. The review also analyzes the suitabilities and limitations of each method in arid regions and explores the feasibility of coupled models, providing new insights for resolving WRCC issues in these areas. Multimodel integration and data-driven optimization will enhance the generalizability and applicability of models in future, facilitating the transition of water resource management from static evaluation to dynamic simulation and precise prediction. These developments will offer scientific support for sustainable water resource utilization in arid regions and worldwide.

Key words: water resources carrying capacity, coupling model, system dynamics, machine learning, arid regions