Arid Zone Research ›› 2021, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (4): 1075-1084.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2021.04.19

• Plant and Plant Physiology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The status of natural vegetation water demand in the Kezi River Basin in recent over 28 years

LI Li1(),ZHANG Qingqing1(),LI Hong1,WANG Yamei1,ZHAO Xinfeng2,3,4   

  1. 1. College of Grassland and Environmental Sciences, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830054, Xinjiang, China
    2. State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China
    3. Aksu Farmland Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China
    4. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049
  • Received:2020-11-18 Revised:2021-03-04 Online:2021-07-15 Published:2021-08-03
  • Contact: Qingqing ZHANG E-mail:785146615@qq.com;108585302@qq.com

Abstract:

The natural vegetation of the Kezi River Basin is essential to the ecological environment, economic development, and social benefits of the entire region. The dynamic changes in time and space of the natural vegetation in the Kezi River Basin in 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2018 were analyzed using Lansat TM images and annual statistical data of the watershed. Using diving evapotranspiration, the ecological water demand of natural vegetation in the basin was calculated during these four periods. Then, the author combined the research results of the predecessors to determine the limit buried depth of natural vegetation evaporation in the Kezi River Basin, which is the lowest groundwater level that can meet the ecological water requirements of the natural vegetation in the Kezi River Basin, and the amount of water that needs to be restored. We found that between 1990 and 2018, the area of natural vegetation in the Kezi River Basin reduced by 1612.48 km2. The overall reduction over the 28 years was 18.99%, and the total vegetation coverage also decreased by 22.26%. Additionally, the water demand of natural vegetation in the Kezi River Basin during the four periods was 7.69×108 m3, 7.49×108 m3, 6.65×108 m3, and 5.84×108 m3, respectively. During the four periods, the vegetation types with the highest water requirements for natural vegetation in the basin were medium-covered grasslands, and the ecological water requirements were 3.59×108 m3, 3.63×108 m3, 2.92×108 m3, and 2.42×108 m3, respectively. The vegetation with the lowest water requirement were sparse forest land, and the water requirements in the four periods were 0.19×108 m3, 0.19×108 m3, 0.18×108 m3, and 0.17×108 m3, respectively. The water requirements of natural vegetation in the Kezi River Basin in 1990 and 2010 were 16.48% and 8. 13%, respectively, and they were zero in both 2000 and 2018. In the four periods, the inflow of water in the basin could not fully meet the ecological water demand of natural vegetation, and the water shortages were 6.65×108 m3, 7.49×108 m3, 6.11×108 m3, and 5.84×108 m3, respectively, which shows that water shortage in the basin has been severe. The phreatic evaporation limit groundwater depth was estimated as 5.5 m to ensure the ecological water demand of natural vegetation. Based on the current data, the water required to restore the groundwater depth to 5.5 m is 9.73×108 m3.

Key words: natural vegetation, ecological water requirement, Kezi River Basin, satisfaction degree