干旱区研究

Arid Zone Research >

2025 , Vol. 42 >Issue 12: 2231 - 2244

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13866/j.azr.2025.12.07

Plant Ecology

Tradeoffs and synergies in carbon-water coupling of vegetation across China’s arid and semi-arid regions

  • MA Rongle ,
  • XUE Yayong ,
  • CHEN Jinglin ,
  • WANG Lizhen ,
  • ZHANG Fang
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  • College of Geography and Remote Sensing Science, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, Xinjiang, China

Received date: 2025-03-04

  Revised date: 2025-07-24

  Online published: 2025-12-30

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Abstract

This study aims to explore the temporal trends of water use efficiency (WUE) and carbon use efficiency (CUE) in the arid and semi-arid regions of China, as well as the trade-off and synergy relationship between carbon and water processes in these regions. Based on Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data, we quantitatively estimated carbon-water use efficiency from 2001 to 2022. Trend analysis, partial correlation coefficients, geographic detectors, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis were employed to examine the variation characteristics of ecosystem WUE and CUE, conduct attribution analysis, and evaluate the coupling relationship between the two. The results show that, overall, WUE and CUE remained relatively stable (P>0.05) from 2001 to 2022 in arid and semi-arid regions, although significant trends were observed in certain areas. The dominant factor influencing WUE changes was soil moisture (SM). The influence of climatic factors on WUE was significantly greater than on CUE. Synergistic regions accounted for 21.24% of the study area, mainly located in the northern North China Plain, the northern and southern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains, and the eastern Greater Khingan Mountains. In synergy zones, the annual mean vapor pressure deficit (VPD) predominantly ranged from 0.8 kPa to 0.9 kPa, while in trade-off zones, it ranged from 0.2 kPa to 0.3 kPa. The variation in the WUE-CUE trade-off and synergy relationship in China’s arid regions was primarily driven by the response of WUE to changes in climatic factors, with VPD being the main factor responsible for these variations.

Key words： water use efficiency; carbon use efficiency; arid and semi-arid regions; tradeoff and synergy

Cite this article

MA Rongle , XUE Yayong , CHEN Jinglin , WANG Lizhen , ZHANG Fang . Tradeoffs and synergies in carbon-water coupling of vegetation across China’s arid and semi-arid regions[J]. Arid Zone Research, 2025 , 42(12) : 2231 -2244 . DOI: 10.13866/j.azr.2025.12.07

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