State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China.
College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China.
Sci Rep. 2020 Jan 21;10(1):830. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-57910-1.
Understanding precipitation-vegetation interaction is of great importance to implementing adaptation and mitigation measures for terrestrial ecosystems. Many studies have explored the spatial pattern of precipitation-vegetation correlation along the precipitation amount gradient. While the impacts of other precipitation characteristics remain poorly understood. Here, we provided a comprehensive investigation of spatiotemporal patterns of vegetation response to precipitation anomalies in China, using satellite-derived vegetation index and multi-source climate datasets for the years 1982-2015. Subsequently, we attempted to examine in detail what specific factors, climatic or biogeographic, are responsible for spatiotemporal patterns of precipitation-vegetation relationship. Results show that vegetation in Inner Mongolia Plateau is strongly affected by precipitation anomalies. Vegetation has a 1-2 month lag response to precipitation anomalies and is significantly correlated with 2-6 month cumulative precipitation anomalies. Seasonal differences of vegetation response are also remarkable. Moreover, the largest NDVI-precipitation correlation appears in areas with 150-500 mm of mean annual precipitation, 0.075-0.275 of fraction of precipitation days, and 19-23 of precipitation concentration index. More locally, the spatial distribution of NDVI-precipitation correlations is closely related to the vegetation type and elevation. The results can provide technical basis and beneficial reference to water resource and ecological management strategies in China for associated policymakers and stakeholders.
了解降水-植被相互作用对于实施陆地生态系统的适应和缓解措施非常重要。许多研究都探讨了沿降水量梯度的降水-植被相关关系的空间格局。而其他降水特征的影响仍不清楚。在这里，我们使用卫星衍生的植被指数和多源气候数据集，对 1982 年至 2015 年中国植被对降水异常的时空变化模式进行了全面调查。随后，我们试图详细研究哪些具体因素（气候或生物地理因素）导致了降水-植被关系的时空格局。结果表明，内蒙古高原的植被受降水异常的强烈影响。植被对降水异常的滞后响应为 1-2 个月，与 2-6 个月的累积降水异常显著相关。植被对降水的季节差异响应也很显著。此外，最大的 NDVI-降水相关性出现在年平均降水量为 150-500mm、降水天数比例为 0.075-0.275、降水集中指数为 19-23 的地区。更具体地说，NDVI-降水相关性的空间分布与植被类型和海拔密切相关。研究结果可为中国相关决策者和利益相关者提供水资源和生态管理战略提供技术基础和有益参考。
