Spatio-temporal distribution of net primary productivity along the Northeast China Transect and its response to climatic change

Abstract

An improved Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach model (CASA model) was used to estimate the net primary productivity (NPP) of the Northeast China Transect (NECT) every month from 1982 to 2000. The spatial-temporal distribution of NPP along NECT and its response to climatic change were also analyzed. Results showed that the change tendency of NPP spatial distribution in NECT is quite similar to that of precipitation and their spatial correlation coefficient is up to 0.84 (P < 0.01). The inter-annual variation of NPP in NECT is mainly affected by the change of the aestival NPP every year, which accounts for 67.6% of the inter-annual increase in NPP and their spatial correlation coefficient is 0.95 (P < 0.01). The NPP in NECT is mainly cumulated between May and September, which accounts for 89.8% of the annual NPP. The NPP in summer (June to August) accounts for 65.9% of the annual NPP and is the lowest in winter. Recent climate changes have enhanced plant growth in NECT. The mean NPP increased 14.3% from 1980s to 1990s. The inter-annual linear trend of NPP is 4.6 gC·m⁻²·a⁻¹, and the relative trend is 1.17%, which owns mainly to the increasing temperature.

Keywords

China Transect / Remote sensing / Net primary productivity (NPP) / Climatic change / Spatio-temporal distribution

References

[1] Alexandrov G.A., Oikawa T., Yamagata Y. The scheme for globalization of a process-based model explaining gradations in terrestrial NPP and its application [J]. Ecological Modeling, 2002, 148(3): 293-306.

[2] Cao M.K., Woodward F.I. Dynamic responses of terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycling to global climate change [J]. Nature, 1998, 393: 249-252.

[3] Chen L., Liu G., Li H. Estimating Net Primary Productivity of Terrestrial Vegetation in China Using Remote Sensing [J]. Journal of Remote Sensing, 2002, 6(2): 129-135.

[4] Cramer W., Kicklighter D.W., Bondeau A. et al. Comparing global models of terrestrial net primary productivity (NPP): overview and key results [J]. Global Change Biology, 1999, 1(sup): 1-15.

[5] Field C.B., Behrenfeld M.J., Randerson J.T. et al. Primary production of the biosphere: integrating terrestrial and oceanic components [J]. Science, 1998, 281: 237-240.

[6] Field C.B., Randerson J.T., Malmstrom C.M. Global net primary production: combining ecology and remote sensing [J]. Remote Sensing of Environment, 1995, 51: 74-88.

[7] Goetz S.J., Prince S.D., Goward S.N. et al. Satellite remote sensing of primary production: an improved production efficiency modeling approach [J]. Ecological Modeling, 1999, 122: 239-255.

[8] IGBP The terrestrial carbon cycle: implications for Kyoto Protocol [J]. Science, 1998, 280: 1393-1394.

[9] Jiang H., Apps M.J., Zhang Y. et al. Modeling the spatial pattern of net primary productivity in Chinese forests [J]. Ecological Modeling, 1999, 122: 275-288.

[10] Koch G.W., Scholes R.J., Steffen W.L. et al. The IGBP Terrestrial Transects: Science Plan [R] IGBP Report, No. 36, 1995 Stockholm: IGBP

[11] Leith H., Wittaker R.H. Primary productivity of the biosphere [M], 1975 New York: Springer Verlag 237-263.

[12] Liu J., Chen J.M., Chen W. Net primary productivity distribution in the BOREAS region from a process model using satellite and surface data [J]. Journal of Geophysical Research, 1999, 104(D22): 27735-27754.

[13] Los S.O. Calibration adjustment of the NOAA-AVHRR normalized difference vegetation index without resource to component channels 1 and 2 data [J]. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 1993, 14: 1907-1917.

[14] Matsushita B., Tamura M. Integrating remotely sensed data with an ecosystem model to estimate net primary productivity in East Asia [J]. Remote Sensing of Environment, 2002, 81: 58-66.

[15] Nemani R.R., Keeling C.D., Hashimoto H. et al. Climate-driven increases in global terrestrial net primary production from 1982 to 1999 [J]. Science, 2003, 300: 1560-1563.

[16] Ni J., Li Y., Zhang X. The scientific significance of the north east China transect (NECT) to global change study by its ecogeographical characteristics [J]. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 1999, 19(5): 623-629.

[17] Ni J., Zhang X.S., Scurlock J.M.O. NPP Multi-Biome: Chinese Forests Data, 1989–1994, 2001 Oak Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.A.: Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center

[18] Olson R.J., Johnson K.R., Zheng D.L. et al. Global and regional ecosystem modeling: databases of model drivers and validation measurements [R] ORNL/TM-2001/196, 2001 Oak Ridge, Tenn: Oak Ridge National Laboratory

[19] Pan Y., Gong D., Deng L. et al. Smart distance Searching-based and DEM-informed interpolation of surface air temperature of climatology in China [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2004, 59(3): 366-374.

[20] Raich J.W., Russel A.E., Vitousek P.M. Primary productivity and ecosystem development along an elevational gradient on Mauna Loa, Hawaii [J]. Ecology, 1997, 78: 707-721.

[21] Raich J.W., Rastetter E.B., Mellillo J.M. et al. Potential net primary productivity in South America: Application of a global model [J]. Ecological Applications, 1991, 1: 399-429.

[22] Scurlock J.M.O., Cramer W., Olson R.J. et al. Terrestrial NPP: Towards a consistent data set for global model evaluation [J]. Ecological Applications, 1999, 9(3): 913-919.

[23] Sun R., Zhu Q. Distribution and seasonal change of net primary productivity in China from, April, 1992 to March, 1993 [J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2000, 50(1): 36-45.

[24] Tao B., Li K., Shao X. et al. The temporal and spatial patterns of terrestrial net primary productivity in China [J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2003, 13(2): 163-171.

[25] Tucker C.J., Dregne H.E., Newcomb W.W. AVHRR datasets for determination of desert spatial extent [J]. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 1994, 15: 3547-3565.

[26] Uchijima Z., Seino H. Agroclimatic evaluation of net primary productivity of natural vegetation (1): Chikugo model for evaluating productivity [J]. Journal of Agricultural Meteorology, 1985, 40: 343-353.

[27] Xiao Q., Li W., Sheng Y. et al. Estimating the net primary productivity in China using meteorological satellite data [J]. Acta Botamica Sinica, 1996, 38(1): 35-39.

[28] Yuan W., Zhou G. Responses of three Stipa communities net primary productivity along Northeast China Transect to seasonal distribution of precipitation [J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 2005, 16(4): 605-609.

[29] Zhang X., Gao Q., Yang D. et al. A gradient analysis and prediction on the Northeast China Transect for global change study, Acta [J]. Botanic Sinica, 1997, 39(9): 785-799.

[30] Zhang X., Yang dian’an. Allocation and study on global change transects in China [J]. Quaternary Sciences, 1995, 1: 43-52.

[31] Zhang X., Zhou G., Gao Q. Northeast China Transect (NECT) for global change studies [J]. Earth Science Frontiers, 1997, 4: 145-151.

[32] Zhou G., Wang Y., Jiang Y. Global change and water-driven IGBP-NECT, Northeast China [J]. Earth Science Frontiers, 2002, 9(1): 198-216.

[33] Zhou G., Zhang X. A natural vegetation NPP model [J]. Acta Phytoecologica Sinica, 1995, 19(3): 193-200.

[34] Zhu W., Chen Y., Pan Y. et al. Estimation of light utilization efficiency of vegetation in China based on GIS and RS [J]. Geomatics and Information Science of Wuhan University, 2004, 29(8): 694-698.

[35] Zhu W., Pan Y., Long Z. et al. Estimating net primary productivity of terrestrial vegetation based on GIS and RS: a case study in Inner Mongolia, China [J]. Journal of Remote Sensing, 2005, 9(3): 300-307.

[36] Zhu Z. The model of net primary productivity of vegetation in China [J]. Chinese Science Bulletin, 1993, 38(15): 1422-1426.