Ecohydrological dynamics of a Larix gmelinii forest in the Daxing’an Mountains of China

Abstract

Evapotranspiration (ET), vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and water use efficiency (WUE) are crucial components of the hydrological cycle in forest ecosystems, serving as indicators that reflect the intricate coupling of carbon and water fluxes within the ecosystem. The cold temperate zone, being ecologically fragile and sensitive to climate change, accentuates the significance of exploring the variation characteristics of the dynamics of hydrological processes of a Larix gmelinii forest ET, VPD and WUE were measured in the June to August growing season and the April, May, September and October freeze–thaw period from 2011 to 2016. A structural equation model (SEM) quantitatively analyzed the impact of environmental factors on ecohydrological variables. The results reveal that: (1) Daily average ET in the growing season was significantly higher than in the freeze–thaw period. WUE showed the opposite. Peaks for both ET and VPD occurred in July. In contrast, the freeze–thaw period saw maximum ET and VPD, and minimum WUE in May. July and May emerged as the most active months for hydrological processes in the ecosystem; (2) During the growing season, VPD was influenced by relative humidity (RH) and temperature (T_a), ET responded negatively to solar radiation, and WUE negatively to VPD. Throughout the freeze–thaw period, the ecosystem experienced heat stress, and ecohydrological processes were influenced by T_a. This study provides valuable references for further research on hydrological cycles in forest systems within cold temperate zones.

Keywords

Evapotranspiration / Vapor pressure deficit / Water use efficiency / Larix gmelinii / Daxing’an Mountains

References

[1] AnapalliSS, FisherDK, PinnamaneniSR, ReddyKN. Quantifying evapotranspiration and crop coefficients for cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) using an eddy covariance approach. Agric Water Manag, 2020, 233: 106091

[2] AygünO, KinnardC, CampeauS. Impacts of climate change on the hydrology of northern midlatitude cold regions. Prog Phys Geogr Earth Environ, 2020, 44(3): 338-375

[3] BaiXP, ZhangXL, LiJX, DuanXY, JinYT, ChenZJ. Altitudinal disparity in growth of Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii Rupr.) in response to recent climate change in NorthEast China. Sci Total Environ, 2019, 670: 466-477

[4] Callañaupa GutierrezS, Segura CajachaguaH, Saavedra HuancaM, Flores RojasJ, Silva VidalY, CuxartJ. Seasonal variability of daily evapotranspiration and energy fluxes in the Central Andes of Peru using eddy covariance techniques and empirical methods. Atmos Res, 2021, 261: 105760

[5] DingJZ, YangT, ZhaoYT, LiuD, WangXY, YaoYT, PengSS, WangT, PiaoSL. Increasingly important role of atmospheric aridity on Tibetan alpine grasslands. Geophys Res Lett, 2018, 45(6): 2852-2859

[6] FicklinDL, NovickKA. Historic and projected changes in vapor pressure deficit suggest a continental-scale drying of the United States atmosphere. J Geophys Res Atmos, 2017, 122(4): 2061-2079

[7] GaoL, ZhaoP, KangSZ, LiSE, TongL, DingRS, LuHN. Surface soil water content dominates the difference between ecosystem and canopy water use efficiency in a sparse vineyard. Agric Water Manag, 2019, 226: 105817

[8] GoekingSA, TarbotonDG. Forests and water yield: a synthesis of disturbance effects on streamflow and snowpack in western coniferous forests. J for, 2020, 118(2): 172-192

[9] GraceJBStructural equation modeling and natural systems, 2006, UK, Cambridge University Press

[10] HelbigM, WaddingtonJM, AlekseychikP, AmiroBD, AurelaM, BarrAG, BlackTA, BlankenPD, CareySK, ChenJQ, ChiJS, DesaiAR, DunnA, EuskirchenES, FlanaganLB, ForbrichI, FriborgT, GrelleA, HarderS, HeliaszM, HumphreysER, IkawaH, IsabellePE, IwataH, JassalR, KorkiakoskiM, KurbatovaJ, KutzbachL, LindrothA, LöfveniusMO, LohilaA, MammarellaI, MarshP, MaximovT, MeltonJR, MoorePA, NadeauDF, NichollsEM, NilssonMB, OhtaT, PeichlM, PetroneRM, PetrovR, ProkushkinA, QuintonWL, ReedDE, RouletNT, RunkleBRK, SonnentagO, StrachanIB, TaillardatP, TuittilaES, TuovinenJP, TurnerJ, UeyamaM, VarlaginA, WilmkingM, WofsySC, ZyrianovV. Increasing contribution of peatlands to boreal evapotranspiration in a warming climate. Nat Clim Chang, 2020, 10(6): 555-560

[11] HuangL, HeB, HanL, LiuJJ, WangHY, ChenZY. A global examination of the response of ecosystem water-use efficiency to drought based on MODIS data. Sci Total Environ, 2017, 601–602: 1097-1107

[12] HuangY, GuoHQ, ChenXL, ChenZH, van der TolC, ZhouYX, TangJW. Meteorological controls on evapotranspiration over a coastal salt marsh ecosystem under tidal influence. Agric for Meteor, 2019, 279: 107755

[13] JiangSZ, LiangC, CuiNB, ZhaoL, LiuCW, FengY, HuXT, GongDZ, ZouQY. Water use efficiency and its drivers in four typical agroecosystems based on flux tower measurements. Agric For Meteor, 2020, 295: 108200

[14] KotaniA, KononovAV, OhtaT, MaximovTC. Temporal variations in the linkage between the net ecosystem exchange of water vapour and CO₂ over boreal forests in eastern Siberia. Ecohydrology, 2014, 7(2): 209-225

[15] LiM, ChuRH, IslamARMT, ShenSH. Characteristics of surface evapotranspiration and its response to climate and land use and land cover in the Huai River Basin of Eastern China. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2021, 28(1): 683-699

[16] LiMY, YaoJQ, GuanJY, ZhengJH. Observed changes in vapor pressure deficit suggest a systematic drying of the atmosphere in Xinjiang of China. Atmos Res, 2021, 248: 105199

[17] LiSE, KangSZ, ZhangL, DuTS, TongL, DingRS, GuoWH, ZhaoP, ChenX, XiaoH. Ecosystem water use efficiency for a sparse vineyard in arid northwest China. Agric Water Manag, 2015, 148: 24-33

[18] LiY, ZhouL, WangSQ, ChiYG, ChenJH. Leaf temperature and vapour pressure deficit (VPD) driving stomatal conductance and biochemical processes of leaf photosynthetic rate in a subtropical evergreen coniferous plantation. Sustainability, 2018, 10(11): 4063

[19] LiuJL, ChengFY, MungerW, JiangP, WhitbyTG, ChenSY, JiWW, ManXL. Precipitation extremes influence patterns and partitioning of evapotranspiration and transpiration in a deciduous boreal larch forest. Agric For Meteor, 2020, 287: 107936

[20] LiuLZ, TengYG, WuJJ, ZhaoWH, LiuSS, ShenQ. Soil water deficit promotes the effect of atmospheric water deficit on solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence. Sci Total Environ, 2020, 720: 137408

[21] LiuXF, FengXM, FuBJ. Changes in global terrestrial ecosystem water use efficiency are closely related to soil moisture. Sci Total Environ, 2020, 698: 134165

[22] LiuX, WangYB, YangWJ, LvMX, ZhaoHP. Effects of freezing–thawing cycle on the daily evapotranspiration of alpine meadow soil in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Environ Earth Sci, 2020, 79(24): 533

[23] LiuXH, ZhangXW, ZhaoLJ, XuGB, WangLX, SunWZ, ZhangQL, WangWZ, ZengXM, WuGJ. Tree ring δ¹⁸O reveals no long-term change of atmospheric water demand since 1800 in the northern Great Hinggan Mountains. China J Geophys Res Atmos, 2017, 122(13): 6697-6712

[24] MaloneSL, TulbureMG, Pérez-LuqueAJ, AssalTJ, BremerLL, DruckerDP, HillisV, VarelaS, GouldenML. Drought resistance across California ecosystems: evaluating changes in carbon dynamics using satellite imagery. Ecosphere, 2016, 7(11): e01561

[25] MiyazakiS, IshikawaM, BaatarbilegN, DamdinsurenS, AriuntuyaN, JambaljavY. Interannual and seasonal variations in energy and carbon exchanges over the larch forests on the permafrost in northeastern Mongolia. Polar Sci, 2014, 8(2): 166-182

[26] MukhortovaL, SchepaschenkoD, MoltchanovaE, ShvidenkoA, KhabarovN, SeeL. Respiration of Russian soils: Climatic drivers and response to climate change. Sci Total Environ, 2021, 785: 147314

[27] NakaiT, KimY, BuseyRC, SuzukiR, NagaiS, KobayashiH, ParkH, SugiuraK, ItoA. Characteristics of evapotranspiration from a permafrost black spruce forest in interior Alaska. Polar Sci, 2013, 7(2): 136-148

[28] NiuSL, XingXR, ZhangZ, XiaJY, ZhouXH, SongB, LiLH, WanSQ. Water-use efficiency in response to climate change: from leaf to ecosystem in a temperate steppe. Glob Change Biol, 2011, 17(2): 1073-1082

[29] OhtaT, MaximovTC, DolmanAJ, NakaiT, van der MolenMK, KononovAV, MaximovAP, HiyamaT, IijimaY, MoorsEJ, TanakaH, TobaT, YabukiH. Interannual variation of water balance and summer evapotranspiration in an eastern Siberian larch forest over a 7-year period (1998–2006). Agric For Meteor, 2008, 148(12): 1941-1953

[30] ParkSB, KnohlA, Lucas-MoffatAM, MigliavaccaM, GerbigC, VesalaT, PeltolaO, MammarellaI, KolleO, LavričJV, ProkushkinA, HeimannM. Strong radiative effect induced by clouds and smoke on forest net ecosystem productivity in central Siberia. Agric For Meteor, 2018, 250: 376-387

[31] RanaG, FerraraRM, MuschitielloC. Carbon and water dynamics of a bioenergy crop (Cynara cardunculus L.) under different meteorological conditions in a semi-arid region. Ital J Agron, 2017, 12(4): 862

[32] RigdenAJ, SalvucciGD. Stomatal response to humidity and CO₂ implicated in recent decline in US evaporation. Glob Chang Biol, 2017, 23(3): 1140-1151

[33] ScottRL, HuxmanTE, CableWL, EmmerichWE. Partitioning of evapotranspiration and its relation to carbon dioxide exchange in a Chihuahuan Desert shrubland. Hydrol Process, 2006, 20(15): 3227-3243

[34] SiddiqZ, ChenYJ, ZhangYJ, ZhangJL, CaoKF. More sensitive response of crown conductance to VPD and larger water consumption in tropical evergreen than in deciduous broadleaf timber trees. Agric For Meteor, 2017, 247: 399-407

[35] SunSK, LiC, WangYB, ZhaoXN, WuPT. Evaluation of the mechanisms and performances of major satellite-based evapotranspiration models in Northwest China. Agric For Meteor, 2020, 291: 108056

[36] TallecT, BéziatP, JaroszN, RivallandV, CeschiaE. Crops’ water use efficiencies in temperate climate: comparison of stand, ecosystem and agronomical approaches. Agric For Meteor, 2013, 168: 69-81

[37] TongXJ, ZhangJS, MengP, LiJ, ZhengN. Ecosystem water use efficiency in a warm-temperate mixed plantation in the North China. J Hydrol, 2014, 512: 221-228

[38] UrbanJ, RubtsovAV, UrbanAV, ShashkinAV, BenkovaVE. Canopy transpiration of a Larix sibirica and Pinus sylvestris forest in Central Siberia. Agric For Meteor, 2019, 271: 64-72

[39] WangHM, SaigusaN, ZuYG, WangWJ, YamamotoS, KondoH. Carbon fluxes and their response to environmental variables in a Dahurian larch forest ecosystem in northeast China. J For Res, 2008, 19: 1-10

[40] WangSS. Dynamics of surface albedo of a boreal forest and its simulation. Ecol Model, 2005, 183(4): 477-494

[41] WangXQ, ChenRS, LiuGH, YangY, SongYX, LiuJF, LiuZW, HanCT, LiuXJ, GuoSH, WangL, ZhengQ. Spatial distributions and temporal variations of the near-surface soil freeze state across China under climate change. Glob Planet Change, 2019, 172: 150-158

[42] WangY, ZhouL, PingXY, JiaQY, LiRP. Ten-year variability and environmental controls of ecosystem water use efficiency in a rainfed maize cropland in NorthEast China. Field Crops Res, 2018, 226: 48-55

[43] WangYY, MaYM, LiHX, YuanL. Carbon and water fluxes and their coupling in an alpine meadow ecosystem on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Theor Appl Climatol, 2020, 142(1): 1-18

[44] XuRR, GaoP, MuXM, GuCJ. Spatial-temporal change of actual evapotranspiration and the causes based on the advection–aridity model in the Weihe River Basin. China Water, 2021, 13(3): 303

[45] YangHB, YangDW, LeiZD, SunFB, CongZT. Variability of complementary relationship and its mechanism on different time scales. Sci China Ser E: Technol Sci, 2009, 52(4): 1059-1067

[46] YangT, TedersooL, LinXW, FitzpatrickMC, JiaYS, LiuX, NiYY, ShiY, LuPP, ZhuJG, ChuHY. Distinct fungal successional trajectories following wildfire between soil horizons in a cold-temperate forest. New Phytol, 2020, 227(2): 572-587

[47] YuanW, ZhengY, PiaoS, CiaisP, LombardozziD, WangY, RyuY, ChenG, DongW, ZhongmingH, JainAK, JiangC, KatoE, LiS, LienertS, LiuS, NabelJEMS, QinZ, QuineT, SitchS, SmithWK, WangF, ChaoyangW, XiaoZ, YangS. Increased atmospheric vapor pressure deficit reduces global vegetation growth. Sci Adv, 2019

[48] YueP, ZhangQ, ZhangL, YangY, WeiW, YangZS, LiHY, WangS, SunXY. Biometeorological effects on carbon dioxide and water-use efficiency within a semiarid grassland in the Chinese loess plateau. J Hydrol, 2020, 590: 125520

[49] ZhangK, KimballJS, KimY, McDonaldKC. Changing freeze-thaw seasons in northern high latitudes and associated influences on evapotranspiration. Hydrol Process, 2011, 25(26): 4142-4151

[50] ZhangSX, RasoolG, GuoXP, SenL, CaoKW. Effects of different irrigation methods on environmental factors, rice production, and water use efficiency. Water, 2020, 12(8): 2239

[51] ZhangZQ, WuQB, XunXY, WangBX, WangXN. Climate change and the distribution of frozen soil in 1980–2010 in northern NorthEast China. Quat Int, 2018, 467: 230-241

[52] ZhaoJX, FengHZ, XuTR, XiaoJF, GuerrieriR, LiuSM, WuXC, HeXL, HeXP. Physiological and environmental control on ecosystem water use efficiency in response to drought across the Northern Hemisphere. Sci Total Environ, 2021, 758: 143599

[53] ZhouL, WangY, JiaQY, LiRP, ZhouMZ, ZhouGS. Evapotranspiration over a rainfed maize field in NorthEast China: how are relationships between the environment and terrestrial evapotranspiration mediated by leaf area?. Agric Water Manag, 2019, 221: 538-546

[54] ZhouZQ, ShiHY, FuQ, LiTX, GanTY, LiuSN, LiuK. Is the cold region in NorthEast China still getting warmer under climate change impact?. Atmos Res, 2020, 237: 104864

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Northeast Forestry University