Spatiotemporal Variability in Water-Use Efficiency in Tianshan Mountains (Xinjiang, China) and the Influencing Factors

Water-use efficiency (WUE) in the Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang, China, has shown a decreasing trend from 2000 to 2020, primarily due to an increase in evapotranspiration (ET). Despite fluctuations, annual net primary productivity (NPP) and ET both increased over this period. The study found significant spatial heterogeneity in WUE, with temperature and wind speed positively influencing WUE in the middle and eastern regions, while precipitation enhanced WUE, particularly on the northern slope. Drought, as indicated by the temperature vegetation drought index (TVDI), also significantly impacted ecosystem WUE, with strong correlations observed between WUE and TVDI. These findings provide critical insights for water resource management and sustainable utilization in the region.

Chen, J., & Cao, L. (2022). Spatiotemporal Variability in Water-Use Efficiency in Tianshan Mountains (Xinjiang, China) and the Influencing Factors. Sustainability, 14(13), 8191. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14138191