Shrub encroachment and degradation impact water balance by altering water fluxes in alpine meadows

IF 5.7 1区农林科学 Q1 GEOSCIENCES, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Catena Pub Date : 2025-06-12 DOI:10.1016/j.catena.2025.109231

Lirong Zhao , Kexin Li , Nufang Fang , Suyuan Jia , Zeng Cui , Yi-Fan Liu , Shixiong Li , Xiaoli Wang , Yu Liu

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Shrub encroachment and degradation in alpine meadow (AM) are global ecological problem that may profoundly impact water fluxes. However, the water flux dynamics after shrub encroachment and degradation are poorly understood. Here, changes in evaporation, transpiration, water infiltration, and water recharge for severe shrub-encroached meadow (SM) and severe degraded meadow (DM) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau were explored through field experiments and stable water isotope methods. The results showed that the soil water evaporation ratios of the SM and DM were 21.4 % and 19.8 % lower than that of the AM, respectively. The average transpiration rates (TR) of the predominant plants in the SM and DM were 33.6 %-39.0 % and 11.8 %-14.7 % higher than that in the AM, respectively. However, the TR of L. virgaurea in DM was 3.7 g H₂O h⁻¹g⁻¹, which was lower than that of K. pygmaea (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the groundwater recharge and river recharge increased significantly in the SM (2.4 times and 1.4 times) and in the DM (2.4 times and 2.2 times) compared to that in the AM. Our findings highlight the influence of shrub encroachment and degradation on the water balance. The results provide a theoretical basis for water resource conservation and vegetation restoration in the AM ecosystem of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

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灌丛入侵和退化通过改变高寒草甸的水通量来影响水分平衡

高寒草甸灌丛侵蚀与退化是一个深刻影响水通量的全球性生态问题。然而，对灌丛入侵和退化后的水通量动态了解甚少。通过野外试验和稳定水同位素方法，研究了青藏高原严重灌木侵蚀草甸（SM）和严重退化草甸（DM）的蒸发、蒸腾、入渗和水分补给的变化。结果表明，土壤水分蒸发比SM和DM分别低21.4%和19.8%。优势植物的平均蒸腾速率（TR）在SM和DM中分别比AM高33.6% ~ 39.0%和11.8% ~ 14.7%。但在DM中的TR为3.7 g H2O h−1g−1，低于pygmaea (P <；0.05)。地下水补给量和河流补给量在SM（2.4倍和1.4倍）和DM（2.4倍和2.2倍）显著高于AM。我们的研究结果强调了灌木入侵和退化对水分平衡的影响。研究结果为青藏高原AM生态系统的水资源保护和植被恢复提供了理论依据。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Catena 环境科学-地球科学综合

CiteScore

10.50

自引率

9.70%

发文量

816

审稿时长

54 days

期刊介绍： Catena publishes papers describing original field and laboratory investigations and reviews on geoecology and landscape evolution with emphasis on interdisciplinary aspects of soil science, hydrology and geomorphology. It aims to disseminate new knowledge and foster better understanding of the physical environment, of evolutionary sequences that have resulted in past and current landscapes, and of the natural processes that are likely to determine the fate of our terrestrial environment. Papers within any one of the above topics are welcome provided they are of sufficiently wide interest and relevance.