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Differential impact of flash droughts on water use efficiency in terrestrial ecosystems in Central Asia

Author

Listed:
  • Yanchao Zhu

    (China University of Geosciences)

  • Peng Yang

    (China University of Geosciences
    Chinese Academy of Sciences
    National University of Singapore)

  • Jun Xia

    (Wuhan University)

  • Heqing Huang

    (China University of Geosciences)

  • Yaning Chen

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Lanhai Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Kaiya Sun

    (China University of Geosciences)

  • Jingxia Song

    (China University of Geosciences)

  • Xiaorui Shi

    (China University of Geosciences)

  • Xixi Lu

    (National University of Singapore)

Abstract

In the context of climate warming, the rising risk of flash droughts in Central Asia (CA) remains inadequately understood in terms of their specific impacts on diverse regional ecosystems. Hence, this study employs the Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI) and the rate of soil moisture (SM) intensification to identify varying evaporative demand flash droughts (EDFD) and SM flash droughts (SMFD) in CA. It analyzed spatiotemporal patterns and trends of eco-hydrological factors (e.g., SM, potential evapotranspiration (PET), actual evapotranspiration (AET), gross primary productivity (GPP), and water use efficiency (WUE)), explored the characteristics of flash droughts, and examined the differential responses of WUE to flash droughts across different terrestrial ecosystems in CA. The findings indicated that: (1) SM was notably higher in the western and southeastern CA, with a significant upward trend in the northwestern and central-eastern CA. GPP and WUE significantly increased in central-eastern and southwestern CA (p

Suggested Citation

  • Yanchao Zhu & Peng Yang & Jun Xia & Heqing Huang & Yaning Chen & Lanhai Li & Kaiya Sun & Jingxia Song & Xiaorui Shi & Xixi Lu, 2025. "Differential impact of flash droughts on water use efficiency in terrestrial ecosystems in Central Asia," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(3), pages 1-20, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:178:y:2025:i:3:d:10.1007_s10584-025-03894-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-025-03894-8
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    3. Chonggang Xu & Nate G. McDowell & Rosie A. Fisher & Liang Wei & Sanna Sevanto & Bradley O. Christoffersen & Ensheng Weng & Richard S. Middleton, 2019. "Increasing impacts of extreme droughts on vegetation productivity under climate change," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(12), pages 948-953, December.
    4. Jordan I. Christian & Jeffrey B. Basara & Eric D. Hunt & Jason A. Otkin & Jason C. Furtado & Vimal Mishra & Xiangming Xiao & Robb M. Randall, 2021. "Global distribution, trends, and drivers of flash drought occurrence," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
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