Assessing the Net Primary Productivity Dynamics of the Desert Steppe in Northern China during the Past 20 Years and Its Response to Climate Change

Bo Yang, Xiaoshuang Li, Yaqi Xian, Yalin Chai, Min Li, Kaidie Yang and Xiaorui Qiu
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Bo Yang: College of Tourism, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Xiaoshuang Li: College of Tourism, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Yaqi Xian: College of Tourism, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Yalin Chai: College of Tourism, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Min Li: College of Tourism, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Kaidie Yang: College of Tourism, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China
Xiaorui Qiu: College of Tourism, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: The net primary productivity ( NPP ) dynamics in arid and semi-arid ecosystems are critical for regional carbon management. Our study applied a light-utilization-efficiency model (CASA: Carnegie–Ames–Stanford Approach) to evaluate the vegetation NPP dynamics of a desert steppe in northern China over the past 20 years, and its response to climate change. Our results show that the annual average NPP of the desert steppe was 132 g C m −2 y −1 , of which the grass- and shrub-dominated biome values were 142 and 91 g C m −2 y −1 , respectively. The average change rate of NPP was 1.13 g C m −2 y −1 , and in the grassland biome 1.31 g C m −2 y −1 , a value which was significantly higher than that in shrubland, at 0.84 g C m −2 y −1 . The precipitation and temperature at different time scales in the desert steppe showed a slow upward trend, and the degree of aridity tended to weaken. The correlation analysis shows that NPP changes were significantly positively and negatively correlated with precipitation and temperature, respectively. In terms of temperature, 43% of the area was significantly correlated during the growing season, which decreased to 12% on the annual scale. In 31% of the changed areas, the average NPP was 148.1 g C m −2 y −1 , which was higher than the remaining significant areas. This suggests that higher NPP levels help to attenuate the negative effects of high temperature during the growing season on plant productivity in the desert steppe. This improves the understanding of the carbon cycle mechanism of arid and semi-arid ecosystems, which is beneficial to improving sustainable grassland development strategies.

Keywords: NPP simulation; CASA model; semi-arid ecosystems; desert steppe; climate change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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