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Carbon sequestration simulation study based on the Soil and Water Analysis Tool model in the Yiluo River Basin
Mingjie Yang1,2, Peng Zhang1,2, Yuanhong Liu3
1School of Hydraulic Engineering, Wanjiang University of Technology, Ma'anshan, China.
Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management
|March 2, 2026
Summary
Water and carbon cycles in ecosystems are linked. This study used the SWAT model to analyze how hydrological processes influence vegetation dynamics and carbon sequestration, finding increased productivity over time.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Hydrology
- Biogeochemistry
Background:
- Terrestrial ecosystems exhibit close coupling between water and carbon cycles.
- Existing research on water-carbon coupling often emphasizes measurement techniques and ecosystem models, with less focus on hydrological impacts on vegetation dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the intricate linkages between hydrological processes and vegetation dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems.
- To analyze the spatiotemporal distribution of carbon sequestration by integrating hydrological data with the light use efficiency model.
- To enhance the understanding of water-carbon coupling through a case study in the Yiluo River Basin.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Soil and Water Analysis Tool (SWAT) model to simulate the hydrological cycle in the Yiluo River Basin.
- Modified the Hydrological Response Unit (HRU) structure within the SWAT model to simulate actual (E) and potential (E0) evapotranspiration for each HRU.
- Applied the light use efficiency (LUE) model, integrating E and E0 data to determine carbon sequestration (GPP and NPP) characteristics.
Main Results:
- Observed a significant upward trend in annual average gross primary productivity (GPP) and net primary productivity (NPP), with NPP slightly lower than GPP.
- Found higher annual average GPP and NPP in upstream areas compared to downstream, correlating with vegetation types and evapotranspiration patterns.
- Identified summer as the peak season for GPP and NPP accumulation, characterized by high evapotranspiration and carbon sequestration; noted an increasing contribution from spring over time.
Conclusions:
- Hydrological processes significantly influence vegetation dynamics and carbon sequestration in terrestrial ecosystems.
- The modified SWAT model effectively simulates water-carbon linkages, providing insights into GPP and NPP distribution.
- Climate change and vegetation restoration are altering seasonal carbon sequestration patterns, with a growing spring contribution potentially narrowing the summer-spring gap.
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