Li et al. (2026) Modulating meteorological effects and optimization strategies of irrigation during compound drought-heatwave event in various oasis ecosystems of Northwest China

Identification

• Journal: Agricultural Water Management
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-07-01
• Authors: Weiwei Li, Qunou Jiang, Yufei Ren, Junran Li, Jinglong Fan, Liu X, Xinna He, Hafiz Muhammad Usama
• DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110589

Research Groups

• School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University
• Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Desertification Prevention, Beijing Forestry University
• Department of Geography, The University of Hong Kong
• Taklimakan Desert Ecosystem Field Observation and Research Station of Xinjiang, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Short Summary

This study evaluates the climatic effects of different irrigated oases in Northwest China during compound drought-heatwave events. Results show that oasis irrigation significantly mitigates drought and heatwave, leading to a reduction in 2 m air temperature by 0.21 ◦C and an increase in 2 m relative humidity by 0.75%.

Objective

• Investigate the response of various oases to irrigation during compound drought-heatwave events
• Quantify and attribute the impacts of dynamic irrigation on climate across different oasis types

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Northwest China (NWC), with a focus on four types of oases: alluvial plain oases, mountain fan oases, river valley oases, and intermontane corridor oases.
• Temporal Scale: Summer months (June to August) during 2000–2024

Methodology and Data

• Models used: WRF-Noah-MP regional climate simulation tools
• Data sources:
  • ECMWF Reanalysis v5 (ERA5) reanalysis meteorological datasets
  • Land use/land cover (LULC) data from the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme classification scheme in the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) dataset
  • Irrigation fraction and statistical data on irrigation methods from government publications

Main Results

• Oasis irrigation significantly mitigates drought and heatwave, leading to a reduction in 2 m air temperature by 0.21 ◦C and an increase in 2 m relative humidity by 0.75%.
• The ranking of oasis effects due to irrigation is: alluvial plain oases > mountain fan oases > river valley oases > intermontane corridor oases.
• Irrigation triggers a diurnally asymmetric circulation pattern characterized by a daytime "cold suction" mechanism and a nocturnal "cold discharge" process.

Contributions

• This study provides insights for optimizing irrigation practices of various oases to maintain climate benefits effectively and ensure agricultural production synergistically under extreme climate conditions.
• The results highlight the importance of considering the specific characteristics of different oasis types when developing irrigation strategies.

Funding

• This research was funded by [project name, program name, reference code].

Citation

@article{Li2026Modulating,
  author = {Li, Weiwei and Jiang, Qunou and Ren, Yufei and Li, Junran and Fan, Jinglong and X, Liu and He, Xinna and Usama, Hafiz Muhammad},
  title = {Modulating meteorological effects and optimization strategies of irrigation during compound drought-heatwave event in various oasis ecosystems of Northwest China},
  journal = {Agricultural Water Management},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110589},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110589}
}