Wu et al. (2026) Response of hydrological processes to event- and annual-scale precipitation extremes in a rocky mountainous area of northern China

Identification

• Journal: CATENA
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-01-12
• Authors: Yuxin Wu, Xiaojuan Yu, Guodong Jia, Zihe Liu, Honghong Rao
• DOI: 10.1016/j.catena.2026.109803

Research Groups

• Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, PR China
• The Metropolitan Area Forest Ecosystem Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, PR China
• College of horticulture and forestry sciences of Tarim University, Alar, 843300, PR China
• School of Science, East China University of Technology, Nanchang 330013, PR China

Short Summary

This study quantified the distinct hydrological responses of forest and grass ecosystems to event- and annual-scale precipitation extremes in a rocky mountainous area of northern China over 13 years, revealing differences in soil water dynamics and retention capacity.

Objective

• To investigate the effects of extreme rainfall events on precipitation (P), runoff (R), evapotranspiration (ET), and soil water content (SWC) in forest and grass ecosystems across event and annual temporal scales within a rocky mountainous area of Beijing.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Rocky mountainous area of Beijing, northern China, focusing on natural grass (NG) and secondary forest (SF) ecosystems.
• Temporal Scale: 13 years of continuous field monitoring, analyzing hydrological responses at both event and annual scales.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: No specific hydrological models were explicitly used; the study relied on direct field measurements.
• Data sources: Field standard runoff plots and vertically-distributed soil moisture monitoring systems.

Main Results

• At the event scale, natural grass (NG) exhibited faster and more pronounced hydrological responses in shallow soil layers compared to secondary forest (SF). Storm events induced significant water transport in deep soils for both NG and SF, with deep water movement regulated by root systems and pre-storm soil water content (SWC). SF demonstrated greater soil water retention capacity.
• At the annual scale, evapotranspiration (ET) was the primary water output, accounting for 75.42% to 107.69% of annual precipitation (P) for NG and 78.68% to 121.55% of annual P for SF. Multi-year runoff (R) was significantly higher in NG than in SF, although mean annual R constituted only 6.74% to 12.97% of annual P.
• Deep SWC was significantly greater in extremely wet years compared to extremely dry years, highlighting the role of extreme precipitation in deep soil water recharge and retention. Both ecosystems exhibited multi-year soil water deficits, though heavy rainfall at the end of the growing season occasionally resulted in annual water surplus.

Contributions

• Provides new insights into the hydrological dynamics of rocky mountain ecosystems under increasing climate variability.
• Quantifies the short- and long-term hydrological responses of forest and grass ecosystems to precipitation extremes in a water-stressed arid/semi-arid region, addressing a gap in literature predominantly focused on subtropical or lowland regions.

Funding

• Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Wu2026Response,
  author = {Wu, Yuxin and Yu, Xiaojuan and Jia, Guodong and Liu, Zihe and Rao, Honghong},
  title = {Response of hydrological processes to event- and annual-scale precipitation extremes in a rocky mountainous area of northern China},
  journal = {CATENA},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.catena.2026.109803},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2026.109803}
}