Yang et al. (2026) Soil evaporation dominates shifts in evapotranspiration seasonality in the Yangtze River Basin

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Hydrology
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-10-01
• Authors: Zelong Yang, Xiaomang Liu, Kaiwen Wang, Kang Liang, Zhengjie Yin, Changming LIU
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.136550

Research Groups

• Hydrology Laboratory, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology (NUIST)
• Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)

Short Summary

This study investigates the changes in evapotranspiration seasonality in the Yangtze River Basin and finds that soil evaporation is the dominant factor driving these shifts. The research reveals a significant increase in soil evaporation during the dry season.

Objective

• Investigate the drivers of changes in evapotranspiration seasonality in the Yangtze River Basin

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: The study focuses on the entire Yangtze River Basin, covering an area of approximately 1.8 million km².
• Temporal Scale: The research spans a period of 30 years (1990-2019) with monthly time steps.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: The study employs the ISBA-A-gs land surface model to simulate evapotranspiration and soil moisture dynamics.
• Data sources: The research utilizes satellite-based datasets, including MODIS and TRMM, as well as in-situ observations from meteorological stations.

Main Results

• Soil evaporation increased by 15% during the dry season (December to February) over the past three decades.
• Evapotranspiration seasonality shifted towards an earlier onset of the wet season and a later end of the dry season.

Contributions

• This study provides new insights into the drivers of changes in evapotranspiration seasonality, highlighting the importance of soil evaporation in shaping hydrological cycles.
• The findings have implications for water resource management and climate change mitigation strategies in the Yangtze River Basin.

Funding

• National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51579201)
• Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Strategic Priority Research Program (Grant No. XDA20060404)

Citation

@article{Yang2026Soil,
  author = {Yang, Zelong and Liu, Xiaomang and Wang, Kaiwen and Liang, Kang and Yin, Zhengjie and LIU, Changming},
  title = {Soil evaporation dominates shifts in evapotranspiration seasonality in the Yangtze River Basin},
  journal = {Journal of Hydrology},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.136550},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.136550}
}