Zhang et al. (2026) Revegetation Rebalances Water Resources by Enhancing Rainwater to Increase Vegetation Carrying Capacity in China's Loess Plateau

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Water Resources Research
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-01-01
• Authors: Jihui Zhang, Baoqing Zhang, Xuejin Wang, Furong Yang, Xining Zhao, Yi Pik Cheng
• DOI: 10.1029/2025wr040307

Research Groups

Not specified in the abstract.

Short Summary

This study quantifies the impact of revegetation on rainwater resources use potential (RWUP) and water balance in the Loess Plateau from 1999 to 2018, revealing that revegetation increases RWUP (primarily effective soil moisture) and precipitation, which largely compensates for increased evapotranspiration and enhances vegetation carrying capacity.

Objective

• To quantify the variations in the mismatch between water supply (precipitation, P) and demand (climatically appropriate for existing conditions P, P_c) in the Loess Plateau from 1999 to 2018.
• To examine the spatiotemporal patterns of rainwater resources use potential (RWUP) using a coupled land-atmosphere model with scenario experiments, and to reveal the mechanisms through which revegetation influences water resources balance.
• To quantify the maximum vegetation carrying capacity (MVC) under optimal RWUP regulation.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Loess Plateau
• Temporal Scale: 1999 to 2018

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Coupled land-atmosphere model
• Data sources: Precipitation (P) and climatically appropriate for existing conditions P (P_c) data, scenario experiments.

Main Results

• Revegetation increased both precipitation (P) and climatically appropriate for existing conditions P (P_c), but exacerbated the seasonal mismatch between them.
• Effective soil moisture contributed 90% of the increase in rainwater resources use potential (RWUP), while surface runoff contributed 10%.
• The water resources balance was only marginally impacted by revegetation, as the increased RWUP compensated for 86% of the increased evapotranspiration.
• Water-energy exchange induced by revegetation generated feedback effects on the local atmosphere, leading to increases in both P and RWUP.
• Regulating RWUP can enhance the maximum vegetation carrying capacity (MVC) by 15%, supporting sustainable revegetation.

Contributions

• Improves the understanding of the ecohydrological effects of revegetation from a water resources perspective.
• Highlights the critical role of rainwater resources use potential (RWUP) in sustaining revegetation.
• Quantifies the maximum vegetation carrying capacity (MVC) under optimal RWUP regulation, offering insights for sustainable land management.

Funding

Not specified in the abstract.

Citation

@article{Zhang2026Revegetation,
  author = {Zhang, Jihui and Zhang, Baoqing and Wang, Xuejin and Yang, Furong and Zhao, Xining and Cheng, Yi Pik},
  title = {Revegetation Rebalances Water Resources by Enhancing Rainwater to Increase Vegetation Carrying Capacity in China's Loess Plateau},
  journal = {Water Resources Research},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1029/2025wr040307},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2025wr040307}
}