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Improving water-carbon coupling under seasonal hydroclimatic variability: Exploring water use efficiency and its seasonal aridity resilience in the Tana River Basin, Kenya

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Tana River Basin in Kenya. Water use efficiency (WUE) is a pivotal variable to understand the balance of ecosystem carbon gain and water loss. However, the periodic seasonal aridity chronically affects the ecosystem water and carbon cycling processes. Therefore, for improving the water-carbon coupling in regions with seasonal hydroclimatic variability, it is pivotal to conducting a comprehensive understanding of both WUE and its seasonal aridity resilience (SAR). Based on the quantifying evaluation of WUE and its SAR, this study analyzed their spatiotemporal variation and influencing factors with Theil-Sen ' s slope, Mann-Kendall test, and interpretable machine learning models. (1) Around 73.46 % areas of the basin presented a decreasing trend of SAR, indicating the negative impact of seasonal aridity on water-carbon coupling is intensifying; (2) The sub-humid/humid zone and farmland presented the highest WUE (2.00 and 2.09 g C kg −1 H 2 O) but the lowest SAR (0.92 and 1.01) among climate zones and biomes, respectively; (3) At the basin scale, WUE was mainly influenced by vegetation composition, leaf area index, and temperature, while solar radiation, aridity index and leaf area index were the dominant factors for SAR. Moreover, the dominant factors in different climate zone and biome were varying. These insights provide scientific supports for the management of ecosystem water-carbon coupling in regions with seasonal hydroclimatic variability. • Negative impact of seasonal aridity on water-carbon coupling is intensifying. • Sub-humid/humid zone and farmland had the highest WUE but the lowest SAR. • Identified the key factors influencing WUE and SAR among basin and ecosystem types. • Targeted management strategies considering both the WUE and SAR were provided.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrh.2025.103001
Authors: Jiacheng Huang, Sisi Yu, Samwel Maina Njuguna, Janet Onyango, Kelvin Babu Githaiga, Feng Ling, Xue Yan
Institutions: Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan Botanical Garden, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Forestry, State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, CAS
Language: English
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,600
OpenAlex ID: W4417049954
FWCI: 1.309
Cites: 43
Cited by: 3
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