Dynamics of Vegetation Net Primary Productivity and Its Response to Drought in the Mongolian Plateau

Vegetation net primary productivity (NPP) is an important aspect of the global carbon cycle, and its change is closely related to climate change. This study analyzed the spatial-temporal variation of the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) and NPP in the Mongolian Plateau, and investigated the effect of drought on NPP. To this end, NPP was simulated using the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model. The results showed that from 1982 to 2014, NPP exhibited an upward trend in different seasons, and a significant increasing trend in most areas in the growing season and spring. The degree of drought also showed an increasing trend in each season. Moreover, the decrease in NPP and SPEI in Mongolia was larger than that in Inner Mongolia. Vegetation showed a positive correlation with SPEI in the growing season and summer, but a negative correlation in the other seasons. Moreover, the impact of drought on vegetation in the growing season showed a lag effect, whereas the lag response was inconspicuous during the early stages of the growing season. Different vegetation NPP responded strongly to the SPEI of the current month and the previous month.

Automated summary

This study found an increasing trend in NPP on the Mongolian Plateau from 1982 to 2014, while drought intensity was also on the rise. The decrease in NPP and SPEI in Mongolia was larger than that in Inner Mongolia, and vegetation showed different responses to SPEI in different seasons.