Assessing recovery time of ecosystems in China: insights into flash drought impacts on gross primary productivity

<p>Recovery time, referring to the duration that an ecosystem needs to return to its pre-drought condition, is a fundamental indicator of ecological resilience. Recently, flash droughts – characterised by rapid onset and development – have gained increasing attention. Nevertheless, the spatiot...

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Main Authors: M. Lu, H. Sun, Y. Yang, J. Xue, H. Ling, H. Zhang, W. Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2025-02-01
Series:Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
Online Access:https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/29/613/2025/hess-29-613-2025.pdf
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author M. Lu
M. Lu
H. Sun
H. Sun
H. Sun
Y. Yang
J. Xue
H. Ling
H. Zhang
W. Zhang
author_facet M. Lu
M. Lu
H. Sun
H. Sun
H. Sun
Y. Yang
J. Xue
H. Ling
H. Zhang
W. Zhang
author_sort M. Lu
collection DOAJ
description <p>Recovery time, referring to the duration that an ecosystem needs to return to its pre-drought condition, is a fundamental indicator of ecological resilience. Recently, flash droughts – characterised by rapid onset and development – have gained increasing attention. Nevertheless, the spatiotemporal patterns in gross primary productivity (GPP) recovery time and the factors influencing it remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigate the recovery time patterns in a terrestrial ecosystem in China based on GPP using a random forest regression model and the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method. A random forest regression model was developed to analyse the factors influencing recovery time and establish response functions through partial correlation for typical flash drought recovery periods. The dominant driving factors of recovery time were determined using the SHAP method. The results reveal that the average recovery time across China is approximately 37.5 d, with central and southern regions experiencing the longest durations. Post-flash-drought radiation emerges as the primary environmental factor, followed by the aridity index and post-flash-drought temperature, particularly in semi-arid and sub-humid areas. Temperature exhibits a non-monotonic relationship with recovery time, where both excessively cold and hot conditions lead to longer recovery periods. Herbaceous vegetation recovers more rapidly than woody forests, with deciduous broadleaf forests demonstrating the shortest recovery time. This study provides valuable insights for comprehensive water resource and ecosystem management and contributes to large-scale drought monitoring efforts.</p>
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spelling doaj-art-affe981b5b4f4e25a47a6052f542acd72025-02-04T10:24:22ZengCopernicus PublicationsHydrology and Earth System Sciences1027-56061607-79382025-02-012961362510.5194/hess-29-613-2025Assessing recovery time of ecosystems in China: insights into flash drought impacts on gross primary productivityM. Lu0M. Lu1H. Sun2H. Sun3H. Sun4Y. Yang5J. Xue6H. Ling7H. Zhang8W. Zhang9School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, ChinaDepartment of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, 22362 Lund, SwedenSchool of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, ChinaCollege of Water Conservancy and Architectural Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, ChinaHubei Key Laboratory of Digital River Basin Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, ChinaSchool of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ürümqi 830011, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ürümqi 830011, ChinaSchool of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, AustraliaDepartment of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, Sölvegatan 12, 22362 Lund, Sweden<p>Recovery time, referring to the duration that an ecosystem needs to return to its pre-drought condition, is a fundamental indicator of ecological resilience. Recently, flash droughts – characterised by rapid onset and development – have gained increasing attention. Nevertheless, the spatiotemporal patterns in gross primary productivity (GPP) recovery time and the factors influencing it remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigate the recovery time patterns in a terrestrial ecosystem in China based on GPP using a random forest regression model and the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method. A random forest regression model was developed to analyse the factors influencing recovery time and establish response functions through partial correlation for typical flash drought recovery periods. The dominant driving factors of recovery time were determined using the SHAP method. The results reveal that the average recovery time across China is approximately 37.5 d, with central and southern regions experiencing the longest durations. Post-flash-drought radiation emerges as the primary environmental factor, followed by the aridity index and post-flash-drought temperature, particularly in semi-arid and sub-humid areas. Temperature exhibits a non-monotonic relationship with recovery time, where both excessively cold and hot conditions lead to longer recovery periods. Herbaceous vegetation recovers more rapidly than woody forests, with deciduous broadleaf forests demonstrating the shortest recovery time. This study provides valuable insights for comprehensive water resource and ecosystem management and contributes to large-scale drought monitoring efforts.</p>https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/29/613/2025/hess-29-613-2025.pdf
spellingShingle M. Lu
M. Lu
H. Sun
H. Sun
H. Sun
Y. Yang
J. Xue
H. Ling
H. Zhang
W. Zhang
Assessing recovery time of ecosystems in China: insights into flash drought impacts on gross primary productivity
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
title Assessing recovery time of ecosystems in China: insights into flash drought impacts on gross primary productivity
title_full Assessing recovery time of ecosystems in China: insights into flash drought impacts on gross primary productivity
title_fullStr Assessing recovery time of ecosystems in China: insights into flash drought impacts on gross primary productivity
title_full_unstemmed Assessing recovery time of ecosystems in China: insights into flash drought impacts on gross primary productivity
title_short Assessing recovery time of ecosystems in China: insights into flash drought impacts on gross primary productivity
title_sort assessing recovery time of ecosystems in china insights into flash drought impacts on gross primary productivity
url https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/29/613/2025/hess-29-613-2025.pdf
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