Comparison of the Distribution of Evapotranspiration on Shady and Sunny Slopes in Southwest China

Evapotranspiration (ET) plays a significant role in the surface water cycle, particularly within the unique geographical context of Southwest China. The region’s different topography, driven by mountain uplift and variations in slope direction, alters regional hydrothermal conditions, thereby affect...

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Main Authors: Yixi Kan, Huaiyong Shao, Chang Du, Yimeng Guo, Xianglong Dai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Remote Sensing
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/22/4310
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author Yixi Kan
Huaiyong Shao
Chang Du
Yimeng Guo
Xianglong Dai
author_facet Yixi Kan
Huaiyong Shao
Chang Du
Yimeng Guo
Xianglong Dai
author_sort Yixi Kan
collection DOAJ
description Evapotranspiration (ET) plays a significant role in the surface water cycle, particularly within the unique geographical context of Southwest China. The region’s different topography, driven by mountain uplift and variations in slope direction, alters regional hydrothermal conditions, thereby affecting local ecoclimatic patterns. ET characteristics, shaped by slope orientation, can also serve as important indicators of climate variability in the study area. While most existing ET research on shady and sunny slopes has been conducted at the point scale, this study employed Global Land Surface Satellite (GLASS) ET products to estimate the average ET for shady and sunny slopes across five provinces in Southwest China between 2003 and 2018. The driving factors behind the variation in ET across different regions were also explored. Key results include the following: (1) Annual ET in Southwest China ranges between 200 mm and 800 mm, with Tibet exhibiting the lowest values and Yunnan the highest. (2) ET decreases gradually with increasing altitude in the altitude range of 0 m to 5000 m. The ET is higher on the sunny slopes than on the shady slopes. Notably, when the altitude is higher than 5000 m, ET on shady slopes in Tibet is greater than that on sunny slopes as the altitude increases. (3) ET initially increases with slope inclination before decreasing. Notably, in areas with slopes exceeding 35° in Yunnan, the ET value is found to be significantly higher on shady slopes compared to sunny slopes. (4) The effects of soil moisture, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, relative humidity, and land surface temperature on ET are more substantial on shady slopes than sunny slopes, whereas air temperature has a stronger impact on ET on sunny slopes. These results provide valuable data for research on regional climate change and contribute to strategies for ecological and environmental protection.
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spelling doaj-art-e3a3fb724bdf4c6f8b19842d52d91d262025-08-20T01:53:56ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922024-11-011622431010.3390/rs16224310Comparison of the Distribution of Evapotranspiration on Shady and Sunny Slopes in Southwest ChinaYixi Kan0Huaiyong Shao1Chang Du2Yimeng Guo3Xianglong Dai4College of Geography and Planning, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaCollege of Geography and Planning, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaCollege of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaCollege of Geography and Planning, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaCollege of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaEvapotranspiration (ET) plays a significant role in the surface water cycle, particularly within the unique geographical context of Southwest China. The region’s different topography, driven by mountain uplift and variations in slope direction, alters regional hydrothermal conditions, thereby affecting local ecoclimatic patterns. ET characteristics, shaped by slope orientation, can also serve as important indicators of climate variability in the study area. While most existing ET research on shady and sunny slopes has been conducted at the point scale, this study employed Global Land Surface Satellite (GLASS) ET products to estimate the average ET for shady and sunny slopes across five provinces in Southwest China between 2003 and 2018. The driving factors behind the variation in ET across different regions were also explored. Key results include the following: (1) Annual ET in Southwest China ranges between 200 mm and 800 mm, with Tibet exhibiting the lowest values and Yunnan the highest. (2) ET decreases gradually with increasing altitude in the altitude range of 0 m to 5000 m. The ET is higher on the sunny slopes than on the shady slopes. Notably, when the altitude is higher than 5000 m, ET on shady slopes in Tibet is greater than that on sunny slopes as the altitude increases. (3) ET initially increases with slope inclination before decreasing. Notably, in areas with slopes exceeding 35° in Yunnan, the ET value is found to be significantly higher on shady slopes compared to sunny slopes. (4) The effects of soil moisture, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, relative humidity, and land surface temperature on ET are more substantial on shady slopes than sunny slopes, whereas air temperature has a stronger impact on ET on sunny slopes. These results provide valuable data for research on regional climate change and contribute to strategies for ecological and environmental protection.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/22/4310evapotranspirationSouthwest Chinashady and sunny slopesSEBS
spellingShingle Yixi Kan
Huaiyong Shao
Chang Du
Yimeng Guo
Xianglong Dai
Comparison of the Distribution of Evapotranspiration on Shady and Sunny Slopes in Southwest China
Remote Sensing
evapotranspiration
Southwest China
shady and sunny slopes
SEBS
title Comparison of the Distribution of Evapotranspiration on Shady and Sunny Slopes in Southwest China
title_full Comparison of the Distribution of Evapotranspiration on Shady and Sunny Slopes in Southwest China
title_fullStr Comparison of the Distribution of Evapotranspiration on Shady and Sunny Slopes in Southwest China
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of the Distribution of Evapotranspiration on Shady and Sunny Slopes in Southwest China
title_short Comparison of the Distribution of Evapotranspiration on Shady and Sunny Slopes in Southwest China
title_sort comparison of the distribution of evapotranspiration on shady and sunny slopes in southwest china
topic evapotranspiration
Southwest China
shady and sunny slopes
SEBS
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/22/4310
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