Impacts of extreme climate and vegetation phenology on net primary productivity across the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, China from 1982 to 2020

The net primary productivity (NPP) is an important indicator for assessing the carbon sequestration capacities of different ecosystems and plays a crucial role in the global biosphere carbon cycle. However, in the context of the increasing frequency, intensity, and duration of global extreme climate events, the impacts of extreme climate and vegetation phenology on NPP are still unclear, especially on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau (QXP), China. In this study, we used a new data fusion method based on the MOD13A2 normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) NDVI3g datasets to obtain a NDVI dataset (1982–2020) on the QXP. Then, we developed a NPP dataset across the QXP using the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach (CASA) model and validated its applicability based on gauged NPP data. Subsequently, we calculated 18 extreme climate indices based on the CN05.1 dataset, and extracted the length of vegetation growing season using the threshold method and double logistic model based on the annual NDVI time series. Finally, we explored the spatiotemporal patterns of NPP on the QXP and the impact mechanisms of extreme climate and the length of vegetation growing season on NPP. The results indicated that the estimated NPP exhibited good applicability. Specifically, the correlation coefficient, relative bias, mean error, and root mean square error between the estimated NPP and gauged NPP were 0.76, 0.17, 52.89 g C/(m2·a), and 217.52 g C/(m2·a), respectively. The NPP of alpine meadow, alpine steppe, forest, and main ecosystem on the QXP mainly exhibited an increasing trend during 1982–2020, with rates of 0.35, 0.38, 1.40, and 0.48 g C/(m2·a), respectively. Spatially, the NPP gradually decreased from southeast to northwest across the QXP. Extreme climate had greater impact on NPP than the length of vegetation growing season on the QXP. Specifically, the increase in extremely-wet-day precipitation (R99p), simple daily intensity index (SDII), and hottest day (TXx) increased the NPP in different ecosystems across the QXP, while the increases in the cold spell duration index (CSDI) and warm spell duration index (WSDI) decreased the NPP in these ecosystems. The results of this study provide a scientific basis for relevant departments to formulate future policies addressing the impact of extreme climate on vegetation in different ecosystems on the QXP. © Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Science Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025.