Impacts of climate variability and landscape pattern change on evapotranspiration in a grassland landscape mosaic

Evapotranspiration (ET), a key component of the hydrological cycle, affects the transport of water and energy in the soil-vegetation-atmosphere system. Thus, quantifying the driving forces of ET dynamics is important to ensure rational water resource utilization. Based on meteorological and satellite data, spatiotemporal dynamics of ET were detected using the Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS) model, and effects of climate variability and landscape pattern change on ET dynamics in an arid to semiarid landscape mosaic during the growing season (April-October) from 2001 to 2015 in Xilingol League, China were evaluated. The results indicated that (a) a significant increase (P < .05) in ET was found in the north-eastern Xilingol League, and a significant decrease (P < .05) in ET was confined to the southwest and (b) climate variability had significant effects on ET dynamics. All climatic factors showed a positive correlation relationship with ET dynamics, and mean temperature (Ta) was the most influential climatic factor on ET dynamics followed by relative humidity (Rh), wind speed (Ws), and precipitation (Pr), respectively. The influence of landscape pattern change on ET dynamics was mainly reflected in the increase of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) promoting ET dynamics. Several other landscape pattern metrics also had important impacts on ET dynamics, which were mainly reflected in the positive effect of the aggregation index (AI) on ET dynamics and the negative effects of the largest patch index (LPI), edge density (ED), and percentage of landscape (PLAND) on ET dynamics. To promote effective water resource utilization, landscape managers should continue to moderately implement vegetation restoration projects such as the Grain for Green Project, orient with conversion of low-quality cropland into grassland, and conserve large areas of grassland. Appropriate management measures for forests and cropland scattered in the landscape mosaic, based on local climate and soil properties, as well as socioeconomic goals, are also required.