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https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2410
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2410
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
13 Jun 2025
| 13 Jun 2025
Status: this preprint is open for discussion and under review for Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (HESS).
Enhanced Vegetation Evapotranspiration Increases Precipitation in Oasis Regions
Abstract. While the impact of vegetation on global climate has been confirmed, the feedback mechanisms between vegetation and precipitation at local scales remain unknown. This study selects oasis as relatively independent geographical units and analyzes stable isotopes in precipitation, soil water, and xylem water across four different vegetation cover areas. Results show that in oasis areas, tree-covered regions have the highest recycled vapor ratio (fre), averaging 53 %, and the lowest raindrop re-evaporation rate (fre-ev) at 38 %. Cropland, grassland, and shrub-covered areas have lower fre (39 %) and higher average fre-ev (between 60–70 %). In comparison, desert areas show more extreme differences between these two vapor ratios, further indicating that vegetation transpiration can increase precipitation by inhibiting sub-cloud re-evaporation loss of raindrops. This provides new insights into the impact of local vegetation on precipitation changes. In future assessments of water resources in arid environments, the effects of vegetation transpiration, recycled vapor, and secondary evaporation of precipitation on local water resources cannot be ignored.
How to cite. Jiao, Y., Zhu, G., Miao, Y., Gun, Y., Yang, J., and Wang, Q.: Enhanced Vegetation Evapotranspiration Increases Precipitation in Oasis Regions, EGUsphere [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2410, 2025.
Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
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Status: open (until 10 Aug 2025)
Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor
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CC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2410', Nima Zafarmomen, 06 Jul 2025
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Overall the paper makes a valuable contribution to the field.
- Limited Clarity in Experimental Design Description: The experimental analysis section (3.2) describes the process of sample collection and isotope analysis but lacks detail on critical aspects, such as the number of replicates, sampling frequency, or specific environmental conditions at the collection sites. This omission makes it difficult to assess the robustness of the methodology. The authors should provide a more comprehensive description of the experimental setup, including site characteristics, sampling protocols, and potential sources of variability, to strengthen the reproducibility of the study.
- Incomplete Data Presentation in Table 1: The document repeatedly references Table 1 for stable isotope variations in precipitation, soil water, and xylem water (Page 7), but the actual table is not included in the provided excerpt. This absence hinders the ability to evaluate the reported isotope values (e.g., average δH of -35.19‰ for forest precipitation). The authors should ensure all referenced tables and figures are included and clearly labeled, with sufficient explanation of the data to support their interpretations.
- Ambiguity in Model Application and Assumptions: The use of the Craig and Gordon model and the Keeling plot equation (Section 3.3.1) is appropriate for isotope-based evapotranspiration partitioning, but the manuscript does not adequately justify key assumptions, such as the equivalence of oxygen isotope composition in vegetation transpiration and xylem water (δI = δET). This assumption may oversimplify complex physiological processes. The authors should provide supporting references or empirical evidence for such assumptions and discuss potential limitations to enhance the rigor of the analysis.
- To strengthen the literature review and demonstrate relevance to hydrologic modeling: Please consider citing studies such as: "Assimilation of Sentinel-Based Leaf Area Index for Modeling Surface–Groundwater Interactions in Irrigation Districts" which shows the role of vegetation dynamics in altering atmospheric and subsurface water interactions.
- Lack of Quantitative Data for Key Claims in Discussion: The discussion section (Page 14) makes bold claims about the contribution of crop transpiration (62%) and recycled water vapor from trees (53%) to atmospheric water content, but these figures lack context regarding statistical significance, error margins, or comparisons with other studies. Without this, the claims appear speculative. The authors should include quantitative measures of uncertainty (e.g., standard errors) and compare their findings with existing literature to substantiate their conclusions and improve the scientific impact of the study.
Citation: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2410-CC1
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Yinying Jiao
College of Geography and Environment Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Shiyang River Ecological Environment Observation Station, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Key Laboratory of Resource Environment and Sustainable Development of Oasis, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
College of Geography and Environment Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Shiyang River Ecological Environment Observation Station, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Key Laboratory of Resource Environment and Sustainable Development of Oasis, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Yuxin Miao
College of Geography and Environment Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Shiyang River Ecological Environment Observation Station, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Key Laboratory of Resource Environment and Sustainable Development of Oasis, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Yani Gun
College of Geography and Environment Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Shiyang River Ecological Environment Observation Station, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Key Laboratory of Resource Environment and Sustainable Development of Oasis, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Jiangwei Yang
College of Geography and Environment Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Shiyang River Ecological Environment Observation Station, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Key Laboratory of Resource Environment and Sustainable Development of Oasis, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Qinqin Wang
College of Geography and Environment Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Shiyang River Ecological Environment Observation Station, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Key Laboratory of Resource Environment and Sustainable Development of Oasis, Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Short summary
This finding constitutes a major breakthrough in our understanding of land–atmosphere interactions in complex environments, advancing climate dynamics theory while also carrying profound implications for climate science—particularly in understanding and predicting vegetation-mediated extreme weather events—and providing essential insights for improving climate models and devising sustainable management strategies for arid regions.
This finding constitutes a major breakthrough in our understanding of land–atmosphere...