Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2732
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2732
04 Jul 2025
 | 04 Jul 2025

China's Three Major Cereal Crops Exposure to Compound Drought and Extreme Rainfall Events

Hanming Cao, Qiren Yang, Wei Yang, and Lin Zhao

Abstract. Under the backdrop of global climate change, the increasing intensity and frequency of anomaly climate events have led to a rise in compound extreme events. China's large population exacerbates the pressure of agricultural production, and compound drought and extreme rainfall events (CDER) can cause considerable damage to soil structure, thereby disrupting normal agricultural activities. Previous studies have revealed the impacts of the individual event, but the spatiotemporal characteristics of CDER and their effects on agricultural production remain obscure. This study focuses on compound disaster events in China's nine major agricultural regions, where drought and extreme rainfall events occur within 5 days. The results show that compound disasters are mainly concentrated in the northwest, southwest, and northern regions. The impact area of compound disasters is largest in summer, and the frequency and intensity of drought-rainfall events are higher than those of rainfall-drought events. Further analysis at the crop growth stage scale reveals the exposure of the three major cereal crops (rice, wheat, and maize) during their growth stage. The study reveals that maize generally has the highest and most variable disaster risk, rice has the lowest risk with minimal fluctuations, and wheat has moderate risk with large variations. The risk evolution in each agricultural region follows a universal pattern of "first rising and then declining", with the peak occurring around 2010. This study elucidates the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of this novel compound disaster and provides constructive insights for disaster prevention and mitigation through more refined risk assessments.

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 paper. While Copernicus Publications makes every effort to include appropriate place names, the final responsibility lies with the authors. Views expressed in the text are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.
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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

18 Dec 2025
China's three major cereal crops exposed to compound drought and extreme rainfall events
Hanming Cao, Qiren Yang, Wei Yang, and Lin Zhao
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 5017–5031, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-5017-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-5017-2025, 2025
Short summary
Hanming Cao, Qiren Yang, Wei Yang, and Lin Zhao

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2732', Anonymous Referee #1, 18 Jul 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Hanming Cao, 22 Jul 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2732', Anonymous Referee #2, 22 Jul 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Hanming Cao, 22 Jul 2025
  • RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2732', Anonymous Referee #3, 28 Jul 2025
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC3', Hanming Cao, 29 Jul 2025

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2732', Anonymous Referee #1, 18 Jul 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Hanming Cao, 22 Jul 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2732', Anonymous Referee #2, 22 Jul 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Hanming Cao, 22 Jul 2025
  • RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2732', Anonymous Referee #3, 28 Jul 2025
    • AC3: 'Reply on RC3', Hanming Cao, 29 Jul 2025

Peer review completion

AR – Author's response | RR – Referee report | ED – Editor decision | EF – Editorial file upload
ED: Reconsider after major revisions (further review by editor and referees) (27 Oct 2025) by Marleen de Ruiter
AR by Hanming Cao on behalf of the Authors (03 Nov 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Reconsider after major revisions (further review by editor and referees) (04 Nov 2025) by Marleen de Ruiter
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (04 Nov 2025) by Marleen de Ruiter
RR by Anonymous Referee #2 (08 Nov 2025)
RR by huicong jia (10 Nov 2025)
ED: Publish subject to technical corrections (10 Nov 2025) by Marleen de Ruiter
ED: Publish subject to technical corrections (21 Nov 2025) by Bruce D. Malamud (Executive editor)
AR by Hanming Cao on behalf of the Authors (22 Nov 2025)  Author's response   Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

18 Dec 2025
China's three major cereal crops exposed to compound drought and extreme rainfall events
Hanming Cao, Qiren Yang, Wei Yang, and Lin Zhao
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 5017–5031, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-5017-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-25-5017-2025, 2025
Short summary
Hanming Cao, Qiren Yang, Wei Yang, and Lin Zhao
Hanming Cao, Qiren Yang, Wei Yang, and Lin Zhao

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The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

Short summary
Climate change is increasing compound disasters in China, where drought and extreme rainfall strike within five days. These events peak in summer, especially in the northwest, southwest, and north. From 2000–2019, corn had the highest exposure risk, rice the lowest. Using soil moisture and rainfall data, the study links event frequency with crop areas, showing major threats to food security and guiding better disaster planning.
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