Journal of Northwest Forestry University, Volume. 40, Issue 4, 223(2025)
Effects of Climate and Forests on Baseflow
Climate and forest cover exert a profound influence on the generation of baseflow in watersheds The protection and restoration of forest cover are important for maintaining the stability of baseflow in watersheds and improving the efficiency of water use The mechanisms of groundwater recharge and baseflow generation are complex and the response mechanisms of basin baseflow to climate change and forests are not yet fully understood In this paper the Mississippi River Basin is taken as the research object the baseflow is calculated based on a long series of daily runoff data the spatial and temporal distribution pattern of baseflow is analyzed and the main driving factors of baseflow are explored The results demonstrated that the area-normalized baseflow values of the 94 sub-basins exhibited considerable spatial variability ranging from 0 007 2 to 4 386 5 m3 s·km2 The distribution of these values exhibited an uneven pattern with an overall increasing trend from the northwest to the southeast The baseflow index exhibited a similar pattern of variability ranging from 0 22 to 0 79 with a considerable discrepancy between sub-basins Climate and vegetation were the primary factors affecting baseflow but their effects on baseflow were somewhat disparate Precipitation and the proportion of forested land have a significant positive effect on baseflow while potential evapotranspiration has a significant negative effect Climate factors have a stronger effect than vegetation factors with precipitation being the main driver of baseflow and the proportion of forested land being a secondary driver This study elucidates the mechanisms of climate and forest effects on baseflow and has implications for the sustainable use of forests and water resources
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WANG Qiaoqiao, MA Mengliang, WANG Yaping, LI Qiang. Effects of Climate and Forests on Baseflow[J]. Journal of Northwest Forestry University, 2025, 40(4): 223
Received: Jun. 14, 2024
Accepted: Sep. 12, 2025
Published Online: Sep. 12, 2025
The Author Email: LI Qiang (qiang.li@nwafu.edu.cn)