The non-uniform time-lag and cumulative responses of terrestrial ecosystem water use efficiency to climate change in Lake Victoria Basin, East Africa

Abstract

Revealing the response mechanisms of carbon–water cycle to maximum and minimum temperatures and daytime and nighttime warming is important for managing fragile ecosystems exposed to severe climate warming and extreme weathers. Taking water use efficiency (WUE) characterizing the coupled carbon–water cycle as the research object, and maximum and minimum temperatures as the indicators of temperature change, this study explored the response of ecosystem WUE to temperature change in Lake Victoria Basin during distinct rainy and dry seasons. The results revealed the time-lag and cumulative multiple effects of antecedent maximum and minimum temperatures on current ecosystem WUE, which marked differences between the rainy and dry seasons. The monthly average ecosystem WUE in the rainy seasons (0.99 g C kg−1 H2O) were higher than those in the dry seasons (0.83 g C kg−1 H2O) during 2001–2018. WUE were more sensitive to temperature change in the dry seasons, with significant negative correlation with minimum temperature and positive correlation with cumulative maximum temperature. In rainy seasons, WUE showed more significant time-lag and cumulative effects, with response to maximum temperature for lagging approximate 3 months, to minimum temperature for lagging 0–2 months, to cumulative maximum temperature for lagging 1 month, and to cumulative minimum temperature lagging 3–4 months, respectively. The results add new evidence for differential non-instantaneous responses of WUE to maximum and minimum temperatures under dry and wet conditions.