Articles | Volume 30, issue 19
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-6249-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-30-6249-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
09 Oct 2026
Research article |
| 09 Oct 2026
| 09 Oct 2026
The influence of vapor pressure deficit changes on global terrestrial evapotranspiration
Yuxin Miao
College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Comprehensive Observatory of Ecological Environment in Shiyang River Basin, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Remote Sensing Application Center of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Branch, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Comprehensive Observatory of Ecological Environment in Shiyang River Basin, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Gansu Key Laboratory of Oasis Resource Environment and Sustainable Development, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Remote Sensing Application Center of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Branch, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Yuhao Wang
College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Comprehensive Observatory of Ecological Environment in Shiyang River Basin, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Gansu Key Laboratory of Oasis Resource Environment and Sustainable Development, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Remote Sensing Application Center of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Branch, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Enwei Huang
College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Comprehensive Observatory of Ecological Environment in Shiyang River Basin, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Gansu Key Laboratory of Oasis Resource Environment and Sustainable Development, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Remote Sensing Application Center of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Branch, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Qingyang Wang
College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Comprehensive Observatory of Ecological Environment in Shiyang River Basin, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Remote Sensing Application Center of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Branch, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Yani Gun
College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Comprehensive Observatory of Ecological Environment in Shiyang River Basin, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Remote Sensing Application Center of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Branch, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Zhijie Zheng
College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Comprehensive Observatory of Ecological Environment in Shiyang River Basin, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Remote Sensing Application Center of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Branch, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Jiangwei Yang
College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Comprehensive Observatory of Ecological Environment in Shiyang River Basin, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Gansu Key Laboratory of Oasis Resource Environment and Sustainable Development, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Wenmin Li
College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Comprehensive Observatory of Ecological Environment in Shiyang River Basin, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Gansu Key Laboratory of Oasis Resource Environment and Sustainable Development, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Ziwen Liu
College of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
Comprehensive Observatory of Ecological Environment in Shiyang River Basin, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
Gansu Key Laboratory of Oasis Resource Environment and Sustainable Development, Lanzhou, 730070, Gansu, China
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Short summary
As the climate warms, drier air can change how water moves from land to the atmosphere. We used global satellite and climate data from 1981 to 2020 to study this change. We found that drier air was linked to greater water loss over about 61% of land, especially in warm and humid regions. Plant water loss was more strongly linked to air dryness than water loss from bare soil, while dry regions showed limits or declines. These results can improve forecasts of future water-cycle change.
As the climate warms, drier air can change how water moves from land to the atmosphere. We used...
