Spatial and Temporal Distribution Characteristics of Water Yield in Guangdong Province and Spatial Management Strategies

Abstract

Water yield is one of the crucial functions of ecosystem services, playing a vital role in regulating and improving watershed water cycles, and closely related to other ecosystem services such as soil conservation, crop production, and biodiversity protection. Studying the spatiotemporal variations and influencing mechanisms of water yield in Guangdong Province is of significant importance for the rational development of water resources and the implementation of watershed ecological governance. In this study, the InVEST model was employed to calculate the water yield in Guangdong Province for the years 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2018. The results indicate irregular fluctuations in the total water yield of Guangdong Province, with annual average values ranging between 233.18 mm and 271.77 mm. Spatially, there is a clear gradient of decreasing water yield from north to south and from east to west. This study provides scientific evidence for water resource management and ecological environmental protection in Guangdong Province.