Increasing Streamflow in Poor Vegetated Mountain Basins Induced by Greening of Underlying Surface

Arid ecosystems have exhibited greening trends in recent decades. There is no consensus on how underlying surface changes influence streamflow across vegetation gradients. We investigated this issue for the four typical arid mountain basins using a 30-year runoff database and Budyko framework to quantify contributions of climate variations during summer periods. Results showed that poor vegetated basins, i.e., Heizi Basin Kuche Basin, change has increased by 14.01 35.67 mm, respectively; contributed only ?7.32 1.86 mm changes, respectively. Comparatively, well-vegetated Huangshui Kaidu dominated increasing 21.50 24.65 3.72 1.56 Additionally, decomposition results were extended monthly scale (from June September) reveal effects streamflow. This study deepens our knowledge responses, which can provide important references support water resources management other regions receive from mountains.