Net Primary Productivity Loss under different drought levels in different grassland ecosystems.

Drought is one of the most prominent natural threats to grassland productivity, although the magnitude of this threat is uncertain due to the different drought-levels. However, drought-productivity dynamics has not yet received much attention. It is necessary to establish the method to evaluate quantitatively the effect of different drought-levels on grassland productivity. To better understand the impact of different drought-levels on productivity dynamics, an assessment method to assess the quantitative effects of different drought-levels on grassland productivity was proposed based-on long-term observation data, standardized precipitation index (SPI) and Biome-BGC process model. Based-on assessment indicator of net primary productivity (NPP), NPP loss caused by moderate, severe and extreme drought was dramatically different in grasslands with a significant exponential change with gradient of different drought-levels. Furthermore, NPP loss variation in different grassland types under the same drought level was significantly different. Besides, the effect of drought on NPP gradually decreased by an exponential relationship in desert, typical and meadow steppe. However, the percentage of NPP loss in desert, typical and meadow steppe reduced by 20.5%, 13.1% and 17.5% with U-shaped, respectively. Meanwhile, our results can offer scientific basis to improve assessment impact of extreme climate events used by ecosystem model and data, and cope with carbon cycling management and climate change. • A new method of Net Primary Productivity Loss under Different Drought Levels was proposed in Different Grassland Ecosystems. • NPP loss significantly increased along a gradient of the increasing drought-levels with good exponential relationship. • NPP loss variation in different grassland types under the same drought level was noticeable. • Differential effects of drought on NPP in same grassland types were also found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]