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ABSTRACT Graph showing NICP research framework and main results in the study (including Study Region, InVEST Model, NICP Distribution, the relationship of temperature, LULC, NDVI and NICP). Focusing on the Natural Intercept Coefficient of Precipitation (NICP) is crucial for fully leveraging nature's capacity to regulate water resources and buffer extreme hydrological disasters. Based on hydro-meteorological reanalysis data from 1980 to 2020, the InVEST model was applied to simulate water retention in the upper Yellow River. The concept of NICP was introduced, and NICP was evaluated alongside changes in temperature, vegetation cover, and land use across five clustered regions in the upper Yellow River. The results indicate that natural retention can store about 10% of precipitation, making it a significant water resource, although it lacks interannual regulation capacity. From 1980 to 2020, NICP showed substantial spatial heterogeneity, with major retention areas concentrated upstream of Lanzhou. NICP was significantly negatively correlated with temperature (TMP) and positively correlated with the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), with increased vegetation identified as the primary factor driving changes in NICP. This may reflect increased soil porosity from root development, enhanced root zone water storage capacity, and improved deep infiltration pathways that replenish groundwater. These results improve understanding of vegetation-hydrology interactions.
Zhang et al. (Wed,) studied this question.