Growth responses of crops and natural vegetation to irrigation and water table changes in an agro-ecosystem of Hetao, upper Yellow River basin: Scenario analysis on maize, sunflower, watermelon and tamarisk

Due to water scarcity, water saving practices (WSPs) are being implemented in the irrigation districts of the upper Yellow River basin, causing a series of consequences, e.g. the reduction of field irrigation amount and groundwater depth (GWD) increase. The impacts of irrigation water reduction and GWD increase in canal systems with heterogeneous land covers is complex and remains unclear, thus the need to be elucidated to efficiently promote...