Mapping Groundwater‐Dependent Ecosystems for Contiguous China With Selected Hydroclimatic Windows

Abstract Groundwater‐dependent ecosystems (GDEs) provide critical ecosystem services in arid and semiarid regions and help sustain ecosystems during droughts in humid areas. Accurate mapping of GDEs is essential for improving water resource management and ecosystem conservation. The distribution of GDEs remains largely unknown across contiguous China. In this study, remote sensing data, soil data, and modeled groundwater depth (GWD) data are integrated to map GDEs across both arid and humid regions of contiguous China. The mapping framework utilizes long‐term remote sensing data combined with drought‐related climatic data to characterize vegetation responses under selected hydroclimatic conditions. These conditions are selected to highlight the differences in vegetation responses between GDEs and non‐GDEs. By integrating vegetation temporal dynamics with hydroclimatic indicators, this approach enables systematic mapping of GDEs. The results indicate that high‐, moderate‐, and low‐potential GDEs account for 1.6%, 7.7%, and 22.1% of the mapped area, respectively. Assuming a vegetation rooting depth within 10 m, the GDE map shows a commission error of 13.6% against observed GWD. The reliability of the GDE map is further supported by vegetation responses to drought and the characteristic topographic settings of GDEs.