@article{fdi:010096928,
  title = {{V}egetation greening and reservoir construction as drivers of century-long discharge trends in the {M}editerranean {B}asin},
  author = {{E}ekhout, {J}. {P}. {C}. and {B}outaghane, {H}. and {D}akhlaoui, {H}. and {E}l {K}halki, {E}. and {U}ysal, {G}. and {S}errano, {S}. {M}. {V}. and {T}ramblay, {Y}ves and de {V}ente, {J}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he {M}editerranean {B}asin is typically classified as a region with decreasing streamflow trends since the 1960s, despite high variability in precipitation. {H}ere we evaluated over a century of discharge trends (1914-2022) using data obtained from 654 discharge stations across the {M}editerranean {B}asin from national and continental discharge databases. {W}e assessed several drivers of discharge trends, including climate change, vegetation greening and reservoir construction. {T}rends in mean discharge align mostly with precipitation trends, showing distinct periods of statistically significant increasing (1941-1971) and decreasing discharge (1961-2000). {Y}et, mean discharge has been remarkably stable between 1981 and 2020, diverging from the significantly increasing precipitation trends during this period. {M}ultiple linear regression confirmed that recent precipitation and vegetation greenness trends have an equally strong but counteracting effect on runoff trends. {R}eservoir construction caused a further consistent decrease in mean and maximum discharge, and weakened the natural discharge regime. {O}ur study concludes that over the last century, discharge trends in the {M}editerranean {B}asin can only partly be explained by precipitation variability. {R}eservoir construction and recent vegetation greening are identified as additional strong drivers of discharge trends.},
  keywords = {{M}editerranean basin ; {L}ong-term discharge ; {R}unoff drivers ; {R}eservoir construction ; {H}ydrological regime ; {V}egetation greening ; {PAYS} {MEDITERRANEENS} ; {MEDITERRANEEN} {BASSIN} ; {ZONE} {MEDITERRANEENNE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {H}ydrology},
  volume = {672},
  numero = {},
  pages = {135387 [14 p.]},
  ISSN = {0022-1694},
  year = {2026},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135387},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010096928},
}