Abstract:The relationship between vegetation biomass and hydrological connectivity is crucial for the preservation and effective management of wetland ecosystem. Our study combined the use of Landsat-8 satellite imagery with the field measured data in Kekesu Wetland, Xinjiang, we not only extracted the wetland water patches of different months during the growing seasons but also estimated aboveground biomass of the wetland. We further investigated the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of these vital ecological parameters. Additionally, we quantified the relationship between hydrological connectivity and aboveground biomass, as well as plant carbon pool. The results showed that in June, the area covered by water patches in Kekesu Wetland reached its maximum, accounting for 63.12% of the total reserve. However, as the growing season progressed, particularly in August, the extent of water patches diminished significantly, accounting for just 6.27% of the total area. This noticeable seasonal variation underscored the dynamic nature of water patch distribution within the wetland, emphasizing its sensitivity to changing environmental conditions. Exploring the spatial distribution of vegetation biomass in more detail, we observed an aggregated spatial distribution pattern. High biomass concentrations were particularly prominent on both sides of the Irtysh River, the Kran River, and their intricate network of tributaries. In stark contrast, regions such as Azelqi and Kuokesu Villages in the northern sections, as well as Salhuson Township in the southeastern corner, exhibited considerably lower biomass levels. In July, the aboveground biomass reached its peak value during the growing season, with the total vegetation biomass in Kokesu Wetland reaching 1.09×109 kg, and the maximum total biomass measuring 4832 g/m2. The areas with higher above-ground biomass are distributed in Aktyrek Village in the west and Balkamus Village in the east. Moreover, we found a nonlinear association between hydrological connectivity and the ecological parameters of interest. The hydrological connectivity showed parabolic relationships with both aboveground biomass and plant carbon pool. The plant carbon pool was the highest when hydrological connectivity was approximately 0.6. The total plant carbon pool reached 4.5×1011 kg C. Our study reveals the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of vegetation biomass in Kekesu Wetland, establishes a quantitative relationship between hydrological connectivity and aboveground vegetation biomass, as well as the plant carbon pool. Furthermore, we clarify the impact of appropriate hydrological connectivity on vegetation biomass accumulation, demonstrating its positive influence. This research can serve as a valuable reference for the management of wetland hydrological connectivity and the enhancement of vegetation carbon storage functionality.