Abstract:Vegetation carbon use efficiency (CUE) is an important indicator to evaluate the carbon sequestration capacity and efficiency of vegetation. It is of great significance to explore its response to climate change and human activities for monitoring regional ecological environment quality and studying carbon cycle. Here, Sen slope estimation and Mann-Kendall significance test were used to analyze the temporal and spatial variation characteristics of vegetation CUE based on MODIS remote sensing data in Zhejiang Province from 2001 to 2020. Furthermore, we conducted correlation analysis and multiple regression residual method based on the data of ground meteorological observation stations to quantify the effects of climate change and human activities on vegetation CUE. The results showed that the vegetation CUE in Zhejiang Province showed a weak downward trend from 2001 to 2020, and the average rate was 0.0008 a-1 (p=0.08). The spatial distribution range of vegetation CUE was 0.20 to 0.67, and the average was 0.50±0.08. The trend rate of vegetation CUE was -0.017-0.018 a-1, and the area showing an increasing trend accounted for 10.5%, and the area showing a decreasing trend accounted for 23.9%. The influence trend of climate change on vegetation CUE change was -0.007-0.010 a-1, vegetation CUE was mainly negatively correlated with temperature and positively correlated with precipitation. The influence of human activities on vegetation CUE change was -0.015-0.017 a-1. The decrease areas caused by climate change and human activities accounted for 50.7%. Among them, human activities were the main driving factors, and climate change was the secondary driving factor. The relative contribution rates of climate change and human activities to vegetation CUE changes were 33% and 67%, respectively. In summary, the vegetation CUE in Zhejiang Province showed a weak downward trend in the past 20 years, and the spatial distribution was quite different. Human activities had a stronger impact on the vegetation CUE in Zhejiang Province, primarily causing them to lower.