Evapotranspiration (ET) is the sum of soil or water body evaporation and plant transpiration from the earth surface and ocean to the atmosphere, and thus plays a significant role in regulating carbon and water resource cycles. The time-series data set from the remote sensing MOIDS product (MOD16) was used to study the spatial-temporal evolution of vegetation evapotranspiration in salinized areas during 2000–2014 by analyzing the variability, spatial patterns and Mann-Kendall (MK) nonparametric trends for the time series. The results indicate that inter-annual and intra-annual variations of ET across various vegetated areas show seasonal changes, with the abnormal months identified. The cultivated land displays a greater degree of spatial heterogeneity and the spatial pattern of ET in the area covered by broadleaved deciduous forests corresponds to a higher ET rate and increased water consumption. A widespread decline of ET is observed only in cultivated areas. However, agricultural cultivation doesn’t worsen water shortage and soil salinization problems in the region, and water shortage problems are worsening for other vegetated areas. This research provides a basis of reference for the reasonable allocation of water resources and restructuring of vegetation patterns in salinized areas.
