关键词: 生态脆弱性, 时空格局, 驱动机制, 浑善达克沙地

Abstract:

The question of how to coordinate social and economic development, population growth, resource consumption, and environmental protection has become an urgent topic for regional sustainability development. Identifying the ecological vulnerability (EV) of specific areas is the precondition to achieving effective ecosystem management for sustainability. However, the driving forces of EV, including climate change, environmental protection policies, and land use, may change over a long period of time, affecting the spatio-temporal patterns of EV. Taking Otindag Sandy Land as the research area, we used the “Vulnerability Scoping Diagram” framework to establish the evaluation index system. Using Moran’s I index and principal component analysis (PCA), we evaluated the spatio-temporal distribution patterns of EV of this sandy land, and we also analyzed its driving mechanism from 2000 to 2019. The findings revealed that: (1) the EV of Otindag Sandy Land has exhibited an increasing trend over the past two decades; (2) the EV of this area presents an agglomeration distribution pattern with obvious spatial auto-correlation on spatial extent, in which the high-high cluster of EV is distributed in the western region, and the low-low cluster of EV is located in the eastern region; (3) the heterogeneity of the temporal and spatial distribution of EV is due to the synergistic effect of human activities and climate factors at different levels. According to the factor loadings matrix of PCA, after 2010 or 2015, the influence of indicators such as the population density, the number of livestock, and the per capita grassland area on the EV of this region has either weakened or been restrained by the implementation of ecological restoration projects and ecological policies. Meanwhile climate factors have gradually highlighted the leading role in driving EV in this region. This study provides a theoretical basis for the ecological construction and ecological restoration of Otindag Sandy Land, and puts forward some suggestions and measures for ecosystem management. At the regional level, from the perspective of future spatial planning, the EV in the eastern part of Otindag Sandy Land is mild to moderate, and ecological management measures should focus on harmonizing rational utilization of grassland resources with ecological protection. Meanwhile, the EV in the central and western regions of this area is severe to extreme, and it is thus necessary to strengthen ecological restoration projects and ecological migration to reduce grazing pressure on sandy land. At the local level, while comprehensively considering the demographic factors, pasture size, and grassland quality of herdsmen households, we should optimize grassland property rights and coordinate the interests of herdsmen with the goal of ecological conservation to achieve the fine administrative management “one household, one eco-management measures”.

Key words: ecological vulnerability, spatio-temporal pattern, driving forces, Otindag Sandy Land