Arid Zone Research ›› 2024, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (1): 147-156.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2024.01.14

• Ecology and Environment • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Changes in vegetation cover and influencing factors in typical counties of the Loess Plateau from 1990 to 2020

ZHAO Yuqi(),WEI Tianxing()   

  1. School of Soil and Water Conservation, Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Glassland Administration on Soil and Water Conservation, Engineering Research Center of Forestry Ecological Engineering of Ministry of Education, Jixian National Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Chinese National Ecosystem Research Network, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
  • Received:2023-07-05 Revised:2023-08-21 Online:2024-01-15 Published:2024-01-24

Abstract:

To explore the dynamic evolution of vegetation and its influencing factors in Ji County during the last 30 years, this study used Landsat images, along with meteorological, land use, and night light data. This study adopted trend, partial correlation, random forest, and residual analysis methods to explore the temporal and spatial variation-related characteristics in vegetation coverage and the influence of the climate and human factors on the vegetation changes in the County. (1) FVC in the study area demonstrated a significant upward trend from 1990 to 2020, with an annual growth rate of 0.49%, and the vegetation quality was distinctly higher. (2) The low and high rates of FVC had an obvious staggered spatial distribution. The proportion of areas with a marked enhancement in FVC was 51%, and a remarkable reduction in FVC was 7%. (3) Temperature and precipitation inhibited vegetation growth in the FVC high-value and built-up areas, but promoted vegetation cover in others. The contribution rates of climate change and human activities to vegetation dynamics were 53.43% and 46.57%, respectively, and were considered global influencing factors. When used as local variables, the relative contribution rates were reduced to 13.07%. Human activity was an essential factor affecting vegetation degradation in certain areas, such as the central and eastern parts of Jixian County, and the vegetation restoration in the west and south. This study can provide a scientific basis for the follow-up work of regional ecological restoration.

Key words: fractional vegetation cover, Google Earth Engine, climate change, human activity, Loess Plateau