Spatial–Temporal Evolution of Vegetation NDVI in Association with Climatic, Environmental and Anthropogenic Factors in the Loess Plateau, China during 2000–2015: Quantitative Analysis Based on Geographical Detector Model

Yi Dong; Dongqin Yin; Xiang Li; Jianxi Huang; Wei Su; Xuecao Li; Hongshuo Wang

doi:10.3390/rs13214380

Remote Sensing (Oct 2021)

Spatial–Temporal Evolution of Vegetation NDVI in Association with Climatic, Environmental and Anthropogenic Factors in the Loess Plateau, China during 2000–2015: Quantitative Analysis Based on Geographical Detector Model

Yi Dong,
Dongqin Yin,
Xiang Li,
Jianxi Huang,
Wei Su,
Xuecao Li,
Hongshuo Wang

Affiliations

Yi Dong: College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Dongqin Yin: College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Xiang Li: State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China
Jianxi Huang: College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Wei Su: College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Xuecao Li: College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Hongshuo Wang: College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13214380
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 13, no. 21
p. 4380

Abstract

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In the Loess Plateau (LP) of China, the vegetation degradation and soil erosion problems have been shown to be curbed after the implementation of the Grain for Green program. In this study, the LP is divided into the northwestern semi-arid area and the southeastern semi-humid area using the 400 mm isohyet. The spatial–temporal evolution of the vegetation NDVI during 2000–2015 are analyzed, and the driving forces (including factors of climate, environment, and human activities) of the evolution are quantitatively identified using the geographical detector model (GDM). The results showed that the annual mean NDVI in the entire LP was 0.529, and it decreased from the semi-humid area (0.619) to the semi-arid area (0.346). The mean value of the coefficient of variation of the NDVI was 0.1406, and it increased from the semi-humid area (0.1165) to the semi-arid area (0.1926). The annual NDVI growth rate in the entire LP was 0.0079, with the NDVI growing faster in the semi-humid area (0.0093) than in the semi-arid area (0.0049). The largest increments of the NDVI were from grassland, farmland, and woodland. The GDM results revealed that changes in the spatial distribution of the NDVI could be primarily explained by the climatic and environmental factors in the semi-arid area, such as precipitation, soil type, and vegetation type, while the changes were mainly explained by the anthropogenic factors in the semi-humid area, such as the GDP density, land-use type, and population density. The interactive analysis showed that interactions between factors strengthened the impacts on the vegetation change compared with an individual factor. Furthermore, the ranges/types of factors suitable for vegetation growth were determined. The conclusions of this study have important implications for the formulation and implementation of ecological conservation and restoration strategies in different regions of the LP.

Published in Remote Sensing

ISSN: 2072-4292 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing/

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