Characterizing Vegetation Phenology Shifts on the Loess Plateau over Past Two Decades

Abstract

Phenology is a critical mirror reflecting vegetation growth and has a major impact on terrestrial ecosystems. The Loess Plateau (LP) is a paramount ecological zone in China that has experienced considerable vegetation changes. However, understanding the dynamics of vegetation phenology is limited by ambiguous vegetation interpretation and anthropogenic-induced forces. This study combined the multi-climatic and anthropogenic datasets to characterize the interactions between phenology shifts and environmental variables. The principal findings were as follows: (1) Phenological shifts exhibit spatial heterogeneity and an interannually increasing trend in greenness (R2 > 0.6, p R = 0.76), soil moisture (R = −0.64), and temperature (R = 0.89) are the governing determinants in shaping vegetation phenology. In addition, agriculture and urbanization play a significant role in shaping the spatial variations of SOS. These findings provide a basis for a systematic understanding of the processes that affect vegetation growth, which is crucial for maintaining the health and sustainability of arid and semiarid ecosystems.

Keywords

• phenology
• Loess Plateau
• changing environment
• climate change