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Long-Term Variability of Vegetation Cover and Its Driving Factors and Effects over the Zuli River Basin in Northwest China

Author

Listed:
  • Chenlu Huang

    (Institute of Human Geography, College of Tourist, Xi’an International Studies University, Xi’an 710127, China)

  • Juan Xu

    (Information and Technology Equipment Support Center, Meteorological Bureau of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Linxin Shan

    (New Surveying and Mapping Development Research Center, Xi’an Institute of Prospecting and Mapping, Xi’an 710054, China)

Abstract

Vegetation information is a critical factor in regional environment management under climate change. In this study, a typical arid and semi-arid watershed on the Loess Plateau, the Zu Li River Basin (ZRB), was selected to study the long-term changes in vegetation cover and its drivers and impacts. Unlike existing normalized vegetation index (NDVI) products, which have coarse spatial resolution and short time horizons, this study used the 30 m Landsat dataset analyzed in the Google Earth Engine (GEE) to generate high-resolution and long-term NDVI data, which are the most ideal for monitoring vegetation dynamics using long-time-series data products. The results showed that the annual mean maximum NDVI (normalized vegetation index) in the ZRB increased during 1987–2021, with a significant ( p < 0.05) increasing trend in most areas. Upstream vegetation cover increased more than midstream and downstream, but the increase was smaller. Precipitation in the ZRB area was significantly ( p < 0.05) correlated with the NDVI series, except for the upstream pass area, where human activities played an important role. NDVI was significantly ( p < 0.05) negatively correlated with runoff coefficient and sand content, indicating that vegetation cover was an important reason for the decrease in runoff coefficient and sand content.

Suggested Citation

  • Chenlu Huang & Juan Xu & Linxin Shan, 2023. "Long-Term Variability of Vegetation Cover and Its Driving Factors and Effects over the Zuli River Basin in Northwest China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-15, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:3:p:1829-:d:1039702
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chenlu Huang & Qinke Yang & Weidong Huang & Junlong Zhang & Yuru Li & Yucen Yang, 2018. "Hydrological Response to Precipitation and Human Activities—A Case Study in the Zuli River Basin, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-18, December.
    2. Yue Wang & Ge Song & Wenying Li, 2021. "The Interaction Relationship between Land Use Patterns and Socioeconomic Factors Based on Wavelet Analysis: A Case Study of the Black Soil Region of Northeast China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-19, November.
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