Spatial-Temporal Evolution and Driving Forces of NDVI in China's Giant Panda National Park

Mengxin Pu; Yinbing Zhao; Zhongyun Ni; Zhongliang Huang; Wanlan Peng; Yi Zhou; Jingjing Liu; Yingru Gong

doi:10.3390/ijerph19116722

Spatial-Temporal Evolution and Driving Forces of NDVI in China's Giant Panda National Park

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 May 31;19(11):6722. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19116722.

Authors

Mengxin Pu¹, Yinbing Zhao^{1

2

3

4}, Zhongyun Ni^{1

2

4}, Zhongliang Huang¹, Wanlan Peng², Yi Zhou², Jingjing Liu², Yingru Gong²

Affiliations

¹ College of Earth Sciences, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China.
² College of Tourism and Urban-Rural Planning, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, China.
³ Hebei Province Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Conservation, Hengshui University, Hengshui 053000, China.
⁴ International Network for Environment and Health, School of Geography and Archaeology & Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG), H91 CF50 Galway, Ireland.

Abstract

Identifying the ecological evolution trends and vegetation driving mechanisms of giant panda national parks can help to improve the protection of giant panda habitats. Based on the research background of different geomorphological zoning, we selected the MODIS NDVI data from 2000 to 2020 to analyze the NDVI trends using a univariate linear model. A partial correlation analysis and multiple correlation analysis were used to reveal the influence of temperature and precipitation on NDVI trends. Fourteen factors related to meteorological factors, topographic factors, geological activities, and human activities were selected, and the Geographically Weighted Regression model was used to study the mechanisms driving NDVI change. The results were as follows: (1) The NDVI value of Giant Panda National Park has fluctuated and increased in the past 21 years, with an annual growth rate of 4.7%/yr. Affected by the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008, the NDVI value fluctuated greatly from 2008 to 2012, and reached its peak in 2018. (2) The NDVI in 94% of the study area improved, and the most significant improvement areas were mainly distributed in the northern and southern regions of Southwest Subalpine and Middle Mountain and the Xiaoxiangling area. Affected by the distribution of fault zones and their local activities, vegetation degradation was concentrated in the Dujiangyan-Anzhou area of Hengduan Mountain Alpine Canyon. (3) The Geographically Weighted Regression analysis showed that natural factors were dominant, with climate and elevation having a double-factor enhancement effect, the peak acceleration of ground motion and fault zone having a superimposed effect, and river density and slope having a double effect, all of which had a significant impact on the NDVI value of the surrounding area. To optimize the ecological security pattern of the Giant Panda National Park, we recommended strengthening the construction of ecological security projects through monitoring meteorological changes, preventing, and controlling geo-hazards, and optimizing the layout and intensity of human activities.

Keywords: Wenchuan earthquake; climate change; ecological security; geographically weighted regression; vegetation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
China
Climate
Climate Change
Ecosystem
Humans
Parks, Recreational*
Temperature
Ursidae*

Grants and funding

The National Park Research Center Project of Sichuan Key Research Base of Social Sciences (GJGY2019-ZD003), the Soft Science Project of Sichuan Provincial Department of Science and Technology (2022JDR0061), the Open Foundation of Hebei Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Conservation (No. hklk201902), the Open Project of Human Geography Research Center of Qinghai Tibet Plateau and Its Eastern Edge (RWDL2021-ZD002), and the China Scholarship Council Fund (No.202108510096) supported this work.