Landscape pattern change and its correlation with influencing factors in semiarid areas, northwestern China

Yonghua Zhu; Long Yan; Yong Wang; Jie Zhang; Li'e Liang; Zhi Xu; Juan Guo; Rui Yang

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135837

Landscape pattern change and its correlation with influencing factors in semiarid areas, northwestern China

Chemosphere. 2022 Nov;307(Pt 3):135837. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135837. Epub 2022 Aug 8.

Authors

Yonghua Zhu¹, Long Yan², Yong Wang³, Jie Zhang⁴, Li'e Liang⁴, Zhi Xu⁵, Juan Guo⁴, Rui Yang⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Yan'an University, Yan'an, 716000, China; Key Laboratory of Subsurface Hydrology and Ecological Effects in Arid Region, Ministry of Education, Chang'an University, Xi'an, 710054, China; School of Water and Environment, Chang'an University, Xi'an, 710054, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, Beijing, 100038, China; China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, China. Electronic address: yanlong@iwhr.com.
³ State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, Beijing, 100038, China; China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing, 100038, China. Electronic address: wangyong@iwhr.com.
⁴ College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Yan'an University, Yan'an, 716000, China.
⁵ China Three Gorges Corporation, Beijing, 100038, China.

PMID: 35952782
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135837

Abstract

The West Liaohe Plain (WLP) is a typical crop-pastoral ecotone of the semiarid area in Northwestern, China. Land use/cover change (LUCC) of the WLP might endanger this ecosystem, triggering long-lasting environmental concerns. LUCC data for China (1980-2020) and hydrometeorological data were analyzed to reveal factors contributing to change and explore sustainable development opportunities. The results show that characteristics of the main land-use types in the WLP have changed significantly, especially cultivated land area, which increased by 15.2% and 6.79% during the periods 1980-1995 and 2000-2020, respectively. Response relationships were observed due to natural (precipitation, temperature, and runoff) and anthropogenic (economy) factors and LUCC. Between 2000 and 2020, the impact of anthropogenic factors on cultivated land was stronger than on grassland at the class and landscape level, using the landscape indices which were selected, including percent of landscape (PLAND), number of patches (NP), largest patch index (LPI), and Shannon's evenness index (SHEI). Expansion of cultivated land from 1990 to 1995 was not only related to anthropogenic factors but also to hydrological & climatic factors. The results of this study have the potential to influence sustainable land resource development.

Keywords: Crop-pastoral ecotone; Environmental change; Hydrometeorological factors; LUCC; Landscape index.

MeSH terms

China
Conservation of Natural Resources*
Ecosystem*
Environmental Monitoring / methods
Temperature