Analysis of spatial and temporal variation in grassland vegetation cover in Xinjiang section of Tianshan Mountains and the driving factors from 2001 to 2020
Aims This study primarily aims to investigate the spatiotemporal evolution patterns of fractional vegetation cover(FVC)in the grasslands of Xinjiang section of Tianshan Mountains over the period 2001 to 2020.It seeks to elucidate the determinants of these patterns,emphasizing the influence of vegetation types,livestock farming practices,precipitation levels,and mean annual air temperature.Ultimately,the goal is to contribute important insights that will inform decisions concerning the sustainable management and ecological conservation of these grasslands.Methods The investigation into the spatiotemporal evolution patterns of vegetation in Xinjiang section of Tianshan Mountains and the factors influencing these patterns leveraged MODIS NDVI remote sensing data spanning two decades.A suite of analytical techniques,including Sen's Slope Estimator+Mann-Kendall trend analysis,coefficients of variation,and land-use dynamics assessments,were employed to analyze the spatiotemporal variations in grassland FVC.Important findings The study revealed a general stability in FVC,with the multi-year average varying between 0.33 and 0.42.Notable FVC increases were observed in the northeastern and southwestern low-altitude areas of the range,comprising 3.14％of the analysis area.In contrast,significant FVC declines were predominantly in the Ili River Basin,representing 15.81％of the area studied.The dynamics of grassland FVC were primarily driven by vegetation types and the total value of livestock farming output,each influencing over 29.85％of the variation.When considering the interaction with precipitation and mean annual air temperature,the influence of these factors on FVC increased to above 48.70％.Furthermore,a positive association between FVC and both annual precipitation and average annual temperature was noted,with areas displaying a correlation to precipitation covering 80.84％of the total area,largely encircling the basins flanking Tianshan Mountains range.Meanwhile,a correlation with mean annual air temperature spanned 71.69％of the area,predominantly at higher elevations.These findings offer valuable reference data to support strategic planning for the sustainable use and protection of grassland ecosystems in the Tianshan Mountainous region.
fractional vegetation coverclimate changegrasslandspatial and temporal variationXinjiang section of Tianshan Mountains
NETL
NSTL
万方数据
