Identification of hydrological controls on dust emissions from Xilingol Grassland of Inner Mongolia, China

Abstract

In view of various impacts on biosphere and possible cross-regional environmental problems, dust attracts global concerns. We employed multiple spatial resolution satellite images to identify dust sources and the relevantly hydrological land covers. We used true-colour composite images of MODIS to obtain the preliminary information on dust emissions and then distinguished the land covers of dust sources in Landsat images of Xilingol Grassland. The study found that hydrologically associated land covers, such as ephemeral lakes, bajadas, ephemeral river beds, dry lakes and their margins, dominated dust emission areas. Factors responsible for aeolian dusts are from both natural and human aspects. Besides abnormal weather phenomena, factors contributed to dust emissions include ecological and water balance destructions caused by human activities in alkali and coal exploitations and water pumping from rivers or lakes for agriculture and industry. This study will help grassland manager combat land desertification and control dust emission in the future.