Monitoring the Characteristics of Ecological Cumulative Effect Due to Mining Disturbance Utilizing Remote Sensing

Quansheng Li,Ziheng Song,Fei Wang,Junting Guo

doi:10.3390/rs13245034

Abstract

This study conducted land cover classification and inversion analysis to estimate land surface temperature, soil moisture, specific humidity, atmospheric water vapor density, and relative humidity using remote sensing and multi-source mining data. Using 1990–2020 data from the Shendong mining area in Inner Mongolia, China, the eco-environmental evolution and the ecological cumulative effects (ECE) of mining operations were characterized and analyzed at a long-term scale. The results show that while the eco-environment was generally stable, mining activities affected the eco-environment at the initial stage (1990–2000) to a certain degree. During the rapid development stage of coal mining, the eco-environment was severely damaged, and the ECE were significant at the temporal scale. The absolute value of the change rate of ecological parameters was increasing. Due to an increased focus on ecological restoration, starting in 2010, the environmental indicators gradually stabilized and the eco-environment improved considerably, ushering in a period of stability for coal mining activities. The absolute value of the change rate of ecological parameters became stable. Analysis of the change in eco-environmental indicators with distance and comparison to the contrast area showed the ECE characteristics from mining disturbance at the spatial scale. This study shows that remote sensing technology can be used to characterize the ECE from mining operations and analyze eco-environmental indicators, providing crucial information in support of ecological protection and restoration, particularly in coal mining areas.

Highlights

Ecological cumulative effect (ECE) refers to the cumulative impact on the eco-environment caused by activities from the past to the future
2019, respecThe inversion results using remote sensing images
Land cover classification and change analysis were carried out to retrieve land surface Land cover and change analysis were carried out retrieve land surtemperature, soilclassification moisture, specific humidity, relative humidity, andtoatmospheric water face temperature, soil moisture, specific humidity, relative humidity, and atmospheric vapor density using remote sensing and multi-source spatial data

Summary

Introduction

Ecological cumulative effect (ECE) refers to the cumulative impact on the eco-environment caused by activities from the past to the future This metric is useful for understanding that, while the individual effects of some operations may be small or subtle, the combined effects could be significant [1]. Understanding the cumulative effects on the environment of policies, industries, and other economic activities is extremely important when evaluating choices and addressing the long-term effects caused by various anthropogenic endeavors. One such industry where the holistic comprehension of environmental effects is crucial is coal mining. Given its small object and long-duration features, the eco-environmental change caused by coal mining activities

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion