Abstract
Vegetation is a crucial and intuitive index that can be used to evaluate the ecological status. Since the 20th century, land use has changed significantly in Yellow River Basin (YRB), along with great changes of vegetation, serious soil erosion, and gradual ecological deterioration. To improve the ecological environment in the YRB, China has carried out a series of ecological protection projects since the 1970s. Therefore, long-term sequence monitoring of vegetation in YRB is necessary to show the conservation effect and better support the further protection and restoration. This study analysed vegetation changes from 2000 to 2019 based on an annual mean fractional vegetation cover (FVC) dataset. The Theil–Sen median trend analysis method was used to analyse trends in FVC. The results showed that the vegetation in the YRB has improved significantly, with an average annual growth rate of 0.65%, and the ‘green line’ of vegetation has moved approximately 300 km westward. The influence of climate on vegetation is essential; therefore, this study also analysed the influence of temperature and precipitation on vegetation over time and space. Ecological control and afforestation are important anthropogenic factors that affect vegetation. The growth trend (0.6%/a) in key ecological function regions (KEFRs) was the fastest, and even though the protection measures are not strict, they provide space for afforestation. The China Ecological Conservation Red Line (CECRL) and the national nature reserves (NNRs) showed relatively flat trends. Ecological afforestation projects were closely correlated with the growth trend of the FVC. The correlation between FVC and the intensity of ecological engineering was significant in typical areas.
Highlights
Vegetation is a community of plants and the land cover they provide
Fractional vegetation cover (FVC) was used to monitor the evolution of vegetation in the Yellow River Basin (YRB)
The results showed that the FVC in the YRB had a growth trend from 2000 to 2019, and the vegetation the FVC in the YRB had a growth trend from 2000 to 2019, and the vegetation ‘green line’
Summary
Vegetation is a community of plants and the land cover they provide. It plays an important role in the exchange of material and energy on the Earth’s surface by maintaining a global ecological balance and promoting atmospheric circulation [1]. Remote sensing data are advantageous because of their wide coverage and rapid ere 2021, 12, x FOR PEER REVIEW biodiversity reduction, soil erosion, productivity loss, and declines in service functions it is necessary to carry out long-term sequence monitoring of vegetation changes in the YRB. Based on long-term series of FVC data in the YRB from 2000 to 2019, ing stability of FVC, as well as the main influencing factors such as climate, ecological this study analysed changes in FVC trends, the regional contribution, changing stability management, and ecological engineering. These were analysed at various multi-spatial of FVC, as well as the main influencing factors such as climate, ecological management, scales including watershed, control areas, and in typical case areas.
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