Using geographical detection to analyze responses of vegetation growth to climate change in the Loess Pla-teau, China

Abstract

In order to explore the responses of different vegetation types to climatic change in the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), we analzyed the changes of different vegetation types and their relationships with meteorological factors using trend analysis, Hurst index, and geographical detector model based on normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). The results showed that NDVI of different vegetation types from 2002 to 2019 was dominated by a growing trend and codirectional moderate persistence. The NDVI of crops in the built-up and adjacent areas decreased significantly. Except for grassland or meadow that was affected by mixed pixels, the spatial variation of NDVI was significant in the growing season (from April to October). The mean NDVI of different vegetation types followed an oder: coniferous forest > broadleaved forest > scrub > meadow > grassland > crop > steppe > desert. The interactions between meteorological factors were synergistic and non-linear enhancement in the CLP. Moreover, the interaction was more prominent under steppe and desert where habitat was fragile. The synergistic effect of precipitation and temperature had a great influence on all vegetation types. Water vapor, relative humidity, sunshine duration, atmospheric pressure, and wind speed had different explanatory powers on NDVI through indirectly affec-ting hydrothermal conditions.