Variations and driving mechanisms of desertification in the southeast section of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Zone

Abstract

Desertification seriously restricts sustainable development in the arid-semiarid areas of the eastern section of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Zone, especially in China and Mongolia. In this study, the potential range of desertification was bounded. Spatio-temporal dynamics from 2000 to 2020 were analyzed using best-performing indices (fvc, albedo and LST). Further analysis focused on the driving factors resulting in desertification. The research showed that the potential range of desertification accounted for 50.99 % of the entire region, mainly distributed in central and western parts of Inner Mongolia, and central and southern parts of Mongolia. From 2000 to 2020, desertification in the entire study area improved, with a 2.23 % decrease in the area of severe and extremely severe desertification. Among the studied countries, the grades of desertification in China decreased over the years of study; the area of desertification in Mongolia expanded. The study also indicated that the restoration regions were affected mainly by climatic factor sand human activities, and the degradation area was driven primarily by human activities. Therefore, it is essential to formulate a reasonable land policy for desertification control.