Examining the efficacy of revegetation practices in ecosystem restoration programs: insights from a hotspot of sandstorm in northern China

doi:10.1007/s11707-021-0936-3

Front. Earth Sci.

2021, Vol. 15

Issue (4) : 922-935 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-021-0936-3

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Examining the efficacy of revegetation practices in ecosystem restoration programs: insights from a hotspot of sandstorm in northern China

Ziqiang DU^1,^2,³, Rong RONG^1,^2,³, Zhitao WU^1,^2,³(

), Hong ZHANG^1,⁴

¹. Institute of Loess Plateau, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
². Shanxi Key Laboratory for Ecological restoration of Loess Plateau, Taiyuan 030006, China
³. Field Scientific Observation and Research Station of the Ministry of Education of Shanxi Subalpine Grassland Ecosystem, Taiyuan 030006, China
⁴. College of Environmental & Resource Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China

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Abstract

Retrospectively evaluating the efficacy of revegetation practices is helpful in planning and implementing future ecosystem restoration programs (ERP). Having a good understanding of how human activities can affect vegetation cover, both before and after ERP, is particularly important in sandstorm hotspot areas. The Beijing–Tianjin Sandstorm Source Region (BTSSR) is one such area. We conducted an investigation into vegetation dynamics within the BTSSR. This was done using remote sensing data in conjunction with climate data sets and land use data spanning the 1982–2014 period. The relationships between climatic factors (such as precipitation and temperature), and vegetative change were modeled using a neural network method. By a process of residual analysis, the proportions of human-induced vegetative change both before and after the ERP were established. Our results show that: 1) before the ERP (1982–2000), 40.96% of the study area exhibited significantly progressive vegetation changes (p<0.05). This proportion decreased to encompass only 20.23% of the study area in the period following the ERP (2001–2014). 2) 89.55% of the study area showed signs of human-induced vegetation degradation before the ERP. Between 2001 and 2014 however, following ERP, this figure fell to only 27.78%. 3) ERP implementation led to visible improvements in vegetative conditions within the BTSSR, especially in areas where ecological restoration measures were directly and anthropogenically applied. These results highlight the benefits that positive human action (i.e., revegetation initiatives implemented under the framework of an ERP) have brought to the BTSSR.

Keywords vegetation dynamics human activities ERP neural network model Beijing–Tianjin sandstorm source region

Corresponding Author(s): Zhitao WU

Online First Date: 01 December 2021 Issue Date: 20 January 2022

Cite this article:

Ziqiang DU,Rong RONG,Zhitao WU, et al. Examining the efficacy of revegetation practices in ecosystem restoration programs: insights from a hotspot of sandstorm in northern China[J]. Front. Earth Sci., 2021, 15(4): 922-935.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/10.1007/s11707-021-0936-3
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/Y2021/V15/I4/922

Fig.1 Study area.

Fig.2 Flowchart of residual analysis.

Fig.3 (a) The variations of NDVI in the study area during the 1982–2014 period; (b) the spatial trends of NDVI before the ecological restoration program during the 1982–2000 period and; (c) after the ecological restoration program during the 2001–2014 period.

Fig.4 Spatial pattern of the correlation coefficients between NDVI and temperature and the trend of temperature for different periods: (a) and (b) 1982–2000; (c) and (d) 2001–2014.

Fig.5 Spatial pattern of the correlation coefficients between NDVI and precipitation and the trend of precipitation for different periods: (a) and (b) 1982–2000; (c) and (d) 2001–2014.

Fig.6 Spatial pattern of the correlation coefficients between NDVI and SPEI and the trend of SPEI for different periods: (a) and (b) 1982–2000; (c) and (d) 2001–2014.

Tab.1 Correlations between NDVI and climate factors (temperature, precipitation and SPEI) in different periods

Fig.7 Quantitative assessment of regional vegetation change induced by human activities in different periods: (a) 1991–2000 and (b) 2001–2014. Strong deteriorations or improvements are defined as significant decreases or increases in the trend of NDVI residuals at the 0.05 significant level.

Tab.2 Percentages of human-induced improvement and degradation of vegetation before and after ERP in the BTSSR

Fig.8 (a) Spatial pattern of forest change from 2000 to 2015 and (b) trends of residual NDVI in different forest change types.

Fig.9 (a) The location of Xilingol Grassland in study area and (b) the trend of GPI from 2001 to 2014 in the Xilin Gol League.

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