A Long-Term Ecological Vulnerability Analysis of the Tibetan Region of Natural Conditions and Ecological Protection Programs

Abstract

The combined impacts of drastic natural environment change and increasing human interference are making the uncertainty of the Tibetan Plateau’s ecological vulnerability the world’s largest. In this study, an ecological vulnerability index (EVI) of Tibet in the core area of the Tibetan Plateau was assessed using a selected set of ecological, social, and economic indicators and using a spatial principal component analysis (SPCA) to calculate their weights. The data included Landsat images and socio-economic data from 1990 to 2015 in five-year intervals. The results showed that the total EVI remained at a high vulnerability level, with drastic fluctuation from 1990 to 2000 (a peak in 1995, when there was a sudden increase in light vulnerability, which moved to extreme vulnerability in the next period), and minor fluctuations after 2000, gradually increasing from southeast to northwest. In addition, the spatial analysis showed a distinct positive correlation between the EVI and grassland area (0.33), land use degree (0.15), NDVI (0.14), livestock husbandry output, and a negative correlation in terms of desertification area. The artificial afforestation program (AAP) had a positive significant correlation with NDVI (R2 = 0.88), preventing the environment from becoming more vulnerable. The results provide practical information and suggestions for planners to improve the land use degree in urban areas and the vegetation coverage in pastoral regions of the Tibetan Plateau based on the spatial–temporal heterogeneity patterns of the EVI of Tibet.

Spatiotemporal Patterns and Driving Factors of Ecological Vulnerability on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Based on the Google Earth Engine

“…In this paper, a unique method was used to calculate ecological vulnerability by a remote sensing index on the GEE platform. In terms of the spatial distribution, the conclusions of Jiang et al [32], Jiang et al [71], Xia et al [42], Li et al [72], and Guo et al [73] were similar to the conclusions of this paper, showing a significant increasing trend of vulnerability from southeast to northwest. All of these articles showed overall trends in spatial variability, but this paper provides more details of that variability, revealing a clear trend toward increased vulnerability in the mountains.…”

“…In this paper, a unique method was used to calculate ecological vulnerability by a remote sensing index on the GEE platform. In terms of the spatial distribution, the conclusions of Jiang et al [32], Jiang et al [71], Xia et al [42], Li et al [72], and Guo et al [73] were similar to the [32,41,42,[71][72][73]. In this paper, a unique method was used to calculate ecological vulnerability by a remote sensing index on the GEE platform.…”

“…Because the QTP is an area vulnerable to global climate change, it is critical to conduct a dynamic evaluation of its ecological vulnerability. Based on different frameworks, methods, time ranges, and indicator selections, many studies have been conducted on the ecological vulnerability of the QTP or Tibet in recent years [32,41,42,[71][72][73]. In this paper, a unique method was used to calculate ecological vulnerability by a remote sensing index on the GEE platform.…”

“…In terms of temporal patterns, both Jiang et al [32] and Jiang et al [71] used 5-year period data to illustrate a declining ecological vulnerability index and improving ecological conditions. Xia et al [42] used year-by-year data for an M-K trend analysis, which illustrated a gradual slowing trend in vulnerability growth.…”

“…There were probably two main reasons for this trend. First, most of the studies that have conducted vulnerability assessments for the QTP have mentioned that ecological conservation measures have had a positive impact on the ecological environment of the QTP [32,42,71,72,74]. These programs supported the conversion of farmland to grassland, biodiversity conservation, and environmental improvement [28].…”