Quantifying vegetation change and driving mechanism analysis in Sichuan from 2000 to 2020

Abstract

Vegetation cover is a crucial indicator of biodiversity and ecological processes, but there are still uncertainties about the factors driving changes in vegetation. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of vegetation cover changes in Sichuan Province from 2000 to 2020 using Formation Vegetation Cover (FVC) derived from MODIS13Q1 data. Our results revealed a consistent increase in vegetation FVC, rising from 0.506 to 0.624 over the 21-year period, with an annual growth rate of 0.0028. The turning point in this growth occurred in 2006. Of significance, the expansion of vegetation covered a substantial portion, accounting for 84.76%, while the decrease constituted 13%. Elevation proved to be an effective explanatory factor, with a coefficient of 0.417, indicating its role in explaining vegetation cover changes. It is important to note that FVC trends and averages exhibited distinct patterns concerning elevation, land use, population density, topography, and soil type, while their correlation with meteorological factors was relatively weak. Concurrently, the increase in construction and urban development had a negative impact on vegetation cover.