Study on Land Use Dynamics: Appropriate Methods for Change Estimation in Social Science Research

Vegetation has changed dramatically in recent years as a result of various disturbances, but the factors influencing vegetation growth vary geographically. We looked into the impact of climate change and human activity on vegetation growth in the Yangtze River Basin (YRB). We characterized vegetation growth in the YRB using gross primary production (GPP) and the leaf area index (LAI), analyzed the relationship between vegetation growth and climate change using the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), and quantified the relative contribution rate of climate change and human activity to vegetation growth in the YRB by using residual trend method. The findings revealed that: 1) From 2000 to 2018, the YRB showed an increasing trend of temperature (0.03°C yr−1) and precipitation (4.02 mm yr−1) and that the entire area was gradually becoming warmer and wetter; 2) Vegetation growth in the YRB showed a significant increasing trend (GPP: 7.83 g C m−2 yr−2, LAI: 0.02 years‐1). Among them, 87.40% of the YRB showed an increasing trend, primarily in the northern, eastern, and southern parts, while decreasing areas were primarily found in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and the YRB’s west region. 3) Vegetation had a significant positive correlation with SPEI in most areas of the YRB, and it was more sensitive to SPEI over a long time scale. The effects of climate change and human activity on vegetation growth in the YRB were spatially heterogeneous, and climate change was the primary driving factors of vegetation change in the YRB (accounting for 61.28%). A large number of grass were converted into forest, crop and urban. Overall, climate change and human activity promoted the growth of vegetation in the middle and upper reaches of YRB (MUYRB) while inhibited the growth of vegetation in the YRD. The findings of this study will contribute to a better understanding of the effects of climate change and human activity on vegetation growth in the YRB, as well as provide a scientific foundation for future ecological restoration in humid and semi-humid areas.

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Spatiotemporal Dynamics and Evolution of Grain Cropping Patterns in Northeast China: Insights from Remote Sensing and Spatial Overlay Analysis

Du,

Han,

Yao

et al. 2024

Agriculture

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Understanding the spatiotemporal patterns and driving mechanisms of cropping patterns’ evolution tailored to local conditions is crucial for the effective allocation of black soil in northeast China and the advancement of agricultural development. This study utilized the Google Earth Engine platform to extract the spatial distribution data of major grain crops in northeast China for the year 2022. Using crop classification data from 2000 to 2022, the spatial overlay analysis method identified cropping pattern types based on spatial and temporal changes. The primary cropping patterns identified were continuous maize cropping, maize–soybean rotation, mixed cropping, and continuous soybean cropping. Simultaneously, this research constructed three distinct crop periods: Period I (2000–2002), Period II (2010–2012), and Period III (2020–2022). Over three periods, these patterns covered 94.73%, 88.76%, and 86.39% of the area, respectively. The evolution of the dominant cropping pattern from Period I to Period II involved the transition from continuous soybean cropping to continuous maize cropping, while from Period II to Period III, the main shift was from continuous maize cropping to maize–soybean mixed cropping. From a spatial perspective, since Period I, maize has increasingly replaced soybean as the dominant crop, with continuous maize cropping expanding northward and continuous soybean cropping contracting. The maize–soybean rotation area also migrated northward, particularly in the core area of the Songnen Plain, evolving mostly into continuous maize cropping. Maize cropping areas exhibited significant regional characteristics, being densely distributed in the Sanjiang Plain and Liaohe Plain, and along major tributaries in northeast China. Consequently, the interplay of the natural environment, economic policies, and agricultural technologies drove these changes. The findings offer valuable insights for optimizing cropping patterns and developing rotation systems in northeast China.

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Study on Land Use Dynamics: Appropriate Methods for Change Estimation in Social Science Research

Cited by 3 publications

References 16 publications

Land Use and Land Cover Change of Chanthaburi Watershed Following 1999, 2006 and 2013 Floods

Land Use and Land Cover Change of Chanthaburi Watershed Following 1999, 2006 and 2013 Floods

The quantitative effects of climate change and human activity on the vegetation growth in the Yangtze River Basin

Spatiotemporal Dynamics and Evolution of Grain Cropping Patterns in Northeast China: Insights from Remote Sensing and Spatial Overlay Analysis

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