scholarly journals Multiple Effects of Topographic Factors on Spatio-Temporal Variations of Vegetation Patterns in the Three Parallel Rivers Region, Southeast Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 151
Author(s):  
Chunya Wang ◽  
Jinniu Wang ◽  
Niyati Naudiyal ◽  
Ning Wu ◽  
Xia Cui ◽  
...  

Topographic factors are critical for influencing vegetation distribution patterns, and studying the interactions between them can enhance our understanding of future vegetation dynamics. We used the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (MODIS NDVI) image dataset (2000–2019), combined with the Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and vegetation type data for trend analysis, and explored NDVI variation and its relationship with topographic factors through an integrated geographically-weighted model in the Three Parallel Rivers Region (TPRR) of southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) in the past 20 years. Our results indicated that there was no significant increase of NDVI in the entire basin between 2000–2019, except for the Lancang River basin. In the year 2004, abrupt changes in NDVI were observed across the entire basin and each sub-basin. During 2000–2019, the mean NDVI value of the whole basin increased initially and then decreased with the increasing elevation. However, it changed marginally with variations in slope and aspect. We observed a distinct spatial heterogeneity in vegetation patterns with elevation, with higher NDVI in the southern regions NDVI than those in the north as a whole. Most of the vegetation cover was concentrated in the slope range of 8~35°, with no significant difference in distribution except flat land. Furthermore, from 2000 to 2019, the vegetation cover in the TPRR showed an improving trend with the changes of various topographic factors, with the largest improvement area (36.10%) in the slightly improved category. The improved region was mainly distributed in the source area of the Jinsha River basin and the southern part of the whole basin. Geographically weighted regression (GWR) analysis showed that elevation was negatively correlated with NDVI trends in most areas, especially in the middle reaches of Nujiang River basin and Jinsha River basin, where the influence of slope and aspect on NDVI change was considerably much smaller than elevation. Our results confirmed the importance of topographic factors on vegetation growth processes and have implications for understanding the sustainable development of mountain ecosystems.

Author(s):  
Chunya Wang ◽  
Jinniu Wang ◽  
Niyati Naudiyal ◽  
Ning Wu ◽  
Xia Cui ◽  
...  

Topographic factors are recognized as one of the key factors influencing vegetation distribution patterns, and studying the interactions between them can contribute to enhancing our understanding of future vegetation dynamics. We used the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (MODIS NDVI) image dataset (2000-2019), combined with Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and vegetation type data for trend analysis, and explored NDVI variation and its relationship with topographic factors through an integrated geographically-weighted model in the Three Parallel Rivers Region (TPRR) of southeastern Tibetan plateau in the past 20 years. Our results indicated that there was no significant increase of NDVI in the entire basin between 2000-2019, except for the Lancang River basin. In the year 2004, abrupt changes in NDVI were observed across the whole basin and each sub-basin. During 2000-2019, the mean NDVI value of the whole basin increased initially and then decreased with the increasing elevation. However, it changed marginally with changes in slope and aspect. We observed a distinct spatial heterogeneity in vegetation patterns with elevation, with vegetation in the southern regions showing higher NDVI than the north as a whole. Most of the vegetation cover was concentrated in the slope range of 8~35°, with no significant difference in distribution except flat-land. Furthermore, from 2000 to 2019, the vegetation cover in the TPRR showed an improving trend with the changes of various topographic factors, with the largest improvement area (36.10%) in the slightly improved category. The improved region was mainly distributed in the source area of the Jinsha River basin and the southern part of the whole basin. Geographically weighted regression (GWR) analysis showed that elevation was negatively correlated with NDVI trends in most areas, especially in the middle reaches of Nujiang River basin and Jinsha River basin, where the influence of slope and aspect on NDVI change was considerably much smaller than elevation.


Author(s):  
Chunya Wang ◽  
Jinniu Wang ◽  
Niyati Naudiyal ◽  
Ning Wu ◽  
Xia Cui ◽  
...  

Topographic factors are recognized as one of the key factors influencing vegetation distribution patterns, and studying the interactions between them can contribute to enhancing our understanding of future vegetation dynamics. We used the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (MODIS NDVI) image dataset (2000-2019), combined with Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and vegetation type data for trend analysis, and explored NDVI variation and its relationship with topographic factors through an integrated geographically-weighted model in the Three Parallel Rivers Region (TPRR) of southeastern Tibetan plateau in the past 20 years. Our results indicated that there was no significant increase of NDVI in the entire basin between 2000-2019, except for the Lancang River basin. In the year 2004, abrupt changes in NDVI were observed across the whole basin and each sub-basin. During 2000-2019, the mean NDVI value of the whole basin increased initially and then decreased with the increasing elevation. However, it changed marginally with changes in slope and aspect. We observed a distinct spatial heterogeneity in vegetation patterns with elevation, with vegetation in the southern regions showing higher NDVI than the north as a whole. Most of the vegetation cover was concentrated in the slope range of 8~35°, with no significant difference in distribution except flat-land. Furthermore, from 2000 to 2019, the vegetation cover in the TPRR showed an improving trend with the changes of various topographic factors, with the largest improvement area (36.10%) in the slightly improved category. The improved region was mainly distributed in the source area of the Jinsha River basin and the southern part of the whole basin. Geographically weighted regression (GWR) analysis showed that elevation was negatively correlated with NDVI trends in most areas, especially in the middle reaches of Nujiang River basin and Jinsha River basin, where the influence of slope and aspect on NDVI change was considerably much smaller than elevation.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongxiu Sun ◽  
Shiliang Liu ◽  
Yuhong Dong ◽  
Shikui Dong ◽  
Fangning Shi

<p>Quantifying drought variations at multi-time scales is important to assess the potential impacts of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems, especially vulnerable desert grassland. Based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), we assessed the influences of different time-scales drought (SPEI-3, SPEI-6, SPEI-12, SPEI-24, and SPEI-48 with 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 months, respectively) on vegetation dynamics in the Qaidam River Basin, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Results showed that: (1) Temporally, annual and summer NDVI increased, while spring and autumn NDVI decreased from 1998 to 2015. Annual, spring and summer SPEI increased and autumn SPEI decreased. (2) Spatially, annual, spring, summer, and autumn NDVI increased in the periphery of the Basin, with 45.98%, 22.68%, 43.90%  and 30.80% of the study area, respectively. SPEI showed a reverse variation pattern with NDVI, with an obvious decreasing trend from southeast to northwest. (3) Annual vegetation growth in most areas (69.53%, 77.33%, 86.36%, 90.19% and 85.44%) was correlated with drought at all time-scales during 1998-2015. However, high spatial and seasonal differences occurred among different time-scales, with the maximum influence in summer under SPEI24. (4) From month to annual scales, NDVI of all land cover types showed higher correlation to long-term drought of SPEI24 or SPEI48. Vegetation condition index (VCI) and SPEI were positively correlated at all time-scales and had a more obvious response in summer. The highest correlation was VCI of grassland (June-July) or forest (April-May, August-October) and SPEI48. This study contributes to exploring the effect of drought on vegetation dynamics at different time scales, further providing credible guidance for regional water resources management.</p>


Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xi Chen ◽  
Guoli Wang ◽  
Fuqiang Wang

The stable isotopic study of the mechanism of runoff replenishment in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a time-consuming and complicated process requiring complex monitoring data and scientific evaluation methods. Based on the data of water stable isotopes (18O and 2H) in the Naqu River basin, the present paper developed a framework of the variable fuzzy evaluation model (VFEM) to provide a method to classify stable isotopes and generalize the source identification of water replenishment by rainfall or snowmelt in the Naqu River basin. The grade eigenvalues of tributaries were ranked from low to high as follows: 1, 1.005, 1.089, 1.151, 1.264, 1.455 and 2.624. Three sets of tributaries were distinguished. The grade eigenvalues of the Najinqu, Bazongqu, Mumuqu, Chengqu and Gongqu Rivers were small, indicating that these tributaries were strongly supplemented by precipitation and snowmelt; the grade eigenvalue of the Zongqingqu River was in the medium range (1.455); the third group included the Mugequ River with a high status value (2.624). This study mainly highlighted the combination of the classification of stable isotopes and plots of δ2H vs. δ18O in the source identification of water replenishment, which will be helpful for studying runoff replenishment and the evolution mechanism in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.


Author(s):  
Honglei Li ◽  
Jian Fang

As the most active plateau on the Earth, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has a complex crust-mantle structure. Knowledge of the distribution of such a structure provides information for understanding the underlying geodynamic processes. We obtains a three-dimensional density model of crustal and upper mantle beneath Qinghai-Tibet plateau and its surrounding areas from the residual geoid anomalies using the Earth Gravitational Model (EGM) 2008. We estimate a refined density model by iterations, using an initial density contrast model. We confirm that the EGM2008 mission products can be used to constrain the crust-mantle density structures. Our major findings are: (1). At 300-400 km depth, high-D anomalies terminate around Jinsha River Suture (JRS) in the central TP, suggesting that the Indian plate has been reached over the Bangong Nujiang Suture (BNS) and almost reach to the JRS. (2). On the eastern TP, low-D anomalies at the depth of 0-300 km together with high-D anomalies at 400-670 km further verified the current eastward subduction of Indian plate. The ongoing subduction provides forces to the occurrences of frequent earthquakes and volcano. (3). At 600 km depth, low-D anomalies inside the TP illustrate the existence of hot weak material beneath there, contributing to the external material inward-thrusting.


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