Spatial distribution of land cover and vegetation activity along topographic gradient in an arid river valley, SW China |
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| Authors: | Wen Liu Xianli Xu Jiancheng Luo Zhanfeng Shen Qiuhai Zhong |
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| Institution: | LIU Wen1,2,3,XU Xianli2,4*,LUO Jiancheng3,SHEN Zhanfeng3,ZHONG Qiuhai1 1 Department of Automatic Control,School of Automation,Beijing Institute of Technology,Beijing 100081,China 2 State Key Laboratory of Urban , Regional Ecology,Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100085,China 3 Institute of Remote Sensing Applications,Beijing 100101,China 4 Centre for Hydrology,Micrometeorology , Climate Change,Department of Ci... |
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| Abstract: | Anthropogenic activities have become more and more important in characterizing the landscape, but their impacts are still
restricted by natural environments. This paper discusses the interactions of anthropogenic activity, vegetation activity and
topography through describing the spatial distribution of land cover and vegetation activity (represented by Normalized Difference
Vegetation Index, NDVI) along topographic gradient in a mountainous area of southwestern China. Our results indicate that
the existing landscape pattern is controlled by anthropogenic activities as well as topographic factors. Intensive anthropogenic
activities mainly occur in areas with relatively low elevation, gentle and concave slopes, as these areas are easy and convenient
to attain for human. Because of the destruction by human, some land cover types (mainly grassland and shrub) are only found
in relatively harsher environments. This study also finds that topographic wetness index (W) used in other places only reflects runoff generation capacity, but not indicate the real spatial pattern of soil water content
in this area. The relationships between NDVI and W, and NDVI and length slope factor (LSF) show that runoff and erosion have complex effects on vegetation activity. Greater values of W and LSF will lead to stronger capacity to produce runoff and transport sediment, and thereby increase soil water content and soil
deposition, whereas beyond a certain threshold runoff and erosion are so strong that they would destruct vegetation growth.
This study provides information needed to successfully restore native vegetation, improve land management, and promote sustainable
development in mountainous areas, especially for developing regions. |
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| Keywords: | Vertical distribution of land cover Anthropogenic activity Vegetation activity Environmental variability China |
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