Ecological function-oriented vegetation protection and restoration strategies in China's Loess Plateau. (1st December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Han, Qinggong; Zhang, Jishen; Shi, Xinjie; Zhou, Daquan; Ding, Yongxia; Peng, Shouzhang
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental management. Volume 323(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-12-01
• Subjects: Potential natural vegetation -- Ecological functions -- Loess plateau -- Vegetation protection -- Vegetation restoration -- Climate change; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; 363.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116290
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0301-4797

Abstract

Abstract: Potential natural vegetation (PNV) can provide a reference for vegetation protection and restoration. Previous studies often used PNV patterns as a reference; however, they ignored PNV ecological functions, impeding the establishment of function-oriented vegetation protection and restoration plans. To address this issue, this study used Loess Plateau of China as a case study to propose an ecological function-oriented vegetation protection and restoration framework based on PNV patterns and ecological functions. The results showed that PNV patterns, ecological functions, and their synergistic and trade-off relationships represented distinct spatial differences that would be largely influenced by climate change. This suggested that vegetation protection and restoration should be adapted to climate change. The protection and potential restoration regions for actual forest and grass were detected based on the stable PNV regions. Approximately 34.5%–41.4% of actual forest and 81.2%–82.3% of actual grass should be protected. Further, 13.9%–16.2% of actual forest and 14.7%–15.2% of actual grass have the potential to be restored to grass and forest, respectively, and lastly, the priority regions of forest and grass protection and potential restoration were determined according to a composite ecological functions index. Moreover, forest protection should be prioritized, followed by forest potential restoration, grass potential restoration, and grass protection. These results would be conducive to forest and grass protection and restoration of the Loess Plateau. The proposed framework is applicable to other regions of the world for developing vegetation protection and restoration strategies. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Ecological function of PNV was integrated into vegetation protection/restoration. 34.5–41.4% of forest and 81.2–82.3% of grass should be protected. 13.9–16.2% of forest has the potential to be restored to grass. 14.7–15.2% of grass has the potential to be restored to forest.