Enhancing sustainability of vegetation ecosystems through ecological engineering: A case study in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. (1st January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yu, Qing; Lu, Hongwei; Yao, Tianci; Xue, Yuxuan; Feng, Wei
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental management. Volume 325:Part B(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-01-01
• Subjects: Ecological engineering -- Climate change -- Human activities -- Relative role -- Spatial heterogeneity -- Qinghai-Tibet Plateau; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; 363.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116576
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0301-4797

Abstract

Abstract: Ecological engineering is an important measure to promote ecosystem adaptation and restoration to deal with environmental change and human disturbance. To assess the effectiveness of ecological construction and analyze the influencing factors of ecosystem changes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), this study detected the spatial changes and dynamic hotspots of vegetation ecosystems in the ecological construction regions of the QTP (QTPE) and regions without ecological construction (QTPWE) using hot spot analysis and comprehensive dynamic degree model. Then the random forest (RF) model and geographical weighted regression model were used to study the degree and spatial heterogeneity of impacts of climate and human activities on normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Results showed that the vegetation restoration of the QTPE was obvious during 2001–2018 as the area of the increasing NDVI accounted for 74.15%. In addition, the effects of climate and human activities on NDVI of vegetation ecosystem showed significant spatial heterogeneity. The RF model showed that population density was the most significant factor affecting ecosystem vegetation in the QTPE, and its relative importance was between 26.1–32.6%, followed by downward shortwave radiation (7.9–16.8%). However, climate factors still had the greatest impact in the QTPWE, with the relative importance of precipitation and temperature being 45% and 15%, respectively. These findings provide a scientific basis for the restoration and management of vegetation on the QTP, and are of great significance for the deployment of future ecological engineering projects. Highlights: The effect of ecological construction on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is evaluated. Spatial heterogeneity of the effects of each factor on the ecosystem is explored. Population density is the most influential factor in ecological construction areas. Climate factors have the greatest impact in areas without ecological construction.