LANDSCAPE CHANGES IN A DEGRADED SANDY LAND ECOSYSTEM—A CASE STUDY IN THE OTINDAG SANDY LAND, INNER MONGOLIA, CHINA

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2007.0134

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Landscape pattern can indicate ecosystem changes. The Otindag Sandy Land, which is located in the southeastern Inner Mongolia Plateau, has been degraded by overgrazing in the past two decades. The purposes of this study are to 1) analyze spatial-temporal dynamics of landscape pattern, 2) determine whether landscape pattern can be used as an indicator of ecological degradation, and 3) explore underlying ecological processes that triggered alteration of landscape pattern.

Methods Our approach integrated remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS). The basic sources of data were two Landsat TM/ETM⁺satellite images from 1987 and 2000 and field data collected in summer 2001 and 2002. From the images, we distinguished six landscape types within our study area: grassland, fixed sandy land, semi-fixed sandy land, mobile sandy dune, shrub and water body. We performed a supervised classification procedure to derive landscape maps. Using GIS, we analyzed the resultant landscape maps by change detection analysis and transition matrix analysis.

Important findings Great change occurred at our study area from 1987 to 2000. Total area of grassland, fixed sandy land and semi-fixed sandy land decreased and patch fragmentation increased. Total area of mobile sandy dune increased about 2.5 times and patches expanded and combined into two sand belts. Change detection showed the same tendencies. Transition of landscape types included grassland converted mainly to sandy land, fixed sandy land transformed into semi-fixed sandy land and semi-fixed sandy land changed mainly to active sandy land. The ecosystem in this region seriously degraded from 1987 to 2000, and effective measures should be taken to prevent further environmental deterioration.

Key words: Otindag Sandy Land, landscape pattern, desertification, change detection, transition matrix, remote sensing, GIS

LIU Hai-Jiang, CHENG Wei-Ming, LONG En. LANDSCAPE CHANGES IN A DEGRADED SANDY LAND ECOSYSTEM—A CASE STUDY IN THE OTINDAG SANDY LAND, INNER MONGOLIA, CHINA[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2007, 31(6): 1063-1072.

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https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2007/V31/I6/1063

Figures/Tables 6

References 31

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景观类型 Landscape types		特征 Feature
水域 Water		沙地中分布的大大小小的湖泊(淖尔) Different sizes of lakes are distributed in the sandy land
灌木林 Shrub		分布在丘间洼地上或河流两岸、湖泊周围,建群种为小红柳 This community is dominated by shrub Salix microstachya var. bordensis and mainly distributed on riverside, lakeshore and depression in interdune plain
草原 Grassland		分布于丘间的平沙地上,群落物种为典型草原常见种,以糙隐子草、冷蒿、苔草、冰草为优势种,局部地下水位高的地方,生长以西伯利亚剪股颖、鹅绒委陵菜、金戴戴为优势种的草甸 This community is distributed in interdune plain, and the dominate species include Cleistogenes squarrosa, Artemisia frigida, Agropyron cristatum and Carex sp., which are the common species occurring in typical grassland community. Another community occurs in the area with high water level, which is just like meadow. Preponderant species are Agrostis sibirica, Potentilla anserina and Halerpestes ruthenica
固定沙地 Fixed sandy land		包括缓起伏沙地和沙丘,都有茂密的植被覆盖,有些地方地表有结皮 This landscape includes two landforms. One is gently waved sandland and the other is sand dunes. All of them are covered by flourishing vegetation. Soil crust generates in some places
半固定沙地 Semi-fixed sandy land		包括缓起伏沙地和沙丘,物种主要为沙生及一年生物种,群落结构尚未形成,基质不稳定 This landscape includes two landforms. One is gently waved sandland and the other is sand dune. The species are mainly psammophyte and annual plants, and community structure does not exist
流动沙地 Mobile sandy dune		植被稀疏,基质裸露,物种主要为一年生先锋物种 This landscape is characterized by very sparse annual pioneer plants and mobile sand substrate

景观类型 Landscape types		特征 Feature
水域 Water		沙地中分布的大大小小的湖泊(淖尔) Different sizes of lakes are distributed in the sandy land
灌木林 Shrub		分布在丘间洼地上或河流两岸、湖泊周围,建群种为小红柳 This community is dominated by shrub Salix microstachya var. bordensis and mainly distributed on riverside, lakeshore and depression in interdune plain
草原 Grassland		分布于丘间的平沙地上,群落物种为典型草原常见种,以糙隐子草、冷蒿、苔草、冰草为优势种,局部地下水位高的地方,生长以西伯利亚剪股颖、鹅绒委陵菜、金戴戴为优势种的草甸 This community is distributed in interdune plain, and the dominate species include Cleistogenes squarrosa, Artemisia frigida, Agropyron cristatum and Carex sp., which are the common species occurring in typical grassland community. Another community occurs in the area with high water level, which is just like meadow. Preponderant species are Agrostis sibirica, Potentilla anserina and Halerpestes ruthenica
固定沙地 Fixed sandy land		包括缓起伏沙地和沙丘,都有茂密的植被覆盖,有些地方地表有结皮 This landscape includes two landforms. One is gently waved sandland and the other is sand dunes. All of them are covered by flourishing vegetation. Soil crust generates in some places
半固定沙地 Semi-fixed sandy land		包括缓起伏沙地和沙丘,物种主要为沙生及一年生物种,群落结构尚未形成,基质不稳定 This landscape includes two landforms. One is gently waved sandland and the other is sand dune. The species are mainly psammophyte and annual plants, and community structure does not exist
流动沙地 Mobile sandy dune		植被稀疏,基质裸露,物种主要为一年生先锋物种 This landscape is characterized by very sparse annual pioneer plants and mobile sand substrate

景观类型 Landscape types	时间 Time	斑块数 No. of patches	平均斑块面积 Mean patch area (km²)	标准偏差 SD	总面积 Total area (km²)	百分比 Percentage (%)
水域 Water	1987 2000	19 22	2.04 1.76	2.98 2.05	38.74 38.66	0.77 0.77
灌木林 Shrub	1987 2000	99 178	1.42 1.28	2.21 3.16	140.37 228.57	2.80 4.56
草原 Grassland	1987 2000	491 435	3.59 3.70	14.50 22.46	1 762.40 1 611.48	35.16 32.14
固定沙地 Fixed sandy land	1987 2000	124 263	10.60 3.52	52.15 12.17	1 314.68 926.70	26.23 18.48
半固定沙地 Semi-fixed sandy land	1987 2000	149 370	9.86 3.32	37.42 14.93	1 468.97 1 227.76	29.30 24.49
流动沙地 Mobile sandy dune	1987 2000	101 81	2.85 12.10	4.94 45.58	287.69 980.10	5.74 19.55

景观类型 Landscape types	时间 Time	斑块数 No. of patches	平均斑块面积 Mean patch area (km²)	标准偏差 SD	总面积 Total area (km²)	百分比 Percentage (%)
水域 Water	1987 2000	19 22	2.04 1.76	2.98 2.05	38.74 38.66	0.77 0.77
灌木林 Shrub	1987 2000	99 178	1.42 1.28	2.21 3.16	140.37 228.57	2.80 4.56
草原 Grassland	1987 2000	491 435	3.59 3.70	14.50 22.46	1 762.40 1 611.48	35.16 32.14
固定沙地 Fixed sandy land	1987 2000	124 263	10.60 3.52	52.15 12.17	1 314.68 926.70	26.23 18.48
半固定沙地 Semi-fixed sandy land	1987 2000	149 370	9.86 3.32	37.42 14.93	1 468.97 1 227.76	29.30 24.49
流动沙地 Mobile sandy dune	1987 2000	101 81	2.85 12.10	4.94 45.58	287.69 980.10	5.74 19.55

1987	2000
1987	水域 Water	灌木林 Shrub	草原 Grassland	固定沙地 Fixed sandy land	半固定沙地 Semi-fixed sandy land	流动沙地 Mobile sandy dune
水域 Water	30.88 79.50%	0.60 1.55%	3.41 8.77%	0.14 0.37%	0.21 0.55%	3.60 9.26%
灌木林 Shrub	3.90 2.78%	113.11 80.68%	14.09 10.05%	6.45 4.60%	0.99 0.71%	1.66 1.18%
草原 Grassland	1.40 0.08%	42.66 2.42%	989.23 56.04%	282.45 16.00%	260.61 14.76%	199.95 10.70%
固定沙地 Fixed sandy land	0.42 0.03%	63.32 4.81%	362.14 27.50%	553.37 42.02%	325.26 24.70%	12.26 0.93%
半固定沙地 Semi-fixed sandy land	1.25 0.09%	7.13 0.48%	231.90 15.76%	84.95 5.77%	623.61 42.38%	522.49 35.51%
流动沙地 Mobile sandy dune	0.87 0.30%	1.45 0.50%	13.48 4.68%	0.84 0.29%	19.42 6.75%	251.75 87.47%