A review on the research progress of desertification assessment

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1258.2011.00345

Abstract

Abstract:

Desertification is widely recognized as one of the most serious global environmental threats occurring in ecological fragile areas. To assess desertification at a regional scale is of practical significance in understanding environmental change and strengthening ecosystem management. We critically reviewed the development of desertification concepts, as well as common assessment methodologies. We emphasized desertification assessment objects and indicators, as well as scales. We showed that, compared to other indicators, indicators derived from vegetation information are more reliable and effective in desertification assessment. We proposed future research prospects on desertification assessment.

Key words: desertification, desertification assessment, vegetation

YIN He, LI Zheng-Guo, WANG Yang-Lin. A review on the research progress of desertification assessment[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2011, 35(3): 345-352.

Add to citation manager EndNote|Ris|BibTeX

URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1258.2011.00345

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2011/V35/I3/345

Figures/Tables 2

References 53

[1]	Aubreville A (1949). Climats, Forest, et Desertification de l'Afrique Tropicale. Societe de Editions Geographiques, Maritime et Coloniales, Paris. 255.
[2]	Bai ZG, Dent DL, Olsson L, Schaepman ME (2008). Global Assessment of Land Degradation and Improvement. 1. Identification by Remote Sensing. Report 2008/01, ISRIC—World Soil Information, Wageningen. DOI URL PMID
[3]	Berry L, Abraham E, Essahli W (2009). UNCCD recommended minimum set of impact indicators. http://www.unccd.int/regional/rcm/docs/UNCCD%20Min%20Set%20of%20Impact%20Indicators%20Final%20Report%20June%204.pdf. Cited Apr. 2009.
[4]	Bestelmeyer BT, Trujillo DA, Tugel AJ, Havstad KM (2006). A multi-scale classification of vegetation dynamics in arid lands: What is the right scale for models, monitoring, and restoration? Journal of Arid Environments, 65, 296-318. DOI URL
[5]	Bovill E (1921). The encroachment of the Sahara on the Sudan, Journal of the African Society, 20, 175-185.
[6]	Cao X (曹鑫), Gu ZH (辜智慧), Chen J (陈晋), Liu J (刘晋), Shi PJ (史培军) (2006). Analysis of human-induced steppe degradation based on remote sensing in Xilin Gole, Inner Mongolia, China. Journal of Plant Ecology (Chinese Version) (植物生态学报)), 30, 268-277. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[7]	Charney J, Stone PH, Quirk WJ (1975). Drought in the Sahara: a biogeophysical feedback mechanism. Science, 187, 434-435. DOI URL PMID
[8]	Chen XQ (陈效逑), Wang H (王恒) (2009). Spatial and temporal variations of vegetation belts and vegetation cover degrees in Inner Mongolia from 1982 to 2003. Acta Geographica Sinica (地理学报), 64, 84-94. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[9]	Chen YH (陈云浩), Li XB (李晓兵), Shi PJ (史培军) (2001). Variation in NDVI driven by climate factors across China, 1983-1992. Acta Phytoecologica Sinica (植物生态学报), 25, 716-720. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[10]	Ci LJ (慈龙骏) (2000). Understanding on the term of “Desertification”. Chinese Science and Technology Terms Journal (科技术语研究), 2(4), 11-13. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[11]	Ding GD (丁国栋), Zhao TN (赵廷宁), Fan JY (范建友), Du H (杜华) (2004). Analysis on development of desertification assessment indicator system. Journal of Beijing Forestry University (北京林业大学学报), 26(1), 92-96. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[12]	Diouf A, Lambin EF (2001). Monitoring land-cover changes in semi-arid regions: remote sensing data and field observations in the Ferlo, Senegal. Journal of Arid Environments, 48, 129-148. DOI URL
[13]	Dong GR (董光荣), Shen JY (申建友), Jin J (金炯), Gao SY (高尚玉), Li BJ (李保佳) (1988). Conceptions of desertification and desertization. Arid Land Geography (干旱区地理), 1, 58-61. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[14]	Gao SW (高尚武), Wang BF (王葆芳), Zhu LY (朱灵益), Wang JH (王君厚), Zhang YG (张玉贵) (1998). Monitoring and evaluation indicator system on sandy desertification of China. Scientia Silvae Sinicae (林业科学), 2, 1-10. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[15]	Gao ZH (高志海), Li ZY (李增元), Ding GD (丁国栋), Li LY (李林英) (2005). New approach for desertification assessment by remote sensing based upon rain use efficiency of vegetation. Science of Soil and Water Conversation (中国水土保持科学), 3, 37-41. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[16]	Gao ZH (高志海), Sun BP (孙保平), Ding GD (丁国栋) (2004). A review on the theory and technologies of desertification assessment. Journal of Desert Research (中国沙漠), 24, 17-22. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[17]	Grainger A, Smith SM, Squires VR, Glenn EP (2000). Desertification and climate change: the case for greater convergence. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 5, 361-377. DOI URL
[18]	Gu ZJ (顾祝军), Zeng ZY (曾志远) (2005). Overview of researches on vegetation coverage in remote sensing. Research of Soil Water Conservation (水土保持研究), 12, 18-21. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[19]	Hein L, de Ridder N (2006). Desertification in the Sahel: a reinterpretation. Global Change Biology, 12, 751-758. DOI URL
[20]	Helldén U, Tottrup C (2008). Regional desertification: a global synthesis. Global and Planetary Change, 64, 169-176. DOI URL
[21]	Hountondji YC, Sokpon N, Ozer P (2006). Analysis of the vegetation trends using low resolution remote sensing data in Burkina Faso (1982-1999) for the monitoring of desertification. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 27, 871-884. DOI URL
[22]	Hu LJ (胡良军), Shao MA (邵明安) (2001). Vegetation coverage index in soil and water loss studies. Journal of Northwest Forestry University (西北林学院学报), 16, 40-43. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[23]	Huenneke LF, Anderson JP, Remmenga M, Schlesinger WH (2002). Desertification alters patterns of aboveground net primary production in Chihuahuan ecosystems. Global Change Biology, 8, 247-264. DOI URL
[24]	Jiang Y (姜晔), Bi XL (毕晓丽), Huang JH (黄建辉), Bai YF (白永飞) (2010). Patterns and drivers of vegetation degradation in Xilin River Basin, Inner Mongolia, China. Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology (植物生态学报), 34, 1132-1141. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[25]	Kharin N (2002). Vegetation Degradation in Central Asia under the Impact of Human Activities. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. 182.
[26]	Lepers E, Lambin EF, Janetos AC, DeFries R, Achard F, Ramankutty N, Scholes RJ (2005). A synthesis of information on rapid land-cover change for the period 1981-2000. BioScience, 55, 115-124. DOI URL
[27]	Li BL (李宝林), Zhou CH (周成虎) (2001). Sandy desertification in west of northeast China plain in the past 10 years. Acta Geographica Sinica (地理学报), 56, 307-315. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[28]	Li ZG (李正国), Wang YL (王仰麟), Zhang XF (张小飞) (2005). Landscape dynamics and vegetation cover seasonal response in Loess Plateau of northern Shaanxi. Acta Geographica Sinica (地理学报), 60, 299-308. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[29]	Myneni RB, Los SO, Tucker CJ, Compton J (1996). Satellite-based identification of linked vegetation index and sea surface temperature anomaly areas from 1982-1990 for Africa, Australia and South America. Geophysical Research Letters, 23, 729-732. DOI URL
[30]	Nicholson SE, Tucker CJ, Ba MB (1998). Desertification, drought, and surface vegetation: an example from the west African Sahel. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 79, 815-829. DOI URL
[31]	Prince SD, Becker-Reshef I, Rishmawi K (2009). Detection and mapping of long-term land degradation using local net production scaling: application to Zimbabwe. Remote Sensing of Environment, 113, 1046-1057. DOI URL
[32]	Prince SD, de Colstoun EB, Kravitz LL (1998). Evidence from rain-use efficiencies does not indicate extensive Sahelian desertification. Global Change Biology, 4, 359-374. DOI URL
[33]	Prince SD, Wessels KJ, Tucker CJ, Nicholson SE (2007). Desertification in the Sahel: a reinterpretation of a reinterpretation. Global Change Biology, 13, 1308-1313. DOI URL
[34]	Qi Q (齐清), Wang TM (王天明), Kou XJ (寇晓军), Ge JP (葛剑平) (2009). Temporal and spatial change of vegetation cover and the relationship with precipitation in Jinghe watershed of China. Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology (植物生态学报), 33, 716-720. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[35]	Qin W (秦伟), Zhu QK (朱清科), Zhang XX (张学霞), Li WH (李文华), Fang B (方斌) (2006). Review of vegetation covering and its measuring and calculating method. Journal of Northwest Sci-tech University of Agriculture and Forestry (西北农林科技大学学报), 34, 163-170. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[36]	Snyman HA (1998). Dynamics and sustainable utilization of rangeland ecosystems in arid and semi-arid climates of southern Africa. Journal of Arid Environments, 39, 645-666. DOI URL
[37]	Snyman HA, Fouché HJ (1991). Production and water-use efficiency of semi-arid grasslands of South Africa as affected by veld condition and rainfall. Water SA, 17, 263-268.
[38]	Stoms DM, Hargrove WW (2000). Potential NDVI as a baseline for monitoring ecosystem functioning. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 21, 401-407. DOI URL
[39]	Symeonakis E, Drake N (2004). Monitoring desertification and land degradation over sub-Saharan Africa. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 25, 573-592. DOI URL
[40]	Thomas D (1997). Science and the desertification debate. Journal of Arid Environments, 37, 599-608. DOI URL
[41]	Tongway D, Hindley N (2000). Assessing and monitoring desertification with soil indicators. In: Arnalds O, Archer S eds. Rangeland Desertification. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. 89-98.
[42]	Varnamkhasti AS, Milchunas DG, Lauenroth WK, Goetz H (1995). Production and rain use efficiency in short-grass steppe: grazing history, defoliation and water resource. Journal of Vegetation Science, 6, 787-796. DOI URL
[43]	Veron SR, Paruelo JM, Oesterheld M (2006). Assessing desertification. Journal of Arid Environments, 66, 751-763. DOI URL
[44]	Viets FG (1962). Fertilizers and the efficient use of water. Advances in Agronomy, 14, 223-264.
[45]	Weiss E, Marsh SE, Pfirman ES (2001). Application of NOAA-AVHRR NDVI time-series data to assess changes in Saudi Arabia’s rangelands. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 22, 1005-1027. DOI URL
[46]	Wu B (吴波) (2000). Landscape classification cartography of sandy desertified land: a case study in the Mu Us sandy land. Acta Phytoecologica Sinica (植物生态学报), 24, 52-57. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[47]	Wu B (吴波), Su ZZ (苏志珠), Chen ZX (陈仲新) (2007). A revised potential extent of desertification in China. Journal of Desert Research (中国沙漠), 27, 911-917. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[48]	Wu B (吴波), Su ZZ (苏志珠), Yang XH (杨晓辉), Liu W (刘文), Ju HB (鞠洪波), Liu Y (刘燕) (2005). A framework of indicator system for desertification monitoring and evaluation. Forest Research (林业科学研究), 18, 911-917. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[49]	Xu WK (徐文科), Cai TJ (蔡体久), Ju CY (琚存勇) (2007). Quantitative estimation of desertification degree based on RS and GIS in Mu Us Sandland, Inner Mongolia. Scientia Silvae Sinicae (林业科学), 5, 48-53. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[50]	Yang X, Zhang K, Jia B, Ci L (2005). Desertification assessment in China: an overview. Journal of Arid Environments, 63, 517-531. DOI URL
[51]	Yang XH (杨晓晖), Ci LJ (慈龙骏) (2006). Progress on remote sensing-based desertification assessment. World Forestry Research (世界林业研究), 19, 11-17. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[52]	Zhang H (张宏), Ci LJ (慈龙骏), Sun BP (孙保平) (1999). A preliminary reflection on several theoretical problems of desertification. Scientia Geographica Sinica (地理科学), 19, 446-450. (in Chinese with English abstract)
[53]	Zhu ZD (朱震达) (1994). Current situation and prospect of land desertification problem. Geographical Research (地理研究), 13, 104-113. (in Chinese with English abstract)

类别 Catalogue	因子 Factor
气候 Climate	气温: 平均值, 最高值, 变异性 Air temperature: Average, Maximum, Variety 降雨: 总量, 强度, 空间分布 Rainfall: Rainfall amount, Rainfall intensity, Spatial distribution 干旱: 强度, 持续时间 Drought: Drought intensity, Lasting days 风: 风速, 沙尘暴天数 Wind: Wind speed, Sandstorm lasting days
土壤 Soil	土壤属性: 土壤剖面, 有机质, 结构, 土壤板结程度 Soil properties: Soil profile, Soil organic matter, Soil structure, Soil crust 土壤侵蚀: 水土流失, 盐渍化 Soil erosion: Soil erosion, Soil salinization 其他: 地下水水位及水量 Others: Groundwater level and quantity
植被 Vegetation	结构: 覆盖度, 空间分布, 演替, 植被形态 Structure: Fractional cover, Spatial distribution, Succession, Vegetation form 组分: 丰富度, 多样性, 生命型 Component: Species richness, Vegetation diversity, Life type 功能: 生物量, 优势种, 生产力 Function: Biomass, Dominant species, Vegetation productivity
地形与景观 Terrain and landscapes	地形: 坡度, 坡长, 坡形 Terrain: Slope, Slope length, Slope shape 地貌: 地表构成, 沙丘密度 Topography: Surface composition, Sand dune density
社会经济 Socioeconomic	土地利用类型, 人口密度, 土地耕作比例, 家畜密度, 平均牲畜收入, 土地生产力 Land use, Population density, Proportion of land cultivation, Livestock density, Average livestock income, Land productivity

类别 Catalogue	因子 Factor
气候 Climate	气温: 平均值, 最高值, 变异性 Air temperature: Average, Maximum, Variety 降雨: 总量, 强度, 空间分布 Rainfall: Rainfall amount, Rainfall intensity, Spatial distribution 干旱: 强度, 持续时间 Drought: Drought intensity, Lasting days 风: 风速, 沙尘暴天数 Wind: Wind speed, Sandstorm lasting days
土壤 Soil	土壤属性: 土壤剖面, 有机质, 结构, 土壤板结程度 Soil properties: Soil profile, Soil organic matter, Soil structure, Soil crust 土壤侵蚀: 水土流失, 盐渍化 Soil erosion: Soil erosion, Soil salinization 其他: 地下水水位及水量 Others: Groundwater level and quantity
植被 Vegetation	结构: 覆盖度, 空间分布, 演替, 植被形态 Structure: Fractional cover, Spatial distribution, Succession, Vegetation form 组分: 丰富度, 多样性, 生命型 Component: Species richness, Vegetation diversity, Life type 功能: 生物量, 优势种, 生产力 Function: Biomass, Dominant species, Vegetation productivity
地形与景观 Terrain and landscapes	地形: 坡度, 坡长, 坡形 Terrain: Slope, Slope length, Slope shape 地貌: 地表构成, 沙丘密度 Topography: Surface composition, Sand dune density
社会经济 Socioeconomic	土地利用类型, 人口密度, 土地耕作比例, 家畜密度, 平均牲畜收入, 土地生产力 Land use, Population density, Proportion of land cultivation, Livestock density, Average livestock income, Land productivity

文献 Reference	植被覆盖度 Fractional vegetation cover	净初级生产力 Net primary productivity	植被降水利用率 Vegetation rain use efficiency	其他指标 Other indicators
Nicholson et al., 1998			√
Prince et al., 1998			√
Diouf & Lambin, 2001			√	植被多样性, 生物量 Vegetation diversity, Biomass
Li & Zhou, 2001	√			土壤调整植被指数 Soil adjusted vegetation index
Symeonakis & Drake, 2004	√		√	地表径流, 土壤侵蚀 Surface runoff, Soil erosion
Hountondji et al., 2006		√	√
Prince et al., 2007			√
Helldén & Tottrup, 2008	√
Bai et al., 2008			√	能量利用率 Energy use efficiency
Berry et al., 2009		√	√	能量利用率 Energy use efficiency

文献 Reference	植被覆盖度 Fractional vegetation cover	净初级生产力 Net primary productivity	植被降水利用率 Vegetation rain use efficiency	其他指标 Other indicators
Nicholson et al., 1998			√
Prince et al., 1998			√
Diouf & Lambin, 2001			√	植被多样性, 生物量 Vegetation diversity, Biomass
Li & Zhou, 2001	√			土壤调整植被指数 Soil adjusted vegetation index
Symeonakis & Drake, 2004	√		√	地表径流, 土壤侵蚀 Surface runoff, Soil erosion
Hountondji et al., 2006		√	√
Prince et al., 2007			√
Helldén & Tottrup, 2008	√
Bai et al., 2008			√	能量利用率 Energy use efficiency
Berry et al., 2009		√	√	能量利用率 Energy use efficiency