Acta Geographica Sinica ›› 2012, Vol. 67 ›› Issue (7): 917-928.doi: 10.11821/xb201207005

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Spatial-temporal Evolution of Aeolian Desertification and Landscape Pattern in Horqin Sandy Land: A Case Study of Naiman Banner in Inner Mongolia

DUAN Hanchen1,2, WANG Tao1, XUE Xian1, GUO Jian1, WEN Xing1,2   

  1. 1. Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, CAS, Lanzhou 730000, China;
    2. Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2012-03-07 Revised:2012-03-31 Online:2012-07-20 Published:2012-07-20
  • Supported by:

    National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40971162; The National Basic Research Program of China, No.2009CB421308

Abstract: Taking Naiman Banner as the typical region, based on remote sensing, geographic information system, landscape ecology and mathematical statistics and other methods, using MSS images in 1975, TM images in 1992, 2006, 2010 and ETM + images in 1999 as data source, we examined dynamic changes the land aeolian desertification of the study area in recent 35 years, and on this basis, we discussed spatial-temporal evolution of landscape pattern of regional land aeolian desertification so as to provide reference for desertification control and eco-environmental restoration in the Horqin Sandy Land. The results show that (1) in the past 35 years, the aeolian desertification area decreased by 123.43 km2 with a reversal trend. Aeolian desertified land mainly experienced a process of increase to decrease; (2) landscape pattern changes in volatility, before 1999, landscape shape index and Shannon's diversity index increased, contagion and aggregation index decreased, and the fragmentation and desertification were intensified, the dominant types were moderate and severe aeolian desertified land. After 1999, the degree of fragmentation abated, and the desertification degree decreased obviously, moderate and light aeolian desertified land took the leading position; (3) the centroids of light and moderate aeolian desertified land moved obviously from 1975 to 2010, that of light aeolian desertified land moved 6.35 km to the northeast, and that of moderate aeolian desertified land moved 7.24 km to the southwest.

Key words: Horqin Sandy Land, aeolian desertification, landscape pattern, Naiman Banner