Acta Geographica Sinica ›› 2015, Vol. 70 ›› Issue (5): 717-729.doi: 10.11821/dlxb201505004

• Orginal Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Correlation analysis between vegetation coverage and climate drought conditions in North China during 2001-2013

ZHAO Shuyi1,2,3,4(), GONG Zhaoning1,2,3,4(), LIU Xuying5   

  1. 1. College of Resource Environment & Tourism, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, China
    2. Beijing Laboratory of Water Resources Security, Beijing 100048, China
    3. Key Laboratory of 3D Information Acquisition and Application of Ministry, Beijing 100048, China
    4. Beijing Municipal Key Lab of Resources Environment and GIS, Beijing 100048, China
    5. Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, CAS, Beijing 100101, China
  • Received:2015-01-14 Revised:2015-04-01 Online:2015-05-20 Published:2015-05-20
  • Supported by:
    International Science & Technology Cooperation Program of China, No.2014DFA21620;China Scholarship Foundation

Abstract:

Based on previous studies, the climate drought index can be used to assess the evolution trend of ecological environment under various arid climatic conditions. It is necessary for us to further explore the relationship between vegetation coverage (index) and climate drought conditions. Therefore, in this study, based on MODIS-NDVI products and meteorological observation data, the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) and vegetation coverage in North China were first calculated. Then the interannual variation of PDSI and vegetation coverage over 2001-2013 was analyzed by using a Theil-Sen slope estimator. Finally in an ecoregion perspective the correlation between them was discussed. The experimental results demonstrated that PDSI index and vegetation coverage value varied over different ecoregions. During the period 2001-2013, vegetation coverage increased in southern and northern mountains in North China, while it showed a decreasing trend in Beijing-Tianjin-Tangshan City Circle area and suburban agricultural zone. During the 13 years, the climate of the northeastern part of North China became more humid, while in the southern part of North China, it tended to be dry. According to the correlation analysis results, 73.37% of North China had a positive correlation between the vegetation coverage and climate drought index. A negative correlation was observed mainly in urban and periurban areas of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei Province and Henan Province. In most parts of North China, drought conditions in summer and autumn had more influence on vegetation coverage.

Key words: North China, vegetation coverage, PDSI, ecoregion, correlation analysis