Global temporal and spatial changes of vegetation in desert steppe Ecosystems: Impacts of climate driving factors
Desert steppe ecosystems are crucial for global ecological stability and human well-being. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of long-term vegetation changes in desert steppes and their relationship with climatic factors, using GIMMS NDVI data (1993–2022) and multi-source climate datasets....
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Elsevier
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Ecological Indicators |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X2500264X |
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| author | Xiaonan Chen Bochao Cui Dongwei Gui Qi Liu Yunfei Liu Qian Jin |
| author_facet | Xiaonan Chen Bochao Cui Dongwei Gui Qi Liu Yunfei Liu Qian Jin |
| author_sort | Xiaonan Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Desert steppe ecosystems are crucial for global ecological stability and human well-being. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of long-term vegetation changes in desert steppes and their relationship with climatic factors, using GIMMS NDVI data (1993–2022) and multi-source climate datasets. The research finds that 82 % of global desert steppes are concentrated in Eurasia. Over the past 30 years, approximately 50 % of these ecosystems have experienced significant vegetation declines, with Central Asia being the most affected region, highlighting increased ecological vulnerability. Quantitative analysis shows that minimum temperature and vapor pressure contribute 7.26 % and 7.67 % to positive vegetation changes, respectively, while the leaf area index of low vegetation contributes the most (14.45 %), reflecting ecosystem resilience under favorable conditions. Conversely, solar radiation and surface pressure account for 29.38 % and 10.01 % of negative changes, respectively, with solar radiation having the most significant impact, particularly near critical aridity thresholds where ecosystem degradation is most pronounced. These findings underscore the urgency of targeted conservation efforts, particularly in Central Asia and the United States, to mitigate further degradation of desert steppes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-917d6f1554b14b42b95b8d2a598ae222 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1470-160X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Indicators |
| spelling | doaj-art-917d6f1554b14b42b95b8d2a598ae2222025-08-20T03:42:41ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2025-03-0117211333310.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113333Global temporal and spatial changes of vegetation in desert steppe Ecosystems: Impacts of climate driving factorsXiaonan Chen0Bochao Cui1Dongwei Gui2Qi Liu3Yunfei Liu4Qian Jin5State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, PR China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert Grassland Ecosystem in Xinjiang, Cele 848300, Xinjiang, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, PR ChinaState Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, PR China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert Grassland Ecosystem in Xinjiang, Cele 848300, Xinjiang, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, PR ChinaXinjiang Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China; Corresponding author.State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, PR China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert Grassland Ecosystem in Xinjiang, Cele 848300, Xinjiang, PR China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, PR ChinaState Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, PR China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert Grassland Ecosystem in Xinjiang, Cele 848300, Xinjiang, PR China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, PR ChinaState Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, PR China; Cele National Station of Observation and Research for Desert Grassland Ecosystem in Xinjiang, Cele 848300, Xinjiang, PR China; Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Desert Plant Roots Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, PR ChinaDesert steppe ecosystems are crucial for global ecological stability and human well-being. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of long-term vegetation changes in desert steppes and their relationship with climatic factors, using GIMMS NDVI data (1993–2022) and multi-source climate datasets. The research finds that 82 % of global desert steppes are concentrated in Eurasia. Over the past 30 years, approximately 50 % of these ecosystems have experienced significant vegetation declines, with Central Asia being the most affected region, highlighting increased ecological vulnerability. Quantitative analysis shows that minimum temperature and vapor pressure contribute 7.26 % and 7.67 % to positive vegetation changes, respectively, while the leaf area index of low vegetation contributes the most (14.45 %), reflecting ecosystem resilience under favorable conditions. Conversely, solar radiation and surface pressure account for 29.38 % and 10.01 % of negative changes, respectively, with solar radiation having the most significant impact, particularly near critical aridity thresholds where ecosystem degradation is most pronounced. These findings underscore the urgency of targeted conservation efforts, particularly in Central Asia and the United States, to mitigate further degradation of desert steppes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X2500264XDesert steppeClimate changeVegetation coverageRandom forestDesertification |
| spellingShingle | Xiaonan Chen Bochao Cui Dongwei Gui Qi Liu Yunfei Liu Qian Jin Global temporal and spatial changes of vegetation in desert steppe Ecosystems: Impacts of climate driving factors Ecological Indicators Desert steppe Climate change Vegetation coverage Random forest Desertification |
| title | Global temporal and spatial changes of vegetation in desert steppe Ecosystems: Impacts of climate driving factors |
| title_full | Global temporal and spatial changes of vegetation in desert steppe Ecosystems: Impacts of climate driving factors |
| title_fullStr | Global temporal and spatial changes of vegetation in desert steppe Ecosystems: Impacts of climate driving factors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Global temporal and spatial changes of vegetation in desert steppe Ecosystems: Impacts of climate driving factors |
| title_short | Global temporal and spatial changes of vegetation in desert steppe Ecosystems: Impacts of climate driving factors |
| title_sort | global temporal and spatial changes of vegetation in desert steppe ecosystems impacts of climate driving factors |
| topic | Desert steppe Climate change Vegetation coverage Random forest Desertification |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X2500264X |
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