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Arid Land Geography ›› 2021, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (1): 277-288.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000–6060.2021.01.29

• Regional Development • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Spatial-temporal variation and driving forces of ecological vulnerability in Kashi Prefecture

LI Lu1(),SUN Guili1,2(),LU Haiyan1,LU Hang1,SHI Haobo1   

  1. 1. College of Forestry and Horticulture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, Xinjiang, China
    2. Key Laboratory of Forestry Ecology and Industrial Technology in Arid Areas, Urumqi 830052, Xinjiang, China
  • Received:2019-08-12 Revised:2020-08-27 Online:2021-01-25 Published:2021-03-09
  • Contact: Guili SUN E-mail:1459595140@qq.com;sxfgl@126.com

Abstract:

Ecological vulnerability assessment is of great significance to understand, protect, and transform the ecological environment and promote harmony between mankind and nature. To make rational use of ecological resources and protect the environment from the negative effects of development and construction, we study the temporal and spatial dynamic changes of ecological vulnerability in Kashi Prefecture, Xinjiang, China during 2000—2016. The study could provide a scientific basis for the economic and ecological protection and harmonious development of Kashi Prefecture. Based on the framework of “exposure-sensitivity-resilience”, for this study, we selected 13 indicators from natural and human aspects to construct an evaluation system to measure the ecological vulnerability in Kashi Prefecture during 2000—2016. Spatial principal component analysis was used to analyze the changes in the ecological vulnerability of Kashi Prefecture, and a geographic detector model was used to analyze the driving factors of these changes. The results of the analysis showed that the ecological vulnerability of the northern part of Kashi Prefecture was higher than that of the southern part. High vulnerability areas were increased and concentrated in the middle and lower reaches of the Yarkant River and the lower reaches of the Kashgar River. Vulnerability showed an overall increase and shifted to the northeast of the prefecture. During the study period, the lowest ecological vulnerability value among various counties and cities in Kashi Prefecture was obtained in the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County. The Kashi and Zepu counties were observed to be slightly vulnerable; the highest values were obtained for the Shache, Jiashi, and Bachu counties, which belong to highly vulnerable areas. Factors such as temperature, topography, and vegetation coverage caused the spatial differentiation of ecological vulnerability in the northern and southern parts of Kashi Prefecture. An increase in the cultivated land area, livestock head, and landscape fragmentation aggravated the ecological vulnerability of Kashi Prefecture. This aggravation was coupled with the harsh natural environment in some areas; these factors led to the expansion of the overall ecological vulnerability of Kashi Prefecture to the northeast.

Key words: ecological vulnerability, driving force analysis, spatial differentiation, Kashi Prefecture