PROGRESS IN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2018, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (12): 1682-1692.doi: 10.18306/dlkxjz.2018.12.010

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Desertification sensitivity evaluation in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region based on PSR framework

Lu TIAN1,2(), Sijing QIU1, Jian PENG1,2,*(), Yina HU1, Jinglei JIA1,2, Qi MAO1   

  1. 1. Ministry of Education Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
    2. Key Laboratory for Environmental and Urban Sciences, School of Urban Planning and Design, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China
  • Received:2017-09-19 Revised:2018-10-11 Online:2018-12-28 Published:2018-12-28
  • Contact: Jian PENG E-mail:18604236913@163.com;jianpeng@urban.pku.edu.cn

Abstract:

Desertification sensitivity is a key indicator for detecting the probability of desertification, and its assessment is of great importance for desertification control. Previous studies assessed regional desertification sensitivity without a unified framework, and many studies only focused on the spatial patterns of desertification sensitivity but ignored the temporal dynamics. Thus, this study aimed to develop an index system to assess desertification sensitivity based on the framework of pressure-state-response (PSR) from three aspectsclimatic conditions, land cover, and vegetation restoration. It took Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region as the study area (excluding mobile sand dune areas), with a study period from 2000 to 2015. Desertification control zoning was also carried out by combining desertification sensitivity and population density analyses at the county level. The results show that, in view of the spatial patterns, desertification sensitivity in 2015 was higher in the central and western parts of the study area, and lower in the east. Desertification sensitivity in 2015 was classified using natural break point method. The moderate sensitivity zone (27.04%) accounted for the largest proportion of the study area, followed by low sensitivity zone (25.53%), no sensitivity zone (22.96%), high sensitivity zone (20.82%), and extreme sensitivity zone (3.65%) in descending order. The temporal dynamics during 2000-2015 in the study area showed that 9.20% of the study area experienced decreasing desertification sensitivity, and 24.83% of the study area experienced increasing desertification sensitivity. Finally, the study area was divided into four desertification control zones, that is, ecological conservation zone, desertification control zone, comprehensive development zone, and ecological migration zone.

Key words: desertification sensitivity, PSR framework, control zone, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region