Related Experiment Videos
[Landscape change in middle Heihe River Basin].
1Cold and Arid Regions Environment and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000. luling@ns.lzb.ac.cn
Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao = the Journal of Applied Ecology
|January 30, 2002
Summary
Human activities in the Heihe River Basin caused complex landscape changes, contrasting oasis and desertification. Intensive management improved socioeconomic benefits but reduced landscape diversity and eco-environmental benefits.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Geography
- Ecology
Context:
- The middle Heihe River Basin faces significant landscape changes over two decades.
- Human activities heavily influence water resource allocation, intensifying desertification and oasis dynamics.
- Transitional zones between desertification and oasis landscapes are particularly sensitive.
Purpose:
- To analyze landscape changes in the middle Heihe River Basin over the past 20 years.
- To assess the impact of human activities and water resource management on landscape structure and composition.
- To evaluate the trade-offs between socioeconomic benefits and eco-environmental impacts.
Summary:
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and FRAGSTATS were used to analyze landscape dynamics.
- The study reveals complex changes in landscape structure and composition, with a persistent contrast between oasis and desertification.
- Human-induced water resource redistribution exacerbates the conflict between desertification and oasisfication.
Impact:
- Intensive landscape management has improved socioeconomic benefits but reduced landscape diversity and heterogeneity.
- Decreased Shannon's diversity and evenness indices indicate significant human intervention.
- The findings highlight the ecological consequences of balancing economic development with environmental sustainability in arid regions.