Changes of Vegetation Distribution in the East Dongting Lake After the Operation of the Three Gorges Dam, China
Water regime is regarded as the primary factor influencing the vegetation distribution in natural wetland ecosystems. However, the effect of water regime change induced by large-scale hydraulic engineering on vegetation distribution is still unclear. In this study, multi-temporal TM/ETM+/OLI images...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2018.00582/full |
| _version_ | 1828492780450611200 |
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| author | Jia-Yu Hu Jia-Yu Hu Jia-Yu Hu Yong-Hong Xie Yong-Hong Xie Yue Tang Yue Tang Feng Li Feng Li Ye-Ai Zou Ye-Ai Zou |
| author_facet | Jia-Yu Hu Jia-Yu Hu Jia-Yu Hu Yong-Hong Xie Yong-Hong Xie Yue Tang Yue Tang Feng Li Feng Li Ye-Ai Zou Ye-Ai Zou |
| author_sort | Jia-Yu Hu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Water regime is regarded as the primary factor influencing the vegetation distribution in natural wetland ecosystems. However, the effect of water regime change induced by large-scale hydraulic engineering on vegetation distribution is still unclear. In this study, multi-temporal TM/ETM+/OLI images and hydrological data from 1995 to 2015 were used to elucidate how the change in water regime influenced the vegetation distribution in the East Dongting Lake (EDTL), especially after the operation of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) in 2003. Using unsupervised and supervised classification methods, three types of land cover were identified in the study area: Water and Mudflat, Grass, and Reed and Forest. Results showed that the total vegetation area in EDTL increased by approximately 78 km2 during 1995–2015. The areas of Reed and Forest and Grass exhibited a contrasting trend, dramatic increase in Reed and Forest but sharp decrease in Grass, particularly after the operation of TGD. The lowest distribution elevations of Grass and Reed and Forest decreased by 0.61 and 0.52 m, respectively. As a result of water level variation, submergence duration increased at 20–21 m and 28 m elevations (1–13 days), but significantly decreased at 22–27 m and 29–30 m elevations (-3 to -31 days). The submergence duration of Grass and Reed and Forest was 246 and 177 days, respectively. This study indicated that wetland vegetation pattern significantly changed after the operation of TGD, mainly as a result of changes in submergence condition. Submergence duration might be an effective indicator to predict the shift of vegetation distribution in EDTL, and which could provide scientific guidance for vegetation restoration and wetland management in this lake. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T11:26:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a563c75d2ded4647b71357b4eaa980a9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-462X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T11:26:28Z |
| publishDate | 2018-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-a563c75d2ded4647b71357b4eaa980a92022-12-22T01:08:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2018-05-01910.3389/fpls.2018.00582370685Changes of Vegetation Distribution in the East Dongting Lake After the Operation of the Three Gorges Dam, ChinaJia-Yu Hu0Jia-Yu Hu1Jia-Yu Hu2Yong-Hong Xie3Yong-Hong Xie4Yue Tang5Yue Tang6Feng Li7Feng Li8Ye-Ai Zou9Ye-Ai Zou10Key Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, ChinaDongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, ChinaDongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, ChinaDongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, ChinaDongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agro-Ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, ChinaDongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, ChinaWater regime is regarded as the primary factor influencing the vegetation distribution in natural wetland ecosystems. However, the effect of water regime change induced by large-scale hydraulic engineering on vegetation distribution is still unclear. In this study, multi-temporal TM/ETM+/OLI images and hydrological data from 1995 to 2015 were used to elucidate how the change in water regime influenced the vegetation distribution in the East Dongting Lake (EDTL), especially after the operation of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) in 2003. Using unsupervised and supervised classification methods, three types of land cover were identified in the study area: Water and Mudflat, Grass, and Reed and Forest. Results showed that the total vegetation area in EDTL increased by approximately 78 km2 during 1995–2015. The areas of Reed and Forest and Grass exhibited a contrasting trend, dramatic increase in Reed and Forest but sharp decrease in Grass, particularly after the operation of TGD. The lowest distribution elevations of Grass and Reed and Forest decreased by 0.61 and 0.52 m, respectively. As a result of water level variation, submergence duration increased at 20–21 m and 28 m elevations (1–13 days), but significantly decreased at 22–27 m and 29–30 m elevations (-3 to -31 days). The submergence duration of Grass and Reed and Forest was 246 and 177 days, respectively. This study indicated that wetland vegetation pattern significantly changed after the operation of TGD, mainly as a result of changes in submergence condition. Submergence duration might be an effective indicator to predict the shift of vegetation distribution in EDTL, and which could provide scientific guidance for vegetation restoration and wetland management in this lake.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2018.00582/fullvegetation distributionwater regimeThree Gorges DamEast Dongting Lake wetlandsubmergence durationlowest distribution elevation |
| spellingShingle | Jia-Yu Hu Jia-Yu Hu Jia-Yu Hu Yong-Hong Xie Yong-Hong Xie Yue Tang Yue Tang Feng Li Feng Li Ye-Ai Zou Ye-Ai Zou Changes of Vegetation Distribution in the East Dongting Lake After the Operation of the Three Gorges Dam, China Frontiers in Plant Science vegetation distribution water regime Three Gorges Dam East Dongting Lake wetland submergence duration lowest distribution elevation |
| title | Changes of Vegetation Distribution in the East Dongting Lake After the Operation of the Three Gorges Dam, China |
| title_full | Changes of Vegetation Distribution in the East Dongting Lake After the Operation of the Three Gorges Dam, China |
| title_fullStr | Changes of Vegetation Distribution in the East Dongting Lake After the Operation of the Three Gorges Dam, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changes of Vegetation Distribution in the East Dongting Lake After the Operation of the Three Gorges Dam, China |
| title_short | Changes of Vegetation Distribution in the East Dongting Lake After the Operation of the Three Gorges Dam, China |
| title_sort | changes of vegetation distribution in the east dongting lake after the operation of the three gorges dam china |
| topic | vegetation distribution water regime Three Gorges Dam East Dongting Lake wetland submergence duration lowest distribution elevation |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2018.00582/full |
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