Assessment of multiple factors and interactions affecting grassland degradation on the Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau (TP), a vital region for terrestrial ecosystem services and biodiversity, is facing severe grassland degradation influenced by multiple factors. However, it remains unclear how several influential factors interactively influence grassland degradation. Here, we used five land cove...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Ecological Indicators |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23006519 |
| _version_ | 1797683161044353024 |
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| author | Shanshan Wang Erfu Dai Lizhi Jia Yijia Wang Anqi Huang Lei Liao Liping Cai Donglin Fan |
| author_facet | Shanshan Wang Erfu Dai Lizhi Jia Yijia Wang Anqi Huang Lei Liao Liping Cai Donglin Fan |
| author_sort | Shanshan Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Tibetan Plateau (TP), a vital region for terrestrial ecosystem services and biodiversity, is facing severe grassland degradation influenced by multiple factors. However, it remains unclear how several influential factors interactively influence grassland degradation. Here, we used five land cover products and six vegetation indexes to quantify grassland degradation on the TP. We then applied structural equation modeling (SEM) to quantitatively assess multiple factors and interactions affecting grassland degradation. We found that grassland degradation on the TP was mainly concentrated in the central and southern regions which were under high pressure from human activities, with the area of 325,430 km2, accounting for about 12.63% of the total grassland area on the TP during 2000–2020. The factors such as overgrazing, climate change, and human activities have contributed to the grassland degradation on the TP. Moreover, we found that there is a complex and interrelated relationship between these factors and that addressing one factor alone is unlikely to solve the problem of grassland degradation. Human activities significantly (p < 0.05) influenced grassland degradation on the TP, while climate factors had a greater direct effect (0.384) compared to soil factors (0.298) and human activities (0.263). Soil factors, on the other hand, had a greater total effect (0.388) than human activities (0.263) and climate factors (0.161). The topography of the TP played an indirect role (−0.4) in slowing down the degradation of grasslands by significantly (P < 0.05) affecting human activities and climate. In order to fully understand the truth about grassland degradation and to avoid further grassland degradation, it is necessary to consider multiple influencing factors and their interactions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T00:11:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ca1b4316c7f745c0b310d9ff1f062a7a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1470-160X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T00:11:28Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Indicators |
| spelling | doaj.art-ca1b4316c7f745c0b310d9ff1f062a7a2023-09-16T05:29:08ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2023-10-01154110509Assessment of multiple factors and interactions affecting grassland degradation on the Tibetan PlateauShanshan Wang0Erfu Dai1Lizhi Jia2Yijia Wang3Anqi Huang4Lei Liao5Liping Cai6Donglin Fan7School of Geography and Tourism, Qufu Normal University, Rizhao 276800, ChinaLhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Corresponding author.Lhasa Plateau Ecosystem Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaKey Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, ChinaSchool of Geographical Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing 210044, ChinaRizhao Bureau of Natural Resources and Planning, Rizhao 276800, ChinaSchool of Geography and Tourism, Qufu Normal University, Rizhao 276800, ChinaSchool of Geography and Tourism, Qufu Normal University, Rizhao 276800, ChinaThe Tibetan Plateau (TP), a vital region for terrestrial ecosystem services and biodiversity, is facing severe grassland degradation influenced by multiple factors. However, it remains unclear how several influential factors interactively influence grassland degradation. Here, we used five land cover products and six vegetation indexes to quantify grassland degradation on the TP. We then applied structural equation modeling (SEM) to quantitatively assess multiple factors and interactions affecting grassland degradation. We found that grassland degradation on the TP was mainly concentrated in the central and southern regions which were under high pressure from human activities, with the area of 325,430 km2, accounting for about 12.63% of the total grassland area on the TP during 2000–2020. The factors such as overgrazing, climate change, and human activities have contributed to the grassland degradation on the TP. Moreover, we found that there is a complex and interrelated relationship between these factors and that addressing one factor alone is unlikely to solve the problem of grassland degradation. Human activities significantly (p < 0.05) influenced grassland degradation on the TP, while climate factors had a greater direct effect (0.384) compared to soil factors (0.298) and human activities (0.263). Soil factors, on the other hand, had a greater total effect (0.388) than human activities (0.263) and climate factors (0.161). The topography of the TP played an indirect role (−0.4) in slowing down the degradation of grasslands by significantly (P < 0.05) affecting human activities and climate. In order to fully understand the truth about grassland degradation and to avoid further grassland degradation, it is necessary to consider multiple influencing factors and their interactions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23006519Grassland degradationImpact factorsStructural equation modelTibetan Plateau |
| spellingShingle | Shanshan Wang Erfu Dai Lizhi Jia Yijia Wang Anqi Huang Lei Liao Liping Cai Donglin Fan Assessment of multiple factors and interactions affecting grassland degradation on the Tibetan Plateau Ecological Indicators Grassland degradation Impact factors Structural equation model Tibetan Plateau |
| title | Assessment of multiple factors and interactions affecting grassland degradation on the Tibetan Plateau |
| title_full | Assessment of multiple factors and interactions affecting grassland degradation on the Tibetan Plateau |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of multiple factors and interactions affecting grassland degradation on the Tibetan Plateau |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of multiple factors and interactions affecting grassland degradation on the Tibetan Plateau |
| title_short | Assessment of multiple factors and interactions affecting grassland degradation on the Tibetan Plateau |
| title_sort | assessment of multiple factors and interactions affecting grassland degradation on the tibetan plateau |
| topic | Grassland degradation Impact factors Structural equation model Tibetan Plateau |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23006519 |
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