Implications of intensive ecological intervention for vegetation productivity in arid and semi-arid areas of China

doi:10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2025.00202

Journal of Desert Research ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (2): 277-287.DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2025.00202

Implications of intensive ecological intervention for vegetation productivity in arid and semi-arid areas of China

Di An(), Bo Zhang(), Xueying Zhang, Zhexi Wu

College of Geography and Environmental Science，Northwest Normal University，Lanzhou 730070，China

Received:2025-11-04 Revised:2025-12-25 Online:2026-03-20 Published:2026-04-13
Contact: Bo Zhang

Abstract

Abstract:

Against the backdrop of increasing ecological vulnerability in global drylands， China has implemented multiple ecological projects in its arid and semi-arid regions， forming a pattern of intensive ecological intervention. However， the mechanisms through which this intervention affects vegetation dynamics remain unclear. Based on multi-source remote sensing data and integrated methods such as trend analysis and residual analysis， this study quantified changes in vegetation productivity and their driving factors in ecological project overlapping areas from 2000 to 2020. The results show a significant increase in vegetation productivity across the study area， accompanied by a warming-wetting climatic trend， which is particularly pronounced in ecological project overlapping areas. In terms of driving mechanisms， intensive ecological intervention exhibits a synergistic gain effect under suitable hydrothermal conditions. The combined effect of climatic and non-climatic factors serves as the dominant force promoting vegetation productivity growth. Furthermore， as project density increases， the contribution of non-climatic factors strengthens significantly， while the direct response of vegetation to climatic fluctuations diminishes. This study provides a scientific basis for optimizing the spatial layout of ecological projects and implementing differentiated restoration strategies based on hydrothermal conditions.

Key words: vegetation productivity, ecological project overlapping areas, driving mechanisms, arid and semi-arid area

CLC Number:

Q948

Di An, Bo Zhang, Xueying Zhang, Zhexi Wu. Implications of intensive ecological intervention for vegetation productivity in arid and semi-arid areas of China[J]. Journal of Desert Research, 2026, 46(2): 277-287.

Figures/Tables 11

Fig.1 Spatial distribution of overlapping ecological project areas in the study area

Table 1 Data and source

数据名称	数据集名称	空间分辨率/m	下载网址
土地利用	MCD12Q1.061	1 000	https://earthengine.geogle.com
NDVI	MOD13A1	500
GPP	MOD17A2H	500
NPP	MOD17A2H	500
气温	中国1 km分辨率逐月气温数据集	1 000	https://data.tpdc.ac.cn
降水量	中国1 km分辨率逐月降水量数据集	1 000	https://data.tpdc.ac.cn
生态工程边界	中国重大生态工程生态效益评估数据集		https://www.nesdc.org.cn

Table 2 Criteria for classifying drivers of vegetation productivity change and calculation methods for contribution rates

$s l o p e a$	驱动因素	驱动因素的划分标准		驱动因素的贡献率/%
$s l o p e a$	驱动因素	$s l o p e b$	$s l o p e c$	气候因素	非气候因素
>0	CC&NC	>0	>0	$s l o p e b s l o p e a$	$s l o p e c s l o p e a$
	CC	>0	<0	100	0
	NC	<0	>0	0	100
<0	CC&NC	<0	<0	$s l o p e b s l o p e a$	$s l o p e c s l o p e a$
	CC	<0	>0	100	0
	NC	>0	<0	0	100

Table 2 Criteria for classifying drivers of vegetation productivity change and calculation methods for contribution rates

$s l o p e a$	驱动因素	驱动因素的划分标准		驱动因素的贡献率/%
$s l o p e a$	驱动因素	$s l o p e b$	$s l o p e c$	气候因素	非气候因素
>0	CC&NC	>0	>0	$s l o p e b s l o p e a$	$s l o p e c s l o p e a$
	CC	>0	<0	100	0
	NC	<0	>0	0	100
<0	CC&NC	<0	<0	$s l o p e b s l o p e a$	$s l o p e c s l o p e a$
	CC	<0	>0	100	0
	NC	>0	<0	0	100

Fig.2 Interannual trends of vegetation productivity in the study area as a whole （A） and regions with ecological projects overlaps ranging from 1 to 5 （B-F）

Fig.3 Spatial distribution of vegetation productivity in the study area as a whole （A-D）， and spatial distribution of vegetation productivity in ecological project overlapping areas （E-H）

Fig.4 Interannual trends of climatic factors in the study area as a whole （A） and areas with 1-5 overlapping ecological projects （B-F）

Fig.5 Spatial distribution of hydrothermal combination types in the study area as a whole （A）， and area proportion of different hydrothermal combination types within each ecological project overlapping areas （B）

Fig.6 Correlation between vegetation productivity and air temperature and precipitation in ecological project overlapping areas

Table 3 Dominant hydrothermal types， climatic factors， and vegetation productivity responses in ecological project overlapping areas

生态工程重叠区	主导水热组合类型	主导气候因子	植被生产力空间变化主导趋势
1	暖干型(62%)	气温（57.72%）	不显著增长
2	暖湿型(50%)	气温（75.28%）	显著增长
3	暖湿型(51%)	降水量（83.16%）	显著增长
4	暖湿型(46%)	降水量（79.01%）	显著增长
5	暖湿型(69%)	降水量（68.80%）	显著增长

Fig.7 Proportion of driving forces in ecological project overlapping areas. Numbers 1-5 represent areas with 1-5 overlapping ecological projects

Fig.8 Relative contributions of climatic and non-climatic factors to vegetation productivity changes in ecological project overlapping areas. Numbers 1-5 represent areas with 1-5 overlapping ecological projects

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Implications of intensive ecological intervention for vegetation productivity in arid and semi-arid areas of China

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