Long-Term Assessment of Soil Salinization Patterns in the Yellow River Delta Using Landsat Imagery from 2003 to 2021

Yu Fu, Pengyu Wang, Wengeng Cao (), Shiqian Fu, Juanjuan Zhang, Xiangzhi Li, Jiju Guo, Zhiquan Huang and Xidong Chen
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Yu Fu: Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Hydrosphere and Watershed Water Security, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450011, China
Pengyu Wang: Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Hydrosphere and Watershed Water Security, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450011, China
Wengeng Cao: The Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Science (CAGS), Shijiazhuang 050061, China
Shiqian Fu: The 6th Geological Team of Hebei Geology and Mining Bureau (Aeronautical Survey Application Center of Hebei Geology and Mining Bureau), Shijiazhuang 050000, China
Juanjuan Zhang: The 6th Geological Team of Hebei Geology and Mining Bureau (Aeronautical Survey Application Center of Hebei Geology and Mining Bureau), Shijiazhuang 050000, China
Xiangzhi Li: The Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Science (CAGS), Shijiazhuang 050061, China
Jiju Guo: The Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Science (CAGS), Shijiazhuang 050061, China
Zhiquan Huang: School of Civil Engineering, Luoyang Institute of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471023, China
Xidong Chen: Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Hydrosphere and Watershed Water Security, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450011, China

Land, 2024, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: The Yellow River Delta (YRD), as a key area for the economic development of the Bohai Rim region, significantly impacts soil fertility and plant growth through soil salinization content. Accurately determining the spatial distribution of soil salinization in the YRD is vital for regional salinity management and agricultural development. In this study, we constructed and evaluated three soil salinization indices—NDSI, SI, and S5—using measured soil conductivity data and three machine learning methods: Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, and XGBoost. The results indicate that the Support Vector Machine achieved the best inversion effect on regional salinization levels, with an Area Under Curve (AUC) value of 0.88. The salinization level in the YRD has shown an increasing trend over the years, decreasing spatially from north to south, from east to west, and from the coast inland. From 2003 to 2009, salinization was primarily concentrated in northern and eastern coastal areas, while from 2009 to 2021, it gradually expanded inland. The salinized area increased from 538.4 km 2 in 2003 to 761.5 km 2 in 2021, particularly between 2009 and 2015, with a 47.95% increase. The main factors influencing salinization in the YRD were distance from the Bohai Sea, seasonal average potential evapotranspiration, and seasonal average normalized vegetation index, with interaction-driven effects being stronger than single-factor effects. This study provides crucial scientific support for sustainable salinization management and ecological restoration in the Bohai Sea region.

Keywords: Yellow River Delta; salinization; machine learning; salinity index; spatial and temporal distribution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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