Using a Coupled Human-Natural System to Assess the Vulnerability of the Karst Landform Region in China

Xiang He, Zhenshan Lin and Kangning Xiong
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Xiang He: College of Geographical Science, Nanjing Normal University, No.1 Wenyuan road, Qixia district, Nanjing 210023, China
Zhenshan Lin: College of Geographical Science, Nanjing Normal University, No.1 Wenyuan road, Qixia district, Nanjing 210023, China
Kangning Xiong: School of Karst Science, Guizhou Normal University, No.116 Baoshan North Road, Guiyang 550001, China.

Sustainability, 2015, vol. 7, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: Guizhou Plateau is a region in China that typically shows the contradictory human-earth system. A vulnerability assessment indicator system was constructed to explore the coupled human-natural system characteristic of the karst landform based on the grey correlation analysis mathematic model. The quantitative assessment results show that Qiandongnan and Tongren Districts belong to the slight degree of the sensitivity evaluation index. Bijie district belongs to the middle degree and the other districts of Guizhou Plateau belong to the light degree. In terms of the exposure and resilience evaluation index, only Guiyang City belongs to the slight degree and other districts are in the middle degree. Thus, Guizhou Plateau could be divided into three level zones based on the comprehensive vulnerability degree of the coupled human-natural system. The strong degree vulnerability zone includes Liupanshui City, Bijie City, Anshun City, and Qiannan District. The middle degree vulnerability zone includes the districts of Qiandongnan, Qianxinan, and Tongren and the city of Zunyi. The slight degree vulnerability zone only includes Guiyang City. The research results suggest that the coupled human-natural system in Guizhou Plateau has a high vulnerability.

Keywords: grey correlation analysis modeling; coupled human-natural systems; vulnerability degree; Karst landform; Guizhou Plateau (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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