Spatiotemporal Dynamics and Drivers of Wind Erosion during 1990–2020 in the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin, Southern Tibetan Plateau

Xiaomin Qin, Dongmei Zhao, Baojun Zhang, Donghong Xiong (), Zhengrong Yuan, Wenduo Zhang, Lin Liu, Dil Kumar Rai, Sheikh Laraib and Wei Deng
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Xiaomin Qin: Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
Dongmei Zhao: Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
Baojun Zhang: Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
Donghong Xiong: Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
Zhengrong Yuan: Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
Wenduo Zhang: Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
Lin Liu: Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
Dil Kumar Rai: Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
Sheikh Laraib: Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
Wei Deng: Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 9, 1-20

Abstract: Wind erosion is recognized as one of the main environmental issues and seriously threatens ecosystem services in the Yarlung Zangbo River basin (YZRB), southern Tibetan Plateau. Exploring the spatiotemporal dynamics and drivers of wind erosion is crucial for improving regional ecosystem services and sustainable development. This study was conducted to examine the spatiotemporal patterns of soil wind erosion modulus (SWEM) in YZRB from 1990 to 2020 by using the revised wind erosion equation (RWEQ) and to identify the influence of climate change and anthropogenic activities on wind erosion dynamics. The results showed that temporally, the overall SWEM presented a significant downward trend (−0.912 t·hm −2 ·a −1 ) and a continuous downward trend in the key implementation areas of ecological engineering. Spatially, the severe area of wind erosion is mainly concentrated in the flat and broad river valley, where sand sources are widely distributed. Significant SWEM differences were found among various land use/cover (LULC) types. Exceeding 90% reduction rates in SWEM occurred in forests, grasslands, and cultivated land. Additionally, the influence analysis showed that climate change was the dominant factor driving the variations in wind erosion due to the reduction of wind speed. By contrast, the contribution of anthropogenic activities is relatively less, accounting for 43.50% of wind erosion change, which closely matches the transfer of LULC to grassland and forest land with the implementation area of ecological engineering projects. This study provides useful information on the driving mechanism of wind erosion, prevention service changes, and determining priority zones for desertification prevention in YZRB. We suggest that eco-restoration activities should be endorsed in the future, as well as the adaptive management that is required to control wind erosion and improve ecosystem services and human well-being for people in the YZRB region.

Keywords: wind erosion; climate change; anthropogenic activity; revised wind erosion equation; Yarlung Zangbo River basin; Tibetan Plateau (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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