The Biogeophysical Effects of Revegetation around Mining Areas: A Case Study of Dongsheng Mining Areas in Inner Mongolia

Guoqing Chen, Mingjiu Wang, Zhengjia Liu and Wenfeng Chi
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Guoqing Chen: College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
Mingjiu Wang: College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
Zhengjia Liu: Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Wenfeng Chi: College of Desert Control Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China

Sustainability, 2017, vol. 9, issue 4, 1-9

Abstract: The biogeophysical effects of land cover change (LCC) on land surface temperature are largely understood, especially in tropical and boreal zones, but fewer studies have reported the biogeophysical consequences of ecological restoration of mining areas located in arid and semi-arid temperate zones. In this study, we employed 2000–2015 satellite-based net radiation (Rn) and latent heat flux (LE) data from mining areas (taking Dongsheng in Inner Mongolia as an example) and adjacent ecological restoration areas to understand the biogeophysical effect of revegetation around mining areas. The results showed that revegetation increased Rn (0.25 ± 0.17 W/m 2 ) and LE (0.43 ± 0.26 W/m 2 ). The warming effect of increased Rn (∆Rn), however, was completely offset by the cooling effect of increased LE (∆LE), thus revegetation caused an overall cooling effect of −0.18 ± 0.17 W/m 2 . Land surface temperature (LST) from mining areas and adjacent ecological restoration areas also showed that revegetation decreased LST (∆LST being −0.2 ± 0.1 K). The difference of ∆Rn and ∆LE explained 27% of the ∆LST variations. These findings reinforce our understanding for the potential climatic benefits of the ecological restoration around mining areas in arid and semi-arid temperate zones.

Keywords: biogeophysical effect; land surface temperature; net radiation; latent heat flux; ecological restoration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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