Oasis land-use change and its environmental impact in Jinta Oasis, arid northwestern China.
Land use change resulted in land degradation is a focus of research on global environmental changes and plays a significant role in the stability and economic development of oases in arid regions of China. Jinta Oasis, a typical oasis of temperate arid zone in northwestern China, was investigated to assess land-use change dynamics during 1988-2003 with the aid of satellite remote sensing and GIS, and to explore the interaction between these changes and oasis environment. Six land-use types were identified, namely: cropland, forestland, grassland, water, urban or built-up land, and barren land. The results indicate that cropland, urban/built-up land, and barren land increase greatly by 30.03, 13.35, and 15.52 km(2), respectively; but grassland and forestland areas decrease rapidly by 58.06, and 1.76 km(2), respectively. These results also show that obvious widespread changes in land-use occur within the whole oasis over the study period and result in severe problems of environmental degradation (i.e. land desertification, decline of groundwater, and vegetation degeneracy).
Qi
Shan-Zhong
SZ
College of Population, Resources and Environment, Shandong Normal University, No. 88 Wenhua East Road, Jinan 250014, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China. qshzhsd@yahoo.com.cn
Li
Xiao-Yu
XY
Duan
Hui-Ping
HP
D000383:Agriculture; D002681:China; D003889:Desert Climate; D004777:Environment; D005618:Fresh Water; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D006109:Poaceae; D017215:Satellite Communications; D014197:Trees; D014507:Urbanization