Lake-area shrinkage driven by the combined effects of climate change and human activities
Examining lake-area evolution and influencing factors is essential for understanding global environmental and societal changes and supporting ecological sustainability. Inner Mongolia, China, given its unique geographical and climatic conditions, serves as a natural laboratory for investigating the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Ecological Indicators |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25005369 |
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| author | Qingfeng Miao Xiaoyu Liu Haibin Shi Zengming Wei Yuli Luo Yanhua Wang José Manuel Gonçalves Weiying Feng |
| author_facet | Qingfeng Miao Xiaoyu Liu Haibin Shi Zengming Wei Yuli Luo Yanhua Wang José Manuel Gonçalves Weiying Feng |
| author_sort | Qingfeng Miao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Examining lake-area evolution and influencing factors is essential for understanding global environmental and societal changes and supporting ecological sustainability. Inner Mongolia, China, given its unique geographical and climatic conditions, serves as a natural laboratory for investigating the complex coupling mechanisms of “climate–hydrology–humanities.” Accordingly, we analyzed data regarding annual area changes in 655 lakes across five basins obtained from Landsat, Sentinel-2, and pushbroom multispectral scanner (1987–2023), combined with meteorological, hydrological, and human factors affecting lake-area changes. Results indicated that lake areas varied from 4059.36 to 6489.46 km2 in 1987–2023, exhibiting an overall decline of 38.06 km2/a (R2 = 0.39, p < 0.001). This trend was nonlinear, exhibiting area expansion (1987–1998), rapid shrinkage (1998–2010), and stabilization after a slight rebound (2010–2023). Natural factors dominated lake-area dynamics in the Songhua and Northwest River Basins, while human activities, particularly agriculture, were key drivers in the Liaohe, Haihe, and Yellow River Basins. These findings provide critical insights into the drivers of lake-area changes and establish a scientific basis for developing effective water-resource management and ecological protection strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-01871e24db4a4e7a993c47c0e5b4874e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1470-160X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Indicators |
| spelling | doaj-art-01871e24db4a4e7a993c47c0e5b4874e2025-08-20T03:48:19ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2025-06-0117511360610.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113606Lake-area shrinkage driven by the combined effects of climate change and human activitiesQingfeng Miao0Xiaoyu Liu1Haibin Shi2Zengming Wei3Yuli Luo4Yanhua Wang5José Manuel Gonçalves6Weiying Feng7College of Water Conservation and Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, ChinaCollege of Water Conservation and Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China; School of Civil Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250061, ChinaCollege of Water Conservation and Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China; High Efffciency Water-saving Technology and Equipment and Soil and Water Environment Effect in Engineering Research Center of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Hohhot 010018, China; Autonomous Region Collaborative Innovation Center for Integrated Management of Water Resources and Water Environment in the Inner Mongolia Reaches of the Yellow River, Hohhot 010018, China; Corresponding author at: College of Water Conservation and Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China.College of Water Conservation and Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, ChinaYellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research, Yellow River Concervancy Commission, Zhengzhou 450003, ChinaYellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research, Yellow River Concervancy Commission, Zhengzhou 450003, ChinaPolytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra Agriculture School, CERNAS – Research Center for Natural Resources, Environment and Society, Bencanta, Coimbra 3045-601, PortugalSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China; Corresponding author.Examining lake-area evolution and influencing factors is essential for understanding global environmental and societal changes and supporting ecological sustainability. Inner Mongolia, China, given its unique geographical and climatic conditions, serves as a natural laboratory for investigating the complex coupling mechanisms of “climate–hydrology–humanities.” Accordingly, we analyzed data regarding annual area changes in 655 lakes across five basins obtained from Landsat, Sentinel-2, and pushbroom multispectral scanner (1987–2023), combined with meteorological, hydrological, and human factors affecting lake-area changes. Results indicated that lake areas varied from 4059.36 to 6489.46 km2 in 1987–2023, exhibiting an overall decline of 38.06 km2/a (R2 = 0.39, p < 0.001). This trend was nonlinear, exhibiting area expansion (1987–1998), rapid shrinkage (1998–2010), and stabilization after a slight rebound (2010–2023). Natural factors dominated lake-area dynamics in the Songhua and Northwest River Basins, while human activities, particularly agriculture, were key drivers in the Liaohe, Haihe, and Yellow River Basins. These findings provide critical insights into the drivers of lake-area changes and establish a scientific basis for developing effective water-resource management and ecological protection strategies.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25005369Remote sensing monitoringLake-area evolutionJoint effectsDrivers |
| spellingShingle | Qingfeng Miao Xiaoyu Liu Haibin Shi Zengming Wei Yuli Luo Yanhua Wang José Manuel Gonçalves Weiying Feng Lake-area shrinkage driven by the combined effects of climate change and human activities Ecological Indicators Remote sensing monitoring Lake-area evolution Joint effects Drivers |
| title | Lake-area shrinkage driven by the combined effects of climate change and human activities |
| title_full | Lake-area shrinkage driven by the combined effects of climate change and human activities |
| title_fullStr | Lake-area shrinkage driven by the combined effects of climate change and human activities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lake-area shrinkage driven by the combined effects of climate change and human activities |
| title_short | Lake-area shrinkage driven by the combined effects of climate change and human activities |
| title_sort | lake area shrinkage driven by the combined effects of climate change and human activities |
| topic | Remote sensing monitoring Lake-area evolution Joint effects Drivers |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25005369 |
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