Spatiotemporal Decoupling Between Intensive Policy Interventions and Natural Gradual Recovery in Human–Land Systems During Transition Periods: A Remote Sensing Analysis

Addressing the ecological vulnerability and challenges of degradation-restoration dynamics in transitional human–earth systems represented by the Kubuqi Desert region, this study leverages the advantages of multisource remote sensing imagery in multifactor, annual cyclical, long-term, and...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xiao Xie, Chunxiao Zhang, Haojie Kang, Chao E, Jingzhong Li, Wanxia Ren
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2025-01-01
Series:IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing
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Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10921725/
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Summary:Addressing the ecological vulnerability and challenges of degradation-restoration dynamics in transitional human–earth systems represented by the Kubuqi Desert region, this study leverages the advantages of multisource remote sensing imagery in multifactor, annual cyclical, long-term, and spatially heterogeneous complex surface feature analysis. By integrating discrete pixel characteristics with continuous change processes in landscape pattern dynamics, we developed a remote sensing ecological index cube framework. This framework innovatively incorporates an improved dynamic composite weighted spatiotemporal cube approach, enabling adaptive capture of multiperiod nonlinear superposition effects and their spatiotemporal manifestations within the “policy-intensive intervention versus natural gradual recovery” temporal mismatch context. The results demonstrate 1) vegetation degradation dominated during 2013–2018, followed by accelerated recovery in northern wetlands and Yellow River riparian zones post-2018, while southern core areas exhibited sluggish vegetation and water body restoration; 2) significant interregional landscape pattern disparities driven by geographical constraints and water resource heterogeneity; and 3) distinct phase-specific responses to ecological policies, with northern areas showing higher restoration efficiency than southern regions under equivalent intervention intensity. Mechanistically, the spatiotemporal cube analysis revealed two superimposed cycles (5-year policy cycles and 11-year natural recovery cycles) explaining 68% of vegetation variance. This decoupling effect between anthropogenic and natural drivers provides quantitative evidence for optimizing spatial targeting of ecological engineering and synchronizing restoration chrono sequences.
ISSN:1939-1404
2151-1535