Spatio-temporal Heterogeneity of Rocky Desertification Sensitivity in Typical Karst Regions

LAI Yixin; TANG Diwei; TAO Wen

doi:10.13501/j.cnki.42-1908/n.2025.06.003

Abstract：To reveal the evolution characteristics of rocky desertification sensitivity in the Wuling Mountain Area over the past 20 years,the Google earth engine(GEE)platform was utilized to calculate rocky desertification data for the years 2000,2010,and 2020 in the Wuling Mountain Area.By combining transition matrices and the evolution trajectories of rocky desertification,the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of rocky desertification in this region and the relationship between typical karst landforms and rocky desertification sensitivity were explored.The study found that from 2000 to 2020,the sensitivity level of rocky desertification in the Wuling Mountain Area showed a declining trend,but it remained relatively high overall,with a general distribution pattern of higher sensitivity in the northwest and lower sensitivity in the southeast.From 2000 to 2020,the evolution of rocky desertification sensitivity in the Wuling Mountain Area was primarily characterized by improvement,accounting for nearly 40%of cases,with the most significant contribution coming from the management of severely sensitive areas.Deterioration was mainly observed in a scattered,point-like distribution.There was a clear distribution pattern between rocky desertification sensitivity and landform types in the Wuling Mountain Area.Non-sensitive areas were mainly distributed in low-altitude plains and low-altitude platforms,while severely sensitive and extremely sensitive areas were predominantly found in mid-altitude plains and mountainous regions.This study provided a reference for understanding the evolution of rocky desertification sensitivity and guiding future management directions in the Wuling Mountain Area.