Vegetation Changes along the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Engineering Corridor Since 2000 Induced by Climate Change and Human Activities

Since 2000, vegetation along the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Engineering Corridor has shown significant changes, with 23.6% of the study area experiencing an increase in greenness, particularly in the Hoh Xil region, while alpine meadows—covering 72.4% of areas with declining vegetation—have faced rapid degradation due to permafrost thaw and overgrazing. Researchers analyzed nested quadrats ranging from 500 × 500 m to 20 × 20 km using the Cumulative Growing Season Integrated Enhanced Vegetation Index (CGSIEVI) and meteorological data, revealing that an active layer depth of 3–3.2 meters acts as a critical threshold for alpine meadow resilience. The study highlights the dual impact of climate change—through increased precipitation—and human activities on vegetation dynamics in this ecologically sensitive region.

Song, Y., Jin, L., & Wang, H. (2018). Vegetation Changes along the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Engineering Corridor Since 2000 Induced by Climate Change and Human Activities. Remote Sensing, 10(1), 95. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10010095