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Exploring the relationship between vegetation and dust-storm intensity (DSI) in China

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Abstract

It is difficult to estimate the effects of vegetation on dust-storm intensity (DSI) since land surface data are often recorded aerially while DSI is recorded as point data by weather stations. Based on combining both types of data, this paper analyzed the relationship between vegetation and DSI, using a panel data-analysis method that examined six years of data from 186 observation stations in China. The multiple regression results showed that the relationship between changes in vegetation and variance in DSI became weaker from the sub-humid temperate zone (SHTZ) to dry temperate zone (DTZ), as the average normalized difference vegetation index decreased in the four zones in the study area. In the SHTZ and DTZ zones, the regression model could account for approximately 24.9% and 8.6% of the DSI variance, respectively. Lastly, this study provides some policy implications for combating dust storms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing, 100101, China

    Minghong Tan

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  1. Minghong Tan
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Correspondence to Minghong Tan.

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Foundation: National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.41271119, No.91325302; No.41161140352; National Basic Research Program of China, No.2015CB452705

Tan Minghong, PhD and Associate Professor

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Tan, M. Exploring the relationship between vegetation and dust-storm intensity (DSI) in China. J. Geogr. Sci. 26, 387–396 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-016-1275-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-016-1275-2

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