Quantitative assessment of aeolian desertification dynamics– A case study in north Shanxi of China (1975 to 2015)

Aeolian desertification is one of the serious environmental issues in North Shanxi Province. Accurately assessing aeolian desertification dynamics and its causes is essential to formulate an effective strategy for combating aeolian desertification. Here, we adopted remote sensing (RS) images from four periods (1975, 1990, 2000, and 2015) to classify the intensity of aeolian desertified land (ADL). Four intensity grades (i.e., light, moderate, severe, and extremely severe) were categorized based on a series of indices. Then, the RS images were further interpreted coupled with the local climate and socio-economic data to evaluate ADL and its driving force. Results showed that there were 3941.16, 5389.92, 7526.38, and 3752.74 km(2) of ADL in the above 4 periods, accounting for 28.56%, 39.06%, 54.53%, and 27.19% of the total study area, respectively. ADL experienced three major development stages: slower expansion during 1975–1990 at a rate of 96.58 km(2)/year, rapid expansion during 1990–2000 of 213.65 km(2)/year, and a reversion during 2000–2015 with a net decrease of 251.58 km(2)/year. The ADL development in north Shanxi was a result of mutual interaction between natural factors and human activities. It is also noted that the human activities were identified as the dominant driving force.