relationships between rocky desertification and spatial pattern of land use in typical karst area,...

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Relationships between rocky desertification and spatial patternof land use in typical karst area, Southwest China

Yongjun Jiang Æ Linli Li Æ Chris Groves ÆDaoxian Yuan Æ Pat Kambesis

Received: 3 September 2008 / Accepted: 29 January 2009 / Published online: 18 February 2009

� Springer-Verlag 2009

Abstract Karst rocky desertification is a typical type of

land degradation in the Southwest China. An attempt was

made to study quantitatively the relationships between

rocky desertification and spatial pattern of land use through

applying spatial analysis of Geographical Information

System in Nandong underground river system, a typical

karst area, Southwest China. The spatial distribution of

rocky desertification and spatial pattern of land use were

obtained from interpreting Landsat Images in Nandong

area in 2007 by supervised classifications, and verified and

rectified through field survey. The results indicate that: (1)

the total land deserted area covers 378.3 km2, or 23.4% of

the total area, of which intense, moderate and slight rocky

desertification covers 269.46, 54.2, and 54.63 km2,

respectively, in Nandong area. (2) There is an obvious

effect of spatial pattern of land use on rocky desertification.

With the increase of elevation and slope, there is a higher

occurrence ratio of rocky desertification in the cultivated

land and grass land. Also, more than half of total rocky

desertification was dominated within the areas of 4 km

from the construction land, and 97% of total rocky


from the construction land in Nandong area. And what can

be known from the data is that the primary effect distance

of human on rocky desertification from the construction

land is 4 km, and the farthest effect distance of human on

rocky desertification from the construction land is 10 km in

Nandong area.

Keywords Karst area � Rocky desertification �Spatial pattern of land use � GIS � Nandong area

Introduction

Karst rocky desertification is a process in which soil is

eroded seriously or even thoroughly, so that bedrock is

exposed widespread, carrying capacity of land declines

seriously, and at last, landscape appears similar to desert

under violent human impacts on the vulnerable eco-geo-

environment (Yuan 1993, 1997; Cai 1997; Jiang et al.

2008a, b, 2006; Xiong et al. 2008). The karst mountain

region of the Southwest China is one of the largest karst

geomorphology distributing areas in the world (Yuan 1993,

1997). The region is also overpopulated and the social

economy is laggard. So people have to over-exploit land

for subsistence, so as to lead to serious land degradation in

the form of karst rocky desertification. The karst landscape

degeneration caused by the human activity proposes

Y. Jiang (&) � L. Li � D. Yuan

School of Geographical Sciences,

Southwest University,

400715 Chongqing, China

e-mail: [email protected]

Y. Jiang � L. Li � D. Yuan

Institute of Karst Environment and Rock Desertification

Rehabilitation, Southwest University,

400715 Chongqing, China

C. Groves � P. Kambesis

Department of Geography and Geology,

Western Kentucky University,

Bowling Green 42101, USA

C. Groves � P. Kambesis

Hoffman Environmental Research Institute,

Western Kentucky University,

Bowling Green 42101, USA

D. Yuan

Karst Dynamics Laboratory, Institute of Karst Geology,

CAGS, MLR, 541004 Guilin, China

123

Environ Earth Sci (2009) 59:881–890

DOI 10.1007/s12665-009-0083-8

restoration challenges and opportunity to study stability

and resistively of limestone ecosystem (Gillieson et al.

1996), therefore, more attention is now being given by both

the government and the public (Yuan 1997; The Chinese

Academy of Sciences 2003; Wang et al. 2004).

Some studies about the relations between land use and

karst desertification have been done (Akinola et al. 1998;

Huang and Cai 2006; Li et al. 2008), but study on the

relationships between the spatial pattern of land use and

karst rocky desertification is scarce.

This paper selects a typical karst watershed, Nandong

underground river system, the southeast of Yunnan Prov-

ince in the Southwestern China, as the study region, using

the Landsat Images in 2007, and geological, and terrain

map respectively to analysis on the spatial pattern of land

use and karst rocky desertification. The objectives of this

study are the following: (1) to reveal the spatial distribution

of karst rocky desertification in Nandong underground river

system; and (2) to study the spatial relationships between

karst rocky desertification and land use pattern.

Materials and methods

Nandong underground river system, is developed in the

southeast of the high plateau with mean elevation of about

1,700 m a.s.l. in Yunnan Province, China, with a under-

ground drainage area of 1,618 km2 (Fig. 1). It is a

subtropical monsoon climate, with mean annual rainfall of

830 mm and mean air temperature of 19.8�C. In 2007, the

population was 4.0 9 105 inhabitants, of which 2.4 9 105

was rural, accounting for 60% of the total population. And

the gross domestic product (GDP) was 9.1 9 108 US $, of

which agriculture GDP was 3.1 9 108 US $ in 2006. This

area was selected because it is the region that one of the

most serious karst rocky desertification has taken place in

China, and the typical conflict focus between human

actives and fragile kast ecosystem due to karst geological

background and serious conflict between land resource and

population. Studying the spatial pattern of karst rocky

desertification and land use may help the local government

to develop relevant regional development policies to

improve the karst rocky desertification.

Geology

The geology of the study area is shown in Fig. 2. It is

mainly underlain by Mesozoic Triassic strata. Carbonate

rocks cover an area of 950 km2 or about 58.7% of the

total area, of which dolomite and limestone cover an area

of 475 and 475 km2, respectively (Fig. 2). The central

basin is covered by the Quaternary Mal lateritic clay

which is underlain by Triassic Gejiu formation (T2g).

The length of the main underground river from Mingjiu

cave to Nandong is about 75 km, and the other two

subbranch underground river is about 40 km in length

(Fig. 2). The average discharge of Nandong underground

river is 9.4 m3/s.

Land use pattern

The land use categories in the Nandong underground river

system were limited to five classes, i.e., forested land, grass

land, cultivated land, water bodies and construction land

(towns and other urbanized areas). Cultivated land included

dry and paddy land.

Land use data were obtained by interpreting Landsat

Images from 2007. First, the supervised classification was

chosen to establish the interpreting key and a sample

training region, and the land use category was obtained in

Fig. 1 Location of Nandong underground river system

882 Environ Earth Sci (2009) 59:881–890

123

ERDAS software. Then the land use map was edited in

ArcGIS software. Finally, the land use map was verified

and calibrated through field survey.

Figure 3 shows the land use pattern in Nandong

underground river system. The percentages of land use for

each type were 29.5 cultivated land, 27.5 forested land,

37.7 grass land, 2.8 construction land and 2.5water bodies

in 2007, respectively.

Karst rocky desertification

Karst rocky desertification distribution was obtained by

interpreting Landsat Images from 2007 in Nandong area.

The processing steps of the study are the following: first,

the satellite data were preprocessed and combined to form

false color images by displaying bands 4, 3, and 2 with red,

green, and blue, respectively. Second, the images and other

data were projected to the same coordinate system and

spatial resolution. The images were then segmented and

classified. The classification process included three stages:

(a) image segmentation and feature extraction, which is

based on a multi-scale segmentation technique and is an

object-oriented image analysis method, rather than the

traditional methods, which are based on individual pixels

(Benz et al. 2004; Lathrop et al. 2006; Yu et al. 2006); (b)

performing field surveys and establishing interpreted signs;

and (c) sample training and classification. With the inter-

preted sign and extracted features, the segmented images

were classified into non-rocky or rocky desertification

areas. Thereafter, with the extracted features and auxiliary

data, the rocky desertification areas were further classified

into slight, moderate, and intense levels through visual

human–computer interactive interpretation in a Geo-

graphical Information System according to vegetation

cover rate, and bedrock exposure rate, as shown in Table 1

(Wang et al. 2004). When the attributes of a segment fall

into one of the three criteria ranges, the level of rocky

desertification can be confirmed. During field investigation

processes, the types of typical rocky desertification land-

scapes were determined, and recorded by GPS. The results

are shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 2 Geology map in Nandong underground river system Fig. 3 Land use pattern in Nandong underground river system

Table 1 Classification standards of rocky desertification (revised

from Wang et al. 2004)

Vegetation cover (%) Bedrock exposure (%)

Slight 35–50 35–65

Moderate 20–34 66–85

Intense 10–19 [85

Environ Earth Sci (2009) 59:881–890 883

123

Spatial analysis

Elevation and slope data were extracted from the topo-

graphic map (scale 1:50,000) by spatial analysis module of

ArcGIS 9.2.

Spatial analysis of overlaying and buffering were

applied in obtaining the relationships between rocky

desertification and land use spatial pattern, which are

completed in ArcGIS 9.2.

Results and discussion

Spatial distribution of karst rocky desertification

Karst rocky desertification accounts for 23.4% of the

total land area in study area. The slight, moderate and

intense karst rocky desertification accounts for 14.4,

14.3 and 71.3% of the total rocky desertification,

respectively.

Spatial distribution of rocky desertification and elevation

Table 2 shows the distribution and the ratio of occurrence

of karst rocky desertification in different elevation. There is

not an obvious difference in distribution of rocky deserti-

fication in different elevation. But, the highest occurrence

ratio of karst rocky desertification lies within the area of

elevation between 1,500 and 1,800 m, which indicates

those area is the most fragile area that karst rocky desert-

ification taken place in Nandong area. Because those area

is assembled by carbonate rock and there is intensive

human activities in the area of elevation between 1,500 and

1,800 m in Nandong area.

Fig. 4 Distribution of rocky

desertification of Nandong

underground river system in

2007


123

Spatial distribution of rocky desertification and slope

Slope is one of the main factors resulting land desertifi-

cation in karst area. In karst mountain area Southwest

China, areas with slope [15� are not suitable for farming

because it would accelerate soil erosion, which would

change the farmland into barren soil. The central govern-

ment also promulgate decrees that farmland with slope

[25� must be changed into forested land or grass land to

protect soil, and areas with the slope\5� is nearly suitable

for all kinds of land use (Huang and Cai 2006). Therefore,

the intervals for slope are designed according to unique

terrain and suitability of land use and the slope are clas-

sified into four levels to highlight the threshold of 5�, 15�and 25�. With the increase of the gradient, the soil is

unstable and tends to be eroded by runoff, which leads to

karst rocky desertification finally. Table 3 shows the dis-

tribution and the ratio of occurrence of karst rocky

desertification in different slope. Most of karst rocky

desertification are located in areas with slope [5�. Also,

with the increase of the gradient, there is a high ratio of

occurrence of karst rocky desertification in Nandong area.

Therefore, with the increase of the gradient, the topsoil is

unstable and tends to be eroded by runoff, which leads to

rocky desertification in karst area finally.

Spatial distribution of rocky desertification and lithology


of karst rocky desertification in different lithology. There is

not an obvious difference in distribution and the ratio of

occurrence of rocky desertification in limestone and dolo-

mite. Therefore, there is not an obvious relevance between

karst rocky desertification and carbonate rock assemblage

types, which indicates karst area assembled by carbonate

rock is very fragile.

Spatial distribution of rocky desertification and land use


of karst rocky desertification in different land use types.

Most of rocky desertification distributes in grass land and

forested land.

Spatial pattern of land use and rocky desertification

Land use in different elevation and rocky desertification


of rocky desertification in different land use types with

different elevation. Cultivated land is located in the areas

with elevation between B1,500 and C1,800 m. Most rocky

desertification in cultivated land distributes in the areas

with elevation between B1,500 and C1,800 m, which

accounts for 46.7 and 35.7%, respectively.

Forested land is located in the areas with elevation

between C1,800 and 1,500–1,800 m. There is a high rate of

occurrence of rocky desertification in forested land with

Table 2 Distribution of rock desertification and elevation (km2)

B1,500 m (751) 1,500–1,800 m (332) C1,800 m (535)

Intense rocky desertification (269.46) 99.85 (13.3%) 112.13 (33.8%) 57.48 (10.7%)

Moderate rocky desertification (54.21) 14.16 (1.9%) 8.42 (2.5%) 31.63 (5.9%)

Slight rocky desertification (54.63) 15.77 (2.1%) 11.85 (3.6%) 27.01 (5.0%)

Total rocky desertification (378.3) 129.78 (17.3%) 132.40 (39.9%) 116.12 (21.6%)

Table 3 Distribution of rock desertification and slope (km2)

B5�(575) 5�–15�(339) 15�–25�(434) C25�(270)

Intense rocky desertification (269.46) 32.86 (5.7%) 80.87 (23.8%) 106.02 (24.4%) 49.71 (18.4%)

Moderate rocky desertification (54.21) 5.04 (0.9%) 14.11 (4.2%) 21.04 (4.8%) 14.02 (5.2%)

Slight rocky desertification (54.63) 4.40 (0.8%) 10.37 (3.1%) 21.60 (5.0%) 18.26 (6.8%)

Total rocky desertification (378.3) 42.30 (7.4%) 105.35 (31.3%) 148.66 (34.2%) 81.99 (30.4%)

Table 4 Distribution of rock desertification and lithology (km2)

Limestone

(475)

Dolomite

(475)

Intense rocky desertification

(269.46)

137.21 (28.9%) 132.25 (27.8%)

Moderate rocky desertification

(54.21)

23.46 (4.9%) 30.75 (6.5%)

Slight rocky desertification (54.63) 31.79 (6.7%) 22.84 (4.8%)

Total rocky desertification (378.3) 192.46 (40.5%) 185.84 (39.1%)


123

elevation between 1,500–1,800 and B1,500 m, which

accounts for 29.1 and 26.5%, respectively.

Grass land is located in the areas with elevation between

B1,500 and C1,800 m. There is not an obvious difference

in distribution of karst rocky desertification in grass land

with different elevation, which accounts for 38.4, 35.0 and

26.6%, respectively. But there is a high rate of occurrence

of rocky desertification in grass land with elevation

between 1,500 and 1,800 and B1,500 m, which accounts

for 53.0 and 38.3, respectively.

Land use in different slope and rocky desertification


of karst rocky desertification in different land use types

with different slope.

Cultivated land is located in the areas with slope

between B5� and 5�–15�. Most rocky desertification in

cultivated land distributes in the areas with slope between

5�–15� and 15�–25�, which accounts for 35.7 and 31.2%,

respectively. There is an obvious different rate of occur-

rence of rocky desertification in cultivated land with

different slope, which, with the increase of the gradient,

there is a higher rate of occurrence of rocky desertification.

Forested land is located in the areas with slope between

15�–25� and C25�. Most rocky desertification in forested

land distributes in the areas with slope between 15�–25�and C25�, which accounts for 41.5 and 27.5%, respec-

tively. Also, there is a higher rate of occurrence of rocky

desertification in forested land with slope among 5�–15�,

15�–25� and C25�.

Grass land is located in the areas with slope between

15�–25� and 5�–15�. Most rocky desertification in grass

land distributes in the areas with slope between 15�–25�and 5�–15�, which accounts for 40.0 and 29.1%, respec-

tively. There is an obvious different rate of occurrence of

rocky desertification in grass land with different slope,

which, with the increase of the gradient, there is a higher

rate of occurrence of rocky desertification.

Sloping cropland degrades to karst rocky desertification

due to soil erosion caused by unreasonable human activities

in the karst mountains area. Also, in karst mountains area,

because the forests and shrubs are the main object used by

humans, the soil gradually erodes and karst rocky deserti-

fication takes place after repeated felling, continuous

reclamation and herding. The unreasonable human activi-

ties accelerate karst rocky desertification through vegetation

destruction and the acceleration of the soil erosion

processes (Drew 1983), for example, the forestland

degenerating into shrubland and even into the sparse grass

slope because of felling, and the forested land and grass

land turn into sloping cropland after destruction of the forest

Table 5 Distribution of rock desertification and land use (km2)

Cultivated land (478) Forested land (444) Grass land (610)

Intense rocky desertification (269.46) 36.89 (7.7%) 63.69 (14.3%) 168.88 (27.7%)

Moderate rocky desertification (54.21) 6.25 (1.3%) 12.43 (2.8%) 35.53 (5.8%)

Slight rocky desertification (54.63) 4.63 (1.0%) 18.10 (4.1%) 31.90 (5.2%)

Total rocky desertification (378.3) 47.77 (10.0%) 94.22 (21.2%) 236.31 (38.7%)

Table 6 Land use with different elevation and rock desertification (km2)

Land use Elevation

(m)

Intense rocky

desertification

(269.46)

Moderate rocky

desertification (54.21)

Slight rocky

esertification

(54.63)

Total (378.3) Occurrence ratio

of rocky

desertification (%)

Cultivated land (478) B1,500 (368.0) 6.8% (18.25) 4.6% (2.53) 2.8% (1.53) 5.9% (22.31) 6.1

1,500–1,800 (30.0) 2.7% (7.19) 1.5% (0.82) 0.8%(0.42) 2.2%(8.43) 28.1

C1,800 (80.0) 4.2% (11.45) 5.3% (2.90) 4.9% (2.68) 4.5% (17.03) 21.3

Total (478) 13.7% (36.89) 11.5% (6.25) 8.5% (4.63) 12.6% (47.77) 10.0

Forested land (444) B1,500 (63.0) 5.5% (15) 1.0% (0.55) 2.1% (1.15) 4.4% (16.70) 26.5

1,500–1,800 (142.0) 12.6% (33.92) 6.9% (3.73) 6.8% (3.74) 10.9% (41.39) 29.1

C1,800 (239.0) 5.5% (14.77) 15.0% (8.15) 24.2% (13.21) 9.6% (36.13) 15.1

Total (444) 23.6% (63.69) 22.9% (12.43) 33.1% (18.10) 24.9% (94.22) 21.2

Grass land (610) B1,500 (236.7) 24.7% (66.60) 20.3% (11.08) 23.6% (13.09) 23.9% (90.77) 38.3

1,500–1,800 (155.7) 26.4% (71.02) 7.1% (3.87) 14.1% (7.69) 21.8% (82.58) 53.0

C1,800 (217.6) 11.6% (31.26) 38.0% (20.58) 20.4% (11.12) 16.6% (62.96) 28.9

Total (610) 62.7% (168.88) 65.5% (35.53) 58.4% (31.90) 62.5% (236.31) 38.7


123

and grass and then subsequent soil erosion brings on karst

rocky desertification land. So, there is a higher rate of

occurrence of rocky desertification in forested land and

grass land with high slope.

Land use in different lithology and rocky desertification


of rocky desertification in different land use types with

different lithology.

Cultivated land accounts for 16.3 and 10.3% in lime-

stone and dolomite, respectively. Rocky desertification

which occurred in cultivated land in limestone and dolo-

mite accounts for 60.8 and 39.2%, respectively. But, there

is not an obvious difference in occurrence rate of rocky

desertification in cultivated land within different lithology.

Forested land accounts for 32.6 and 42.4% in limestone

and dolomite, respectively. Rocky desertification which

occurred in forested land in limestone and dolomite accounts

for 50.5 and 49.5%, respectively. But, there shows a little

difference in occurrence rate of rocky desertification in

forested land within different lithology, which accounts for

32.9 and 24.8% in limestone and dolomite, respectively.

Grass land accounts for 41.1 and 58.9% in limestone and

dolomite, respectively. Rocky desertification which occur-

red in grass land in limestone and dolomite accounts for

49.0 and 51.0%, respectively. But, there is not an obvious

difference in occurrence rate of rocky desertification in

grass land within different lithology.

Also, there is not an obvious difference in occurrence

rate of rocky desertification in land use pattern with dif-

ferent lithology.

Table 7 Land use with different slope and rock desertification (km2)

Land use Slope Intense rocky

desertification

(269.46)

Moderate rocky


Slight rocky

desertification

(54.63)


of rocky

desertification (%)

Cultivated land (478) B5� (323.3) 2.2% (6.03) 1.2% (0.64) 0.8% (0.42) 1.8% (7.09) 2.2

5�–15� (76.8) 4.9% (13.17) 4.2% (2.26) 3.0% (1.62) 4.5% (17.05) 22.2

15�–25� (52.0) 4.2% (11.40) 3.2% (1.77) 3.2% (1.74) 3.9% (14.91) 28.7

C25� (25.9) 2.4% (6.29) 2.9% (1.58) 1.5% (0.85) 2.3% (8.72) 33.7

Total (478) 13.7% (36.89) 11.5% (6.25) 8.5% (4.63) 12.6% (47.77) 10.0

Forested land (444) B5� (68.0) 2.6% (7.09) 2.2% (1.20) 2.5% (1.36) 2.6% (9.65) 14.2

5�–15� (78.5) 5.5% (14.72) 3.6% (1.95) 5.2% (2.86) 5.2% (19.53) 24.9

15�–25� (169.0) 9.9% (26.74) 9.0% (4.89) 13.7%(7.47) 10.3% (39.10) 23.1

C25� (128.5) 5.6% (15.14) 8.1% (4.39) 11.7% (6.41) 6.8% (25.94) 20.2

Total (444) 23.6% (63.69) 22.9% (12.43) 33.1% (18.10) 24.9% (94.22) 21.2

Grass land (610) B5� (100.0) 7.3% (19.74) 5.9% (3.20) 4.8% (2.62) 6.8% (25.56) 25.6

5�–15� (180.6) 19.7% (52.98) 18.2% (9.90) 10.8% (5.89) 18.2% (68.77) 38.1

15�–25� (213.4) 25.2% (67.88) 26.4% (14.29) 22.7% (12.39) 25.0% (94.56) 44.3

C25� (116.0) 10.5% (28.28) 15.0% (8.14) 20.1% (11.00) 12.5% (47.42) 40.9

Total (610) 62.7% (168.88) 65.5% (35.53) 58.4% (31.90) 62.5% (236.31) 38.7

Table 8 Land use within different lithology and rock desertification (km2)

Land use Lithology Intense rocky

desertification

(269.46)

Moderate rocky

desertification

(54.21)

Slight rocky

desertification

(54.63)


of rocky

desertification (%)

Cultivated land (478) Limestone (77.95) 7.5% (20.31) 8.6% (4.69) 7.4% (4.03) 7.7% (29.03) 37.2

Dolomite (48.99) 6.2% (16.58) 2.9% (1.56) 1.1% (0.60) 5.0% (18.74) 38.3

Total (478) 13.7% (36.89) 11.5% (6.25) 8.5% (4.63) 12.6% (47.77) 10.0

Forested land (444) Limestone (144.59) 12.0% (32.25) 9.4% (5.12) 18.7% (10.20) 12.6% (47.57) 32.9

Dolomite (188.45) 11.7% (31.44) 13.5% (7.31) 14.5% (7.90) 12.3% (46.65) 24.8

Total (444) 23.6% (63.69) 22.9% (12.43) 33.1% (18.10) 24.9% (94.22) 21.2

Grass land (610) Limestone (250.97) 31.4% (84.65) 25.2% (13.65) 32.1% (17.56) 30.6% (115.86) 46.2

Dolomite (237.47) 31.3% (84.23) 40.4% (21.88) 26.2% (14.34) 31.9% (120.45) 50.7

Total (610) 62.7% (168.88) 65.5% (35.53) 58.4% (31.90) 62.5% (236.31) 38.7


123

Therefore, there is not an obvious relevance between

karst rocky desertification and carbonate rock assemblage

types, and land use patterns distributed in different car-

bonate assemblages have same impacts on karst rocky

desertification, which indicates karst geology environment

is very fragile.

Spatial pattern of construction land and rocky

desertification

Construction land signifies density population, with inten-

sive human activities. So, spatial pattern of construction

land has an important impact on the occurrence, develop-

ment and spatial distribution of rock desertification. In

order to study the relationship between spatial pattern of

construction land and rocky desertification, spatial distri-

bution of rock desertification in different distance from the

construction land were obtained from overlaying the map

of the different buffer distance of the construction land and

spatial distribution map of rock desertification (Fig. 5;

Table 9).

As shown in Table 9, more than half of total rocky


from the construction land, of which intense, moderate and

slight rocky desertification account for 59.1, 42.7, and

45.5% of the total intense, moderate and slight rocky

desertification in the study area, respectively. Also, 96.5%

of total rocky desertification was dominated within the

areas of 10 km from the construction land, of which

intense, moderate and slight rocky desertification accounts

for 96.8, 93.3, and 88.8% of the total intense, moderate and

slight rocky desertification in the study area, respectively.

Meanwhile, there is an obvious decreasing in the increase

ratio of occurrence rate of rocky desertification within the

distance of 4 km from the construction land, and decreas-

ing in the occurrence rate of rocky desertification within

the distance of 10 km from the construction land. What we

can know is that the most primary effect distance of human

on rocky desertification from the construction land is 4 km,

and the farthest effect distance of human on rocky desert-

ification from the construction land is 10 km in the study

area.

Conclusions

The total land deserted area covers 378.3 km2, or 23.4% of

the total area, of which intense rocky desertification covers

269.46 km2, moderate rocky desertification covers

54.21 km2, and slight rocky desertification covers

54.63 km2 in Nandong area.

Rocky desertification was dominated in the areas with

slope C5�, and in grass land and forested land. But there is

not an obvious difference distribution of rocky desertifi-

cation in dolomite and limestone and in different elevation.

There is an obvious effect of spatial pattern of land use

on rocky desertification. Rocky desertification occurred in

Fig. 5 Distribution of rock desertification within the distances of

a 4 km and b 10 km from the construction land


123

the cultivated land was dominated in the areas with ele-

vation between 1,500–1,800 and C1,800 m, and with slope

between 5�–25�. And with the increase of elevation and

slope, there is a higher occurrence ratio of rocky deserti-

fication in the cultivated land. Rocky desertification

occurred in the forested land was dominated in the areas

with elevation C1,800 m, and slope with C5�. There is a

higher occurrence ratio of rocky desertification in the for-

ested land with elevation between 1,500–1,800 and

B1,500 m. Rocky desertification occurred in the grass land

was dominated in the areas with elevation 1,500–1,800 m,

and with slope between 5�–25�. Also, with the increase of

elevation and slope, there is a higher occurrence ratio of

rocky desertification in the grass land. But, there is not an

obvious difference in occurrence ratio of rocky desertifi-

cation in land use pattern with different lithology, and land

use patterns distributed in different carbonate assemblages

have same impacts on karst rocky desertification, which

indicates karst geology environment is very fragile.

Also, spatial pattern of construction land effects inten-

sively on karst rocky desertification. More than half of total

rocky desertification was dominated within the areas of

4 km from the construction land, and 97% of total rocky


from the construction land in Nandong area. And what can

be known is that the most primary effect distance of human

on rocky desertification from the construction land is 4 km,

and the farthest effect distance of human on rocky desert-

ification from the construction land is 10 km in Nandong

area.

Acknowledgments This research was funded by National Basic

Research Program of China (No: 2008CB417208); The China

Environmental Health Project; the National Natural Science Foun-

dation (No: 40672165); the doctorate foundation of Southwest

University China (SWNUB2005035); the project of M L R

(No: 200310400024); and Key Laboratory Cultivation Project

(GuiKeNeng0842008). Thanks are to Yuexie Wu, Cheng Zhang,

Shiyi He, Erin Lynch, Duncan Collis, Joel Despain, Cyndie Walck,

Shane Fryer, Mike Futrell, Andrea Futrell, Yinggang Li, Jie Zhang,

Junbing Pu, Yinglun Kuang and Qiang Zhang for their help of field

work. Thanks are also to reviewers for their suggestions in modifying

the manuscript.

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Buffer distance from

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13 km (1,599.82) 99.8% (268.97) 99.5% (53.91) 99.3% (54.25) 99.7% (377.13) 23.6

14 km (1,618.00) 100% (269.46) 100% (54.21) 100% (54.63) 100% (378.30) 23.4


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