The study of changes in time and space distribution for composite desertification: taking the Ebinur Lake region in Xinjiang as an example

This paper takes the Ebinur Lake region in Xinjiang as a study area. Based on summarized analysis of the monitoring index system and evaluation methods of desertification now available on hand, the concept of composite desertification has been resulted. Through time changed remote sensing image data, the status of desertification and information about dymanic changes had been obtained. The analytic results show: desertification area influenced by the single dominant factor accounts for 82.29% of the total land desertification area, while that of composite desertification accounts for 17.71%. From 2002 to 2005, the area of Ebinur Lake had reduced 322.5073 km2, overall land desertification's area had increased by 7.18%, and that of composite desertification had increased by 133%. The process of land desertification changed on the same time: the area of wind-erosion and composite desertification increased, while that of salinization-desertification declined. The expansion of composite desertification extends from previous brush forest land and psammophytic forest land to other land types.