Applicability of the generalized wind profile model over mountainous forests.

The analytical equation based on Monin-Obukhov (M-O) similarity theory (i.e., wind profile equation) has been adopted since 1970s for using in the prediction of wind vertical profile over flat terrains, which is mature and accurate. However, its applicability over complex terrains remains unknown. This applicability signifies the accuracy of the estimations of aerodynamic parameters for the boundary layer of non-flat terrain, such as zero-displacement height (d) and aerodynamic roughness length (z0), which will determine the accuracy of frequency correction and source area analysis in calculating carbon, water, and trace gas fluxes based on vorticity covariance method. Therefore, the validation of wind profile model in non-flat terrain is the first step to test whether the flux model needs improvement. We measured three-dimensional wind speed data by using the Ker Towers (three towers in a watershed) at Qingyuan Forest CERN in the Mountainous Region of east Liaoning Province, and compared them with data from Panjin Agricultural Station in the Liaohe Plain, to evaluate the applicability of a generalized wind profile model based on the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory on non-flat terrain. The results showed that the generalized wind profile model could not predict wind speeds accurately of three flux towers separately located in different sites, indicating that wind profile model was not suitable for predicting wind speeds in complex terrains. In the leaf-off and leaf-on periods, the coefficient of determination (R2) between observed and predicted wind speeds ranged from 0.12 to 0.30. Compared to measured values, the standard error of the predicted wind speeds was high up to 2 m·s-1. The predicted wind speeds were high as twice as field-measured wind speed, indicating substantial overestimation. Nevertheless, this model correctly predicted wind speeds in flat agricultural landscape in Panjin Agricultural Station. The R2 between observed wind speeds and predicted wind speed ranged from 0.90 to 0.93. The standard error between observed and predicted values was only 0.5 m·s-1. Results of the F-test showed that the root-mean-square error of the observed and predicted wind speeds in each secondary forest complex terrain was much greater than that in flat agricultural landscape. Terrain was the primary factor affecting the applicability of wind profile model, followed by seasonality (leaf or leafless canopy). The wind profile model was not applicable to the boundary-layer flows over forest canopies in complex terrains, because the d was underestimated or both the d and z0 were underestimated, resulting in inaccurate estimation of aerodynamic height.

Mapping Chinese annual gross primary productivity with eddy covariance measurements and machine learning.

Annual gross primary productivity (AGPP) is the basis for grain production and terrestrial carbon sequestration. Mapping regional AGPP from site measurements provides methodological support for analysing AGPP spatiotemporal variations thereby ensures regional food security and mitigates climate change. Based on 641 site-year eddy covariance measuring AGPP from China, we built an AGPP mapping scheme based on its formation and selected the optimal mapping way, which was conducted through analysing the predicting performances of divergent mapping tools, variable combinations, and mapping approaches in predicting observed AGPP variations. The reasonability of the selected optimal scheme was confirmed by assessing the consistency between its generating AGPP and previous products in spatiotemporal variations and total amount. Random forest regression tree explained 85 % of observed AGPP variations, outperforming other machine learning algorithms and classical statistical methods. Variable combinations containing climate, soil, and biological factors showed superior performance to other variable combinations. Mapping AGPP through predicting AGPP per leaf area (PAGPP) explained 86 % of AGPP variations, which was superior to other approaches. The optimal scheme was thus using a random forest regression tree, combining climate, soil, and biological variables, and predicting PAGPP. The optimal scheme generating AGPP of Chinese terrestrial ecosystems decreased from southeast to northwest, which was highly consistent with previous products. The interannual trend and interannual variation of our generating AGPP showed a decreasing trend from east to west and from southeast to northwest, respectively, which was consistent with data-oriented products. The mean total amount of generated AGPP was 7.03 ± 0.45 PgC yr-1 falling into the range of previous works. Considering the consistency between the generated AGPP and previous products, our optimal mapping way was suitable for mapping AGPP from site measurements. Our results provided a methodological support for mapping regional AGPP and other fluxes.

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The relationship between the structure and function of forest ecosystems is the main intere-sts in the research area of forest ecology and management. However, over complex terrains in particular, these studies had been challenged as uneasy tasks due to the limitations in the forest survey and measurement techniques and other supporting technologies. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) funded "Multi-Tower LiDAR/ECFlux Platform for Monitoring the Structure and Function of Secondary Forest Ecosystems" (Multi-Tower Platform, MTP) as a field station network corner-stone research infrastructure project, which was completed by Qingyuan Forest CERN (Chinese Ecosystem Research Network). In a distinctively-bounded and monitored-outlet watershed, the MTP was integrated by light detection and ranging (LiDAR) scanners, eddy covariance (EC) flux instrument systems, whole- and sub-watershed hydrology station network, long-term forest plot arrays, and live data center. Using LiDAR scanning, the MTP can get cloud data for holographic information on canopy structure. The EC-flux instrument system and hydrology station network along with forest plot arrays could ensure the reliability of water and carbon observations over this complex terrain, which allows to verify the studies on flux measurement technologies and methods, as well as to understand the processes of ecohydrology and CO2 exchange between forest ecosystem and the atmosphere. Further, we can also assess the primary ecosystem services, including water conservation and carbon sequestration. All the data from "tower-station" were streamed through wireless network, which would facilitate data monitoring, management, and sharing. There are three tasks of MTP team: 1) defining innovative methods and descriptors to quantify three-dimensional forest structure; 2) developing theories and techniques to measure CO2/H2O fluxes and other trace gases over complex terrains; 3) understanding the relationship between structure and function of forest ecosystems, providing information and rationales for forest management practices to assure broad and sustainable benefits from forests.

Hydraulics play an important role in causing low growth rate and dieback of aging Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica trees in plantations of Northeast China.

The frequently observed forest decline in water-limited regions may be associated with impaired tree hydraulics, but the precise physiological mechanisms remain poorly understood. We compared hydraulic architecture of Mongolian pine (Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica) trees of different size classes from a plantation and a natural forest site to test whether greater hydraulic limitation with increasing size plays an important role in tree decline observed in the more water-limited plantation site. We found that trees from plantations overall showed significantly lower stem hydraulic efficiency. More importantly, plantation-grown trees showed significant declines in stem hydraulic conductivity and hydraulic safety margins as well as syndromes of stronger drought stress with increasing size, whereas no such trends were observed at the natural forest site. Most notably, the leaf to sapwood area ratio (LA/SA) showed a strong linear decline with increasing tree size at the plantation site. Although compensatory adjustments in LA/SA may mitigate the effect of increased water stress in larger trees, they may result in greater risk of carbon imbalance, eventually limiting tree growth at the plantation site. Our results provide a potential mechanistic explanation for the widespread decline of Mongolian pine trees in plantations of Northern China.

[Aboveground biomass and nutrient distribution patterns of larch plantation in a montane region of eastern Liaoning Province, China].

Larch is the main timber species of forest plantations in North China. Imbalance in nutrient cycling in soil emerged due to single species composition and mono system structure of plantation. Thus it is necessary to grasp its biomass and nutrients allocation for scientific management and nutrient cycling studies of larch plantation. We measured aboveground biomass (stem, branch, bark and leaf) and nutrient concentrations (C, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn), and analyzed the patterns of accumulation and distribution of 19-year-old larch plantation with diameter at breast height of 12. 8 cm, tree height of 15. 3 m, and density of 2308 trees · hm(-2), in a montane region of eastern Liaoning Province, China. The results showed that aboveground biomass values were 70.26 kg and 162.16 t · hm(-2) for the individual tree of larch and the stand, respectively. There was a significant difference between biomass of the organs, and decreased in the order of stem > branch > bark > leaf. Nutrient accumulation was 749.94 g and 1730.86 kg · hm(-2) for the individual tree of larch and the stand, respectively. Nutrient accumulation of stem was significantly higher than that of branch, bark and leaf, whether it was macro-nutrient or micro-nutrient. Averagely, 749.94 g nutrient elements would be removed from the system when a 19-year-old larch tree was harvested. If only the stem part was removed from the system, the removal of nutrient elements could be reduced by 40.7%.

[Estimation of shelter forest area in Three-North Shelter Forest Program region based on multi-sensor remote sensing data].

The Three-North Shelter Forest Program is a key forestry ecological project in China. The quantity and spatial distribution of the shelter forest in the program affect the ecological environment of the entire Three-North region. In this paper, multi-sensor remote sensing data were used to scientifically, objectively and comprehensively estimate the quantity and spatial distribution pattern of the shelter forest in this region in 1978-2008. Firstly, the Landsat TM images (30 m in resolution) were adopted to extract the shelter forest data in this region in 2008. Then, based on random sampling techniques, the calibration formulae for the shelter forest area in different precipitation climate regions estimated by the SPOT5 (2.5 m in resolution) and Landsat TM were constructed. By using the above-mentioned results, the shelter forest area in the Three-North region in 2008 was estimated. In 2008, the total area of the shelter forest (canopy density of arbor shelter forest was >0.3, coverage of shrub shelter forest was > 40%, and accuracy was about 85%) in this region was 328360.03 km2, with 116244.55 km2 in Northeast China, 42981.32 km2 in North China, 76767.05 km2 in Loess Plateau, and 92367.11 km2 in Mongolia-Xinjiang Region. According to the classification of shelter forest types, the areas of coniferous forest, broadleaved forest, mixed broadleaf-conifer forest and shrubland were 62614.74, 121628.51, 22144.09 and 121972.69 km2, respectively.

[Needles stable carbon isotope composition and traits of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica in sparse wood grassland in south edge of Keerqin Sandy Land under the conditions of different precipitation].

A comparative study was conducted on the needles stable carbon isotope composition (delta13 C), specific leaf area (SLA), and dry matter content (DMC) of 19-year-old Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica trees in a sparse wood grassland in the south edge of Keerqin Sandy Land under the conditions of extreme drought and extreme wetness, aimed to understand the water use of Pinus sylvestris under the conditions of extreme precipitation. The soil water content and groundwater level were also measured. In the dry year (2009), the soil water content in the grassland was significantly lower than that in the wet year (2010), but the delta13C values of the current year-old needles had no significant difference between the two years and between the same months of the two years. The SLA of the current year-old needles was significantly lower in the dry year than in the wet year, but the DMC had no significant difference between the two years. Under the conditions of the two extreme precipitations, the water use efficiency of the trees did not vary remarkably, and the trees could change their needles SLA to adapt the variations of precipitation. For the test ecosystem with a groundwater level more than 3.0 m, extreme drought could have no serious impact on the growth and survival of the trees.

Seed regeneration potential of canopy gaps at early formation stage in temperate secondary forests, Northeast China.

Promoting the seed regeneration potential of secondary forests undergoing gap disturbances is an important approach for achieving forest restoration and sustainable management. Seedling recruitment from seed banks strongly determines the seed regeneration potential, but the process is poorly understood in the gaps of secondary forests. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the effects of gap size, seed availability, and environmental conditions on the seed regeneration potential in temperate secondary forests. It was found that gap formation could favor the invasion of more varieties of species in seed banks, but it also could speed up the turnover rate of seed banks leading to lower seed densities. Seeds of the dominant species, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, were transient in soil and there was a minor and discontinuous contribution of the seed bank to its seedling emergence. For Quercus mongolica, emerging seedling number was positively correlated with seed density in gaps (R = 0.32, P<0.01), especially in medium and small gaps (<500 m(2)). Furthermore, under canopies, there was a positive correlation between seedling number and seed density of Acer mono (R = 0.43, P<0.01). Gap formation could promote seedling emergence of two gap-dependent species (i.e., Q. mongolica and A. mono), but the contribution of seed banks to seedlings was below 10% after gap creation. Soil moisture and temperature were the restrictive factors controlling the seedling emergence from seeds in gaps and under canopies, respectively. Thus, the regeneration potential from seed banks is limited after gap formation.

[Effects of light quality on the seed germination of main tree species in a secondary forest ecosystem of Northeast China].

This paper explored the effects of light quality on the seed germination of five dominant tree species (Larix kaempferi, Phellodendron amurense, Acer mono, Fraxinus mandshurica, and Pinus koraiensis) in a secondary forest ecosystem of Northeast China, based on the experiments with the seeds of the five tree species in laboratory and those of the P. koraiensis and L. kaempferi in the field. Four treatments of different light quality were designed in laboratory (taking dark as the control), and three treatments of R/FR (the ratio of red light and far red light intensity) were installed in the field. The laboratory experiment showed that light quality had less effect on the seed germination of L. kaempferi, but the seed germination rates of the other four tree species were significantly different under the treatments of different light quality. P. amurense had the highest seed germination rate under white light, whereas A. mono, F. mandshurica, and P. koraiensis had the highest one under the alternative irradiation with red light and far red light (R-FR-R). In consistence with the results in laboratory, the seed germination rate of P. koraiensis in the field decreased with decreasing R/FR ratio, while that of L. kaempferi was less affected. Under natural condition, the R-FR-R fluctuated with the activity of sun-fleck, and the seed germination patterns of A. mono, F. mandshurica, and P. koraiensis could be the adaptation to the sun-fleck environment in forest stand. The germination of large seeds was significantly affected by light quality.

[Physical and chemical properties of throughfall in main forest types of secondary forest ecosystem in montane regions of eastern Liaoning Province, China].

From July to September 2008, a measurement was made on the physical and chemical properties of bulk precipitation and throughfall in five main forest types, i.e., larch plantation (LP), Fraxinus rhynchophylla stand (FR), mixed forest stand (MF), Korean pine plantation (KP), and Mongolian oak stand (MO), of secondary forest ecosystem in montane regions of eastern Liaoning Province, China. Comparing with bulk precipitation, the throughfall in the five forest types was significantly acidified (P < 0.05), and the acidification degree was in the order of KP > LP > MF > MO > FR. The conductivity and total dissolved solids of the throughfall increased significantly (P < 0.05), and were in the sequence of MO > FR > LP > MF > KP. The dissolved oxygen concentration of the throughfall lowered significantly (P < 0.05), with the rank of KP > MF > FR > MO > LP, while the Cl- concentration increased significantly, ranked as LP > MO > MF > FR > KP. The NO3-concentrations of the throughfall in FR, MO and MF were higher, while those in LP and KP were lower than that of the bulk precipitation.

[Effects of fertilization on nutrient concentrations of different root orders' fine roots in Larix kaempferi plantation].

With the 16 years old Larix kaempferi plantation in eastern mountain area of Liaoning Province, China as test object, this paper studied the effects of fertilization on the nutrient concentrations of five root orders' fine roots. Under fertilization, less difference was observed in the total C concentration of the fine roots. Among the five orders' fine roots, the first order's had the lowest concentration of non-structural carbohydrate (TNC) and the highest ones of N and P, while the fifth order's was in adverse. The TNC concentration increased with increasing root order, while the N and P concentrations decreased correspondingly. Fertilization only had significant effects on the N and P concentrations of the first order's fine roots. The C/N/P ratio in different orders' fine roots had significant differences, being 423 : 16 : 1 and 726 : 16 : 1 in the first and the fifth order's fine roots, respectively. With the increase of root order, the proportion of C increased significantly, while that of N varied little. N fertilization didn't change the proportion of C, while P or P + N fertilization decreased the proportions of C and N in the first three orders' fine roots at 0-10 cm soil depth or in the first two orders' fine roots at 10-20 cm soil depth.

[Obstacles for natural regeneration of Larix olgensis plantations in montane regions of eastern Liaoning Province, China].

Based on the field investigations about the seed bank, seed germination, seedling emergence, and seedling survival and growth in the Larix olgensis plantations with different thinning intensities and various ground preparations in the montane regions of eastern Liaoning Province, the main factors affecting the natural regeneration of L. olgensis were analyzed in this paper. The results showed that in the seed rain of 40 years old L. olgensis plantation, 30% of the seeds had viability, which could meet the needs of natural regeneration. The seeds in soil seed bank mainly distributed in litter layer, and the seedlings younger than one-year old emerged in April and reached the peak in June. The accumulative emergence rate of the seedlings had no significant correlation with thinning intensities, but was affected by ground preparations. The average survival rate of appeared seedlings increased with increasing thinning intensities, but the seedling growth was generally slow in the plantation stands, e.g., the seedling height was less than 6 cm, and most of the seedlings disappeared in September. In the plantation stands, it was difficult to find the L. olgensis seedlings elder than one-year; but in the clear-cut area with enough light and less ground cover, more seedlings could survive and grew well. Based on the above mentioned results, it was concluded that the main obstacles for the natural regeneration of L. olgensis plantations in montane regions of eastern Liaoning Province could be light intensity and ground cover.

[Comparison of light characteristics in different size gaps in eastern Liaoning montane secondary forests].

With three different size gaps (G1, 670 m2; G2, 290 m2; and G3, 90 m2) in eastern Liaoning montane secondary forests of China as test objects, and through a continuous measurement of light intensity, the spatiotemporal distribution of photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) in the gaps was compared. The results showed that the diurnal variation of PPFD in the gaps was greater at northern than at southern position. The larger the forest gap, the broader the higher PPFD value area, and the more obvious the heterogeneity. As for the monthly variation of PPFD, the maximum PPFD at each position of the gaps appeared at the beginning of growth season (i.e., in April and May), while the minimum PPFD occurred in different months. The maximum PPFD at the eastern and western positions of each gap was basically appeared in the same months, and the PPFD was significantly higher in spring than in summer and autumn (P < 0.05). The mean monthly PPFD at the centers of G1, G2, and G3 was 66.59%, 49.05%, and 30.37% of full sunlight, respectively, and in growth season, the PPFD at gap center was 37.8, 27.9 and 10.3 times higher than that at understory. It was suggested that owing to the different size and shape of forest gap and the effects of landform, the light intensity and its distribution in forest gap were different, being the key factors leading to the heterogeneity of regeneration pattern and the variation of species composition in forest gap.

[Forest degradation/decline: research and practice].

As one of the most critical environmental problems in the 21st century, forest degradation has been facing worldwide. There are many definitions about forest degradation, but its common features are the permanent loss of forests, stand structure destructed, forest quality decreased, and forest functions lowered. Forest decline or tree decline in fact is one of the causes of forest degradation, which includes the general reduction of trees in vigor, low level growth of trees in productivity, death of trees, and even, decline of soil fertility. Many researches indicated that deforestation is the permanent loss of forests in area, which is shifted to other land uses. Deforestation is the product of the interactions between environmental, social, economic, cultural, and political forces at work in any given country/region, and thus, more and more attention is focused on the negative socioeconomic and environmental effects after forest degradation, especially on the reduction of forest area induced by deforestation. The effects of any decisions or policies in national and international levels on forest degradation induced by deforestation have been paid attention as well. How to make efforts and strengthen the worldwide cooperation to combat the forest degradation induced by deforestation must be challenged to find appropriate solutions. There are many researches on forest decline, because of its complexity and uncertainties. The major causes of forest decline include: 1) pollution from both industry and agriculture, 2) stress factors, e.g., desiccation, 3) changes in stand dynamics, 4) decline disease of forest or diseases of complex etiology, 5) degradation of productivity and/or soil fertility in pure plantation forests. Forest degradation in China is similar to that all over the world, but with the characteristics in forest components, i.e., 1) secondary forests are the major forest resources, 2) China has the most plantation forests in the world, some of which have low qualities or functions. Based on the above reviews and perceptions on forest degradation and related practices, the main causes of contemporary forest degradation were summarized, and the general countermeasures for combating forest degradation/decline were given.

[Effects of fertilization on fine root diameter, root length and specific root length in Larix kaempferi plantation].

With 16 years old Larix kaempfersoil plantation in the mountainous area of eastern Liaoning Province as test object, this paper studied the effects of fertilization on the fine root diameter, root length, and specific root length (SRL) of the first to fifth order roots. The results showed that with ascending root orders, the mean fine root diameter and root length increased, while the SRL decreased significantly. Among the five order roots, the first order roots were the thinnest in diameter, the shortest in length, and the highest in SRL, but the fifth order roots were in reverse. The variance coefficients for the fine root diameter, root length, and SRL increased from the first to the fifth order roots. Except for the first order roots, soil depth had no significant influence on the fine root diameter, root length and SRL. Fertilization affected the fine root diameter, root length, and SRL of the first and the second order roots significantly, hut had little effects on other order roots. N fertilization decreased the mean diameter of the first and the second order roots significantly, and N or N + P fertilization decreased the mean length of the first order roots in surface soil (0-10 cm) significantly. The SRL of the first order roots in surface soil increased significantly under N fertilization.

[Effects of fertilization on fine root biomass of Larix kaempferi plantation].

With 16 years old Larix kaempferi plantation in eastern mountain area of Liaoning Province as test object, this paper studied its total fine root biomass, fine root biomass at different soil depths, and biomass of different root orders under effects of fertilization. The results showed that compared with no fertilization, applying N decreased the total fine root biomass significantly (P < 0.05), while the difference between applying P and N + P was not significant. The fine root biomass in top soil (0-10 cm) was significantly (P < 0.01) higher than that in subsoil (10-20 cm), and in all treatments, it accounted for 64%-73% of the total. The effects of fertilization on fine root biomass varied with soil depth and root orders. In top soil, N fertilization decreased five orders (except the second order) fine root biomass significantly (P < 0.05), while P and P + N fertilization had no significant effects (P > 0.05), except the fifth order root in treatment P, and the second order root in treatment P + N (P < 0.05). In subsoil, treatments N and P had no effects on five orders fine root biomass (P > 0.05), while treatment N + P increased the first order fine root biomass significantly (P < 0.05).

[Numerical simulation of vertical one-dimensional water movement in unsaturated soil: a case study on coniferous forest brown soil on northern slope of Changbai Mountains].

This paper established a mathematical model to simulate the vertical one-dimensional flow processes in unsaturated zone, based on the basic equation of soil water movement and the actual layer structure of coniferous forest brown soil on northern slope of Changbai Mountains. The numerical discrete equations of this model were derived, and the procedure for the numerical simulation of the model was programmed. This model was validated with numerical simulation, and the simulation values were consistent well with the measurements.

[Soil hydro-physical properties under broadleaved Korean pine and dark coniferous forests on northern slope of Changbai Mountains].

The measurement of soil hydro-physical properties under broadleaved Korean pine and dark coniferous forests on the northern slope of Changbai Mountains showed that under these two forest types, soil bulk density and porosity had the same variation trend with increasing soil depth, i. e. , bulk density and capillary porosity increased, while total porosity and non-capillary porosity decreased. The average bulk density, total porosity, capillary porosity and non-capillary porosity in 0-100 cm soil layer were 1. 41 g x cm(-3), 52. 31% , 46. 11% and 6. 20% under broadleaved Korean pine forest, and 0. 98 g x cm(-3) , 50. 65% , 40. 32% , 10. 33% under dark coniferous forest, respectively. Owing to the differences in soil hydro-physical properties, the water storage capacity in 0-100 cm soil layer was 619. 89 t x hm(-2) under broadleaved Korean pine forest, but 1 033.05 t X hm(-2) under dark coniferous forest. For these two forests, their soil water characteristic curves were consistent with the general one.

[Effects of ectomycorrhizal fungi on alleviating the decline of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica plantations on Keerqin sandy land].

Based on the observations of air temperature, soil temperature, and root systems of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica plantations on southeastern Keerqin sandy land, the decline mechanisms of the plantations were analyzed from the aspect of the effects of temperature on the growth and survival of ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM). The results indicated that ECM could hardly survive with in 0-5 cm soil layer because of its high temperature environment, but the temperature condition in 20-40 cm soil layer was suitable for the survival and growth of ECM. 78% of the roots of 13-42 years old P. sylvestris var. mongolica tress were distributed in 20-40 cm soil layer, which suggested that the existence of ECM in this soil layer inhibited or alleviated the decline of the P. sylvestris var. mongolica plantations, and was not the inducing factor of the plantations' top withering, low growth rate, and tree death. The lack of ECM in surface soil layer (0-5 cm) could be one of the main reasons leading to the death of seedlings root systems, and thus, the failure of P. sylvestris var. mongolica plantations' regeneration.

[Landscape change in upper reaches of Minjiang River].

Based on the fuzzy logic knowledge database designed by NetWeaver tools, and using ecosystem management decision support system (EMDS), a quantitative evaluation was made on the landscape change in the upper reaches of Minjiang River from 1986 to 2000. The results showed that the type, area, amount, and spatial distribution of landscape patches in the reaches changed greatly, and the changing direction was in favor of ecosystem restoration. The changes of forest landscape mainly occurred in the north part of study area (Songpan County and Heishui County), while those of grass landscape mainly occurred both in the north part and in the furthest south part (Wenchuan County). The joint effect of increasing human activities and nature change was the driving force of the landscape changes.