Ecological transitions in Xinjiang, China: Unraveling the impact of climate change on vegetation dynamics (1990–2020)

For the past several decades, climate change has been driving vegetation dynamics in arid regions worldwide. This study investigates vegetation dynamics and their links to climate from 1990 to 2020 in Xinjiang, China, using data from 30-m resolution land use and cover change, remote sensing, and climate reanalysis. Our approach encompasses a range of analytical techniques, including transfer matrix analysis, modeling, correlation, regression, and trend analysis. During the study period, there were major vegetation conversions from grassland to forestland in the mountains, and from cropland to grassland in the plains. Climate change emerged as an important trigger of these changes, as evidenced by the increase in net primary productivity in most vegetation types, except for cropland-grassland and grassland-cropland conversions. Precipitation and soil moisture were the most influential climatic factors, contributing 15.1% and 15.2%, respectively, to natural vegetation changes. The study also found that evapotranspiration serves as a key mechanism for moisture dissipation in the hydrological cycle of vegetation dynamics. The interplay between precipitation, soil moisture, and evapotranspiration is a critical pattern of climatic influence that shapes vegetation dynamics across zones of intersection, increase, decrease, and change. These insights are invaluable for informing vegetation conservation and development strategies in Xinjiang and other similar environments facing climate-driven ecological transitions.