Understanding the Role of Urbanization on Vegetation Dynamics in Mountainous Areas of Southwest China: Mechanism, Spatiotemporal Pattern, and Policy Implications

Abstract

As an important component of terrestrial ecosystems, the mountainous areas of southwest China are facing eco-environmental stress due to rapid urbanization. This study analyzed the vegetation dynamics during urbanization in 410 counties in the mountainous area of southwest China using trend analysis and bivariate spatial autocorrelation analysis. The results demonstrate the following: (1) The regional differences in the natural background and the stage of economic development resulted in obvious geographical heterogeneity in the relationship between urbanization and vegetation coverage. (2) The relationship between the rate of urbanization level change (RULC) and the slope of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) (Slope−NDVI) in the mountainous areas of southwest China is characterized by an inverted-U-shaped curve. Based on the inflection point (0.206, 57.60) of the inverted-U-shaped curve, the optimal mean annual RULC is 1.37%. (3) The relief degree of the land surface, the gross domestic product (GDP) change rate, and the slope of temperature change are positively correlated with the Slope−NDVI. Overall, an understanding of how urbanization affects vegetation dynamics can inform decisions concerning ecological restoration and urban–rural development in China.