Quantitative assessment of driving factors affecting human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP) in the Qilian Mountains, China

The combined effects of climate change and human activities pose threat to the sustainable development of ecosystems. Human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP) has been extensively used as an important indicator for evaluating the sustainable development of the ecosystem. However, few studies quantitatively assessed the driving factors of HANPP. Based on Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectmradiometer (MODIS) data, methods of net primary production (NPP) model and regression analysis, the spatial and temporal distribution of HANPP and its driving factors in the Qilian Mountains from 2005 to 2015 were illustrated. The results showed that the HANPP in the Qilian Mountains decreased gradually from both east to west and from south to north, showing a slight upward overall. The regions affected by human activities and climate change accounted for 26.8% and 73.2% respectively. Moreover, there was a significant negative impact between grain yield and HANPP, and a significant positive impact of either the annual sunshine duration, or livestock amount to HANPP.

Automated summary

This study investigated the spatial and temporal distribution of HANPP and its driving factors in the Qilian Mountains from 2005 to 2015 using MODIS data, NPP model, and regression analysis. The results showed varying trends of HANPP in different regions, with human activities and climate change playing different roles in influencing HANPP levels.