Analysis of the Characteristics and Causes of Land Degradation and Development in Coastal China (1982–2015)

Land degradation and development (LDD) is one of the important ecological issues in coastal China. This study analyzed the temporal and spatial changes of the LDD process in coastal China from 1982 to 2015 using the LDD index constructed from normalized NDVI and GPP data. The study also quantitatively evaluated the relative contributions of climate and human factors to LDD and explored their impact on LDD. The study’s findings indicate that coastal regions in China experienced a marked increase in land development during the study period, with 62.47% of the regions displaying a growth trend and only 7.03% exhibiting signs of land degradation. The impact of climate change on the change in LDD processes was limited, while human activities were the main driving force, with their impact becoming increasingly apparent over time. Human activities were the dominant contributor to the change in LDD in most regions, accounting for over 60% of the change. Fast urbanization led to a notable decrease in cropland, wetland, shrub, and grassland, with a substantial proportion of the affected cropland transformed into impervious surfaces, accounting for 91.31% of the total cropland conversion. These findings deepen our understanding of the LDD process and its driving factors in coastal China, providing valuable insights for developing effective policy interventions and implementing successful land restoration plans in the region.