Spatio-temporal Change Processes Of Charchan Oasis And Driving Forces Mechanism

Oasis plays important role in the sustainable development of social economics and natural environments in arid regions.As a result,the study on the spatial-temporal change and its driving mechanism of oasis has become a major concern.This study analyzed the spatial-temporal land use and cover changes and its driving factors in Charchan oasis(major part of Charchan river basin)from 1965 to 2013.Results of the study indicate that:(1)Charchan oasis expanded significantly during this period.Specifically,from 1965 to 2002,the land area of oasis increased from 51820.34 hm~2 to 62543.41 hm~2 due to the rapid increase of population and associated human activities.After 2002,the expansion mainly resulted from urbanization and industrialization comparing with the relatively minor expansion of cultivated land.(2)Charchan oasis has unique spatial-temporal variation characteristics.Particularly,the oasis shrank during the period 1965-1972,1998-2002 and 2006-2009,and expanded in other period.The landscape of the oasis displays a dispatch-integration-expansion trend.(3)Driving forces of oasis'spatial-temporal variation includes agricultural productions,social and economic factors and natural conditions.Among these three factors,the agricultural productions,socioeconomic factors both accelerated the spatial variation of Charchan oasis.In addition,the salinization of soil and deforestation(resulted from both natural and anthropogenic reasons)has induced serious environmental problems including desertification and thus it could affect the future development of oasis.Therefore,the adjustment of landscape configuration through land policy,reasonable use of land and water resources,and reduction of salinization,desertification and soil erosion should be taken into consideration in order to maintain the sustainable development of oasis.