Trends and Controlling Factors of Vegetation Change in Different Regions of China

Understanding the complex relationship between vegetation change and both natural and anthropogenic factors is a subject of global importance. However, comprehensive explanations of vegetation cover trends across China’s different regions and the dynamic roles of their drivers remain limited. This study analyzed national and regional vegetation change trends from 2000 to 2020 and evaluated the evolving impacts of natural and anthropogenic factors. Results indicate that 44.14% of China’s land experienced significant increase (P < 0.05) in vegetation coverage. The Northeast (A1), Southwest (A5), and South China (A8) regions showed extremely significant increases in vegetation cover, with over 65% of vegetation exhibiting extremely significant growth (P < 0.01). In contrast, less than 25% of vegetation in Inner Mongolia (A2), Northwest (A3), and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (A4) subregions demonstrated an extremely significant increasing trend (P < 0.01). Precipitation (q = 0.766) and land use type (q = 0.636) were the most influential natural and anthropogenic factors, respectively, with their interaction (q = 0.838) dominating national vegetation patterns. On the west side of the Hu Line, vegetation dynamics were mainly limited by arid and semi-arid climates, with precipitation as the dominant factor, though land use measures have contributed to some vegetation improvement. Between 2000 and 2020, the influence of precipitation on vegetation cover increased in regions A3 and A4, with q-values rising by 26.73% and 101.13%, respectively. Additionally, soil type exerted a significant effect (P < 0.001) on vegetation cover across all regions, being most pronounced in A2 (q = 0.692). On the east side of the Hu Line, vegetation growth benefited generally from warm and humid conditions, while local decline in urbanized areas was largely attributable to land use change and economic expansion. Concurrently anthropogenic factors such as land use and population density increasingly influenced vegetation dynamics in eastern urban areas of the Hu Line. Population density and GDP were the most influential factors affecting vegetation cover in region A8, with q-values of 0.443 and 0.380, respectively (P < 0.001). Future efforts should maintain the benefits of large-scale ecological projects and harmonize the relationship between urban vegetation and anthropogenic influences.