Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Relationship between remotely sensed vegetation change and fracture zones induced by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, China

  • Published:
Journal of Earth Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Wenchuan (汶川) earthquake triggered cascading disasters of landslides and debris flows that caused severe vegetation damage. Fracture zones can affect geodynamics and spatial pattern of vegetation damage. A segment tracing algorithm method was applied for identifying the regional fracture system through lineament extractions from a shaded digital elevation model with 25 m mesh for southern Wenchuan. Remote sensing and geographic information system techniques were used to analyze the spatiotemporal vegetation pattern. The relationship between vegetation type identified from satellite images and lineament density was used to characterize the distribution patterns of each vegetation type according to fracture zones. Broad-leaved forest, mixed forest, and farmland persist in areas with moderate lineament density. Deciduous broad-leaved and coniferous forest persists in less fractured areas. Shrub and meadow seem to be relatively evenly distributed across all lineament densities. Meadow, farmland, and shrub persist in the fractured areas. Changes of spatial structure and correlation between vegetation patterns before and after the earthquake were examined using semivariogram analysis of normalized difference vegetation indices derived from Landsat enhanced thematic mapper images. The sill values of the semivariograms show that the spatial heterogeneity of vegetation covers increased after the earthquake. Moreover, the anisotropic behaviors of the semivariograms coincide with the vegetation changes due to the strikes of fracture zones.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References Cited

  • Brown, D. G., 1994. Predicting Vegetation Types at Treeline Using Topography and Biophysical Disturbance Variables. Journal of Vegetation Science, 5: 641–656

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • China Geological Survey, 1996. Spatial Database of 1: 500 000 Digital Geological Map of the People’s Republic of China

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, C. D., Wilson, C., 1994. Spatial Analysis of Lineaments. Computers and Geosciences, 20(7–8): 1237–1258

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chigira, M., Wu, X. Y., Inokuchi, T., et al., 2010. Landslides Induced by the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, Sichuan, China. Geomorphology, 118(3–4): 225–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davis, G., 1984. Structural Geology of Rocks and Regions. Wiley, New York. 475

    Google Scholar 

  • Fan, J. R., Chen, J. X., Tian, B. W., et al., 2010. Rapid Assessment of the Secondary Disasters Induced by the Wenchuan Earthquake. Computing in Science & Engineering, 12(1): 10–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gabr, S., Ghulam, A., Kusky, T. M., 2010. Detecting Areas of High-Potential Gold Mineralization Using ASTER Data. Ore Geology Reviews, 38(1–2): 59–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garrigues, S., Allard, D., Baret, F., et al., 2006. Quantifying Spatial Heterogeneity at the Landscape Scale Using Variogram Model. Remote Sensing of Environment, 103: 81–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gao, Z. Q., Liu, J. Y., 2000. The Study on Driving Factors and Models of NDVI Change Based on Remote Sensing and GIS in China. Climatic and Environmental Research, 5(2): 155–164 (in Chinese with English Abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hara, M., Hirata, K., Fujihara, M., et al., 1996. Vegetation Structure in Relation to Micro-Landform in an Evergreen Broad-Leaved Forest on Amami Ohshima Island, South west Japan. Ecological Research, 11: 325–337

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henebry, G., 1993. Detecting Change in Grasslands Using Measures of Spatial Dependence with Landsat TM Data. Remote Sensing of Environment, 46(2): 223–234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, R. Q., Li, W. L., 2008. Development and Distribution of Geohazards Triggered by the 5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake in China. Science in China Series E: Technical Science, 52: 810–819

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Journel, A. G., Huijbregts, C., 1978. Mining Geostatistics, Academic Press, San Diego. 600

    Google Scholar 

  • Koike, K., Nagano, S., Ohmi, M., 1995. Lineament Analysis of Satellite Images Using a Segment Tracing Algorithm (STA). Computers and Geosciences, 21(9): 1091–1104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koike, K., Nagano, S., Kawaba, K., 1998. Construction and Analysis of Interpreted Fracture Planes through Combination of Satellite-Image Derived Lineaments and Digital Elevation Model Data. Computers and Geosciences, 24(6): 573–583

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kusky, T. M., El-Baz, F., 2000. Neotectonics and Fluvial Geomorphology of the of the Northern Sinai Peninsula. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 31(2): 213–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kusky, T. M., Ghulam, A., Wang, L., et al., 2010. Focusing Seismic Energy along Faults through Time-Variable Rupture Modes: Wenchuan Earthquake, China. Journal of Earth Science, 21(6): 910–922, doi:10.1007/s12583-010-0144-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, W. T., Lin, C. Y., Chou, W. C., 2006. Assessment of Vegetation Recovery and Soil Erosion at Landslides Caused by a Catastrophic Earthquake: A Case Study in Central Taiwan. Ecological Engineering, 28: 79–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masoud, A., Koike, K., 2006. Tectonic Architecture through Landsat-7 ETM+/SRTM DEM-Derived Lineaments and Relationship to Hydrogeologic Setting in Siwa Region, NW Egypt. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 45: 467–477

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masoud, A. A., Koike, K., 2011a. Morphotectonics Inferred from the Analysis of Topographic Lineaments Auto-Detected from DEMs: Application and Validation for the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. Tectonophysics, 510(3–4): 291–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masoud, A. A., Koike, K., 2011b. Auto-Detection and Integration of Tectonically Significant Lineaments from SRTM DEM and Remotely-Sensed Geophysical Data. ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 66(6): 818–832

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matsushita, B., Yang, W., Chen, J., et al., 2007. Sensitivity of the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to Topographic Effect: A Case Study in High-Density Cypress Forest. Sensors, 7: 2636–2651

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Learly, D., Friedman, J., Pohn, H., 1976. Lineament, Linear, Lineation: Some Proposed New Standards for Old Terms. Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, 87: 1463–1469

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ouimet, W. B., 2010. Landslides Associated with the May 12, 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake: Implications for the Erosion and Tectonic Evolution of the Longmen Shan. Tectonophysics, 491: 244–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qu, Z., 1984. Plant Ecology. Higher Education Press, Beijing. 45–50 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Raharimahefa, T., Kusky, T. M., 2010. Environmental Monitoring of Bombetoka Bay and the Betsiboka Estuary, Madagascar, Using Multi-Temporal Satellite Data. Journal of Earth Science, 21(2): 210–226, doi:10.1007/s12583-010-0019-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruland, W. W., Cherry, J. A., Feenstra, S., 1991. The Depth of Fractures and Active Ground-Water Flow in a Clayey Till Plain in Southwestern Ontario. Ground Water, 29(3): 405–417

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saepuloh, A., Koike, K., Omura, M., et al., 2010. SAR- and Gravity Change-Based Characterization of the Distribution Pattern of Pyroclastic Flow Deposits at Mt. Merapi during the Past 10 Years. Bull. Volcanol., 72: 221–232, doi:10.1007/s00445-009-0310-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sellers, P. J., 1985. Canopy Reflectance, Photosynthesis and Transpiration. Int. J. Remote Sens., 6(8): 1335–1372

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stefanov, W. L., Ramsey, M. S., Christensen, P. R., 2001. Monitoring Urban Land Cover Change: An Expert System Approach to Land Cover Classification of Semiarid to Arid Urban Center. Remote Sensing of Environment, 77: 173–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang, H. M., Jia, H. B., Hu, X. L., et al., 2010. Characteristics of Landslides Induced by the Great Wenchuan Earthquake. Journal of Earth Science, 21(1): 104–113, doi:10.1007/s12583-010-0008-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, C. J., 1979. Red and Photographic Infrared Linear Combinations for Monitoring Vegetation. Remote Sensing of Environment, 8(2): 127–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, E. H., Hurd, J. D., Civco, D. L., et al., 2003. Development of a Geospatial Model to Quantify, Describe and Map Urban Growth. Remote Sensing of Environment, 86(3): 275–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. New Frontier Sciences, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan

    Ling Wang  (王玲)

  2. Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Ling Wang  (王玲)

  3. Department of Urban Management, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 615-8540, Japan

    Bingwei Tian  (田兵伟) & Katsuaki Koike

  4. Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt

    Alaa Masoud

Authors
  1. Ling Wang  (王玲)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bingwei Tian  (田兵伟)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alaa Masoud
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Katsuaki Koike
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Katsuaki Koike.

Additional information

This study was supported by the International Cooperation and Exchange Program of China (No. 31211130305) and the Youth Talent Team Program of Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. SDSQB-2012-01).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wang, L., Tian, B., Masoud, A. et al. Relationship between remotely sensed vegetation change and fracture zones induced by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, China. J. Earth Sci. 24, 282–296 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-013-0329-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-013-0329-y

Key Words

Search

Navigation